Who to blame or what to do in case things go wrong with a booking through Airbnb?
I have been pointed to Airbnb on several occasions. Although the idea behind that website is really nice, I never actually made a reservation through Airbnb. Some times the offers are too good to be true and some times the responses you get from the hosts are not really building confidence. I almost always end up back on the good old booking.com and tripadvisor.com
My main concern with a booking through Airbnb is that you arrive at your destination and the whole booking seems to be a scam and then you are stuck in an unknown city with your only refuge being a 4 star expensive hotel since all other accommodation options at that time have no vacancies.
In the Dutch media there is a lot of attention to services like Airbnb. Rental agencies and banks seem to actively monitor Airbnb to find people not complying with their rental and mortgage agreements. A related question shows that legal issues apply in other places as well.
I really love initiatives like Airbnb, but I always seem to end up using conventional aggregators, where there is someone to blame if things go wrong.
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What happens when Airbnb goes wrong?
Although there's less of a safety net if things go wrong, Airbnb does have a Guest Refund Policy. Specifically, if a property is misrepresented, dirty, unsafe or impossible to access, guests can often get rebooked or receive a refund.What happens when you report someone on Airbnb?
What we do with reports. Our community support team investigates reports and may follow up for additional documentation. If needed, we'll also offer personalized, hands-on booking support to find you a different place to stay. If someone has violated our nondiscrimination policy we will take corrective action.How do I complain about an Airbnb host?
You can submit a complaint via our webform. Once your complaint has been submitted: You'll receive an automated acknowledgement of your email when we receive your complaint. An Airbnb case handler will be assigned to your complaint and will aim to make initial contact with you within 96 hours.What do I do if I have a problem with Airbnb?
Send a refund request Submit your request: You'll describe the issue, provide photos or video if you can, and let the Host know how you'd like to resolve the issue. Wait for a response: If your Host declines or doesn't respond, you can ask Airbnb to step in to help.What to Do if A Guest Doesn't Check Out On Time - Airbnb Host Tips
Sources: Stack Exchange - This article follows the attribution requirements of Stack Exchange and is licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0.
Images: Angela Roma, Stanislav Kondratiev, Sora Shimazaki, Katerina Holmes