Airbnb can be a risk. There are too many scams on the platform, and the company has a history of not standing behind guests that find themselves stranded without a place to stay – or hosts whose properties are poorly treated.
But the platform that connects people who want to rent their real estate, and guests looking for a place to stay (at a hefty fee to both parties), has a real place.
- Destinations without good hotel options. I’ve used them on the Texas Gulf Coast, Martha’s Vineyard, and parts of Australia’s Gold Coast for instance.
- Larger accommodations, where multiple families or large families might want to stay together and over longer periods of time with residential-style amenities.
Sure, cleaning fees that still leave you with a chore list of cleaning to do before departure gets most of the bad press. But here’s a shocking case where guests were really at the mercy of a property owner that treated them badly – with Airbnb nowhere to be found.
I’ve been on @Airbnb for a long time. Some of my good friends were early employees. Last week, during a funeral for my uncle, my family had to endure a disgraceful, deeply traumatic, discriminatory experience at an @Airbnb and thus far no one has made it right.🧵 1/x
— Joseph M. Azam (@josephazam) June 27, 2023
A senior citizen – an Airbnb Superhost himself – booked a house for 8 siblings to stay in for their brother’s funeral. A total of 5 of them actually stayed at the property. Over the course of the week several people came over to pay condolences and care for the family.
Properties may have maximum guest numbers to comply with local ordinances, or additional charges for larger number of guests to discourage parties and damage. Though only 5 people spent the night at the property,
- The Airbnb host watched them on camera and saw visitors come over
- Then demanded they pay $5,000 additional dollars as though more people than registered were staying
- And threatened to kick them out if the refused
On the third day, my dad received a call from the host claiming that the group — still at the original 5 — was violating the capacity agreement of the house. The host demanded that they pay for the maximum number of 16 guests — an additional $5,000.00 — or face being evicted. 6/x
— Joseph M. Azam (@josephazam) June 27, 2023
Airbnb contacted the 70 year old man to demand the additional payment. The host claimed the seniors “caused community disturbance.” Before the funeral they were evicted “at midnight, with their suitcases, grocery bags & nowhere to go.” At 2 a.m. before the funeral, with the help of family members, they found a budget hotel to move to. The guest was blocked from the platform as a host, so that he couldn’t manage his rental properties either.
The homesharing platform became responsive – only after the man’s son, a lawyer, had his tweets about the incident go viral.
UPDATE: @Airbnb has reached out. Grateful that their leadership team spotted this and is now partnering with us in resolving. We appreciate that. It’s important to acknowledge when companies respond earnestly. Hoping it’s a learning experience and a chance to improve.
— Joseph M. Azam (@josephazam) June 28, 2023
To be sure, outlier events happen in hotels, you’re never fully protected anywhere you go. But there’s a company to go after when staying with a chain, and if nothing else tort liability helps align incentives. To date that hasn’t seemed to be the case with Airbnb.
I thought the camera were against the T&C.
Would like to see how this turns out. Sueing costs money, but in this case, I think the owner and AB&B should both pony up a very hefty settlement. Not only because the family deserves some compensation, but it should be enough to have the bad host’s insurance company questioning his insurability.
@Beachfan – cameras inside the unit aren’t permitted, cameras outside watching you and others come and go area allowed
@Gary and @Beachfan. Yeah, maybe it’s OK to film outside. But son-the-lawyer should file legal action to get copies of all the video and see if they were filming inside. Wanna take bets on what they’ll find?
Secretly filming inside? Then turn the tables on them and frame this on social media as some perv going after the elderly.
Sorry, but I am not so sure this is all that cut and dried. While we don’t charge per guest, we do make it very clear that the capacity of the house is to be adhered to at all times during the stay, not just overnight guests. There are neighbors to be considered in terms of parking, noise, etc. I don’t know how many people they might have had at the house at any given time, but would the perspective be different if they had 20 people there sometimes? 30? 50? 100? Like I say, I don’t know how many there were, but the line does need to be drawn somewhere. This host may have seen a lot of people going into his home and just wanted them gone before things got out of hand.
I’ve stayed at a VRBO and the house had “anti-party” noise monitors near the kitchen in addition to external cameras. These were disclosed in the agreement so no surprises.
There was probably some clause in the agreement saying you cannot host a party on property on the basis of occupancy restrictions and right or wrong clearly there was some disagreement on whether the different people visiting during the stay was considered a group event.
Just toss that on the pile of reasons to never use Airbnb. The company had its moment but that’s long since passed. In the overwhelming majority of locations a hotel is now cheaper, easier, and more transparent on pricing. And that’s ignoring how unethical it’s entire business model is in light of housing shortages and increasing home prices.
I feel some information is missing. The person making the booking, a superhost himself, should certainly be aware of capacity issues regarding rentals. Did he even communicate with the property owner regarding reason of the stay, just to double check that there will not be any problems, due to the amount of people that could be coming and going, the cars driving in/out and parking situation. Some villages have restrictions, and perhaps the property owner was looking out for himself.
I live next to an Airbnb. We are on a quiet dead end. The whole cul de sac HATES it. This house also has rules. No parties. No parking on the street. No outside noise after 9 pm. Are the rules followed? No. People in and out of the house at all hours. Drunk people on the lawn at 3am. Parking in the street and on my lawn. Police only recently started responding and only when the managers call them. We wish we could find a way to get them out. I am trying to move. My point is, there are two sides to every story. I would like to hear from a neighbor of this house.
I’ve only rented Airbnb a few times but all of my experiences were positive and frankly, better than staying in hotels and motels. I hope I continue to have good luck.
I live next to an Airbnb. I live on a very quiet dead end. Everyone on the cul de sac HATES it. This house has rules too. No parties. No street parking. No more than 10 people. No outside noise after 9 pm, Are the rules followed? Hardly. Complaining to the police does little and they only come out when the house managers call. Loud engine noises at all hours of the night. Drunks on the lawn at 3 am, knocking on MY DOOR looking for a phone charger. Multitudes of people in and out of the house. Street parking where they end up on my lawn. My point being, there are two sides to every story. I would like to hear what the neighbors have to say about these “senior citizens” and their behavior at the rental.
I used to use BnBs back in the day before Airbnb. Yes millennials and gen z, the concept isn’t new. What is new that instead of dealing with honest mom and pop businesses you are now dealing with a monster owned by sociopathic billionaires. I simply no longer do any business with any business owned by sociopathic billionaires. And my life is now more pleasant.
Why is the word discrimination used in this at all? They broke the rules that were clearly stated when they agreed to stay at the property. A hotel is brought up but has open places for gatherings like a restaurant or bar, these places explicitly say no to them in fact it’s not just even by property but a standard rule on Airbnb! I will never understand why people feel they can completely disregard rules and policy’s not just with a platform like Airbnb but anywhere and not have consequences! Even more after doing this decode to find a reason to call it discriminatory! Follow the rules and you will not have an issue!
Gotta say, I’d love a hit of whatever the commenters suggesting that the funeral-going seniors were throwing ragers are on. Must be a wild way to go through life!
Honestly i can sense the bs in the family’s explanation. It was a distasteful way to handle it but i’m sure they agreed to the terms when they took the house, and i’m sure when they said 5 people will be staying there they knew it would be 16 coming…. thats not even a close estimate. Yes its unfortunate that they were older and its unfortunate that it was during a funeral, if it was my own I may let it slide but imagine the ring camera going off and you check and are literally watching a line of people enter. If it was 21 twenty year olds this would have never gone viral. T&C aren’t dependent upon your age… I’m also sure that they werent being “monitored” indoors, the owner would of never brought that up to airbnb. and a Ring camera i see no problem with at an airbnb.
Sorry, but this is the guest’s problem If there was going to be multiple people dropping by for a memorial or whatever, that should’ve been communicated to the property owner ahead of time. Your AirBnB is a place to sleep and enjoy as an overnight rental, not a meeting hall. A funeral is no different than a party if you get right down to it.
Get a hotel room next time and move on.
Little doubt in my mind that people visiting the siblings parked all over the place. They thought they were ‘getting away with it’ because they weren’t confronted. My sister has been using vacation rentals since they were invented. She rented a mansion for her daughter’s wedding. The host was crazed about nobody parking on ‘his’ lawn. My sister made that crystal clear to everyone. When we arrived, my brother just pulled his rental car right on the lawn and left it there. He had no connection to the host, and he didn’t think it was of any importance. Lots of guests parked right behind him. And of course the owner came by to observe and the next day gave my sister a really bad time with the huge deposit he had collected. That’s how people behave, that’s why there’s strife with the ‘neighbors’ of Abb properties. People are braindead, and they just don’t care.
There’s just waaayyyy too much theatrics in his rant of a post. He could have told the story as it was without the drama and folks would have still been sympathetic.
All the drama of being kicked out at midnight, nowhere to sleep until 2am, senior this, senior that, it’s just too much. It’s easy to lose sight of what’s important when you have to drudge through all of the male emotion packed into his story.
I am a super host. My condo is surrounded by permanent residences. I make it clear no parties. Airbnb should not be used as a venue for an event. If u were at a hotel you would not be allowed dozens of visitors. You would need to rent and cater an appropriate venue. If my neighbors are upset then my condo is not be properly used per rental disclosures. I side with my neighbors. Don’t be cheap and hold a large event in a residential Airbnb. No hotel would allow you to have dozens of guests in your room. Seriously..it’s not a venue it’s a hotel room with a kitchen and living room.
In addition to what seems to be an Airbnb used as an event venue the owner handled it incorrectly. I see fault on both sides. Owner should have handled as occupancy no event violation but instead he tried to collect money.airbnb also required cameras and sound recording to be disclosed. I’m any case both sides are wrong. An Airbnb rental is not a cheap event venue..wrong on guest side AND owner could have evicted without trying to profit as I would do for my neighbors. And cameras need disclosures.
Can you provide more detail on how they were “evicted”? In California the eviction process typically takes months. Owners can be arrested for “self-help” and the sheriff will not take action without a court order. Even hotels – as you well know – rarely evict guests who overstay their reservations.
There are two sides to every story. I am an Airbnb host and we don’t allow unregistered guests and parties are against our rules and Airbnb Terms of Service. Anyone can say they’re in town for a funeral and it’s not up to me to verify and frankly I don’t care. It doesn’t matter. No unregistered guests and no parties, period. We have fees and charges for extra people and unregistered guests. It’s not extortion to ask for these fine to be paid. It’s just good business.
What did the house rules say about guests? Airbnbs have very clear party policies – how many people were there at once? What was the parking situation? What were the conversations before the stay? Did they tell the host the reason for the visit? I’ve always had very pleasant stays with airbnb, but I also read the house rules carefully (vacuum before departure? hard no. Please put the trash in the outdoor bin? sure.). Problems seem to happen when people treat an airbnb like a hotel and not, well, like a BnB. That said, hotels also have policies about non-registered-guests, so what makes this different?
Your group did not comply with the rules, period. It does not matter that they were staying for a funeral or that the people visiting were not staying. Each home has rules that they are agreed to by the guest when booking and they need to be respected. Having people over during the day in violation of the house rules is a VIOLATION. The host had sll the right to renove them.
Note to self, unplug WiFi router when using airbnb.
Surprised at the defense of the owner, likely from others in the business, but their explanations are such as to discourage anyone from using their services.
@Boraxo you have no control/authority over YOUR property? the most un American thing ever.
Sounds exactly like Venezuela and the reason I left it (and the reason my commercial and residential property lost >95% of its value) … Seems like the dems are succeeding in their quest to destroy the most powerful country on earth.
The point is rentals such as Airbnb condos – suburban houses – urban townhomes- farmhouses on an acre – huge 8-bedroom houses, whatever, are fit for purpose. Hotels are fit for purpose – rent a room and a conference room for your 30-person event. A hotel won’t allow you to host an event in your room. Many restaurants have private rooms for your group if you order food from them. I was at a hotel in Cal recently for a family funeral. After the burial, they had a nice reception in one of the restaurants nearby in a private room. My cousin did not try to have the event at her brother-in-law’s condo, which was loaned to her. This situation was a total lack of communication by everyone. The guests were presumptuous (or trying to get off cheap) to invite so many people to his Airbnb. That behavior is why neighborhoods want to ban Airbnb. The owner asked for $5000 was out of line as the owner’s real duty was to communicate that the social event (irrelevant that it was a funeral) should have been stopped, moved to the appropriate venue, or guests evicted for violation of lease terms. Airbnb owners can ask people to vacate—on the same day with the support of Airbnb rules. However, the owner could have suggested other local venues for the gathering. If guests refused they should be asked to leave. Owners that allow parties are being taken off the platform, and rightly so. Get the appropriate venue for a large gathering. Airbnb should be limited to having a cozy dinner party, not an event with 20 vehicles to park. Get real people!
I wonder if Airbnb had a rocking credit card offer if the low opinion would change
Definitely 3 sides to every story. Sounds like they may have been “sitting Shiva” which is perfectly normal process for a residential house setting. I smell discrimination against the Chosen People. They should proceed accordingly.
It sounds like this guy was trying to conduct part of the funeral at this house, either the wake or the body showing. The owner is 100% in the right to charge the maximum guest amount. These homes are not for events the pricing would be different if it was.
Seniors to not throw wild parties. This was just an excuse by the owner to try to jack them for $5k. Hopefully they will find a good attorney. If AirBnb is smart they will settle up quickly.
And yes I’ve been to many hotels where people throw actual parties in their rooms. Sometimes for hours. Most recently I was at the Grosvenor Sq London after the Queen died and the entire Bangladeshi delegation was hanging out in the hallways. Not a party but definitely annoying.
The difference is that the hotel does not “evict” the paying customer nor does it extort him. They just kick out the visitors.
Airbnb’s primary Problem Resolution Strategy seems to be “Just Sue Us”. They know they’re are typically in the wrong but recognize that most Airbnb Customers do not have the resources to litigate and that this Customer Resolution Strategy might turn out to be a very profitable one.
Until there are Class Action Lawsuits and Federal Regulatory Agencies and State Attorney Generals involved, don’t expect much in terms of Airbnb Problem Resolution unless as in this case, there is a lot of Media Attention.
@Guy – Sitting Shiva is not part of the funeral, the wake or the body showing. It is a process of mourning and respect. These people’s right have been violated and punitive action should commence.
Why does a religious event at an Airbnb supercede the occupancy and parking agreements when u lease a Airbnb property. In that case my little 3 br lakefront condo could be used for full weddings and take over the condo property common areas if wedding is accompanied by a minister or other religion officer. It is absurd. Age of renters and a large event that happens to involve religion is irrelevant. Rent fit for purpose for your event. Period
I am surprised at AirBNB. That seems to be very extreme under the circumstances. And ease dropping by camera? Someone is trying to make a few extra bucks. I wouldn’t stay there. Hotels are more lenient with their rules.