@Airbnb@AirbnbHelp@AirbnbPolicy@Airbnb_jp
Airbnb support handled this so badly that I feel I have to speak out.
A guest at one of my properties became furious, saying the Wi-Fi didn’t work, the road noise was unbearable, and demanding a full refund.
As for the Wi-Fi, we had confirmed it was working properly during the cleaning right before check-in. I tried to offer troubleshooting and support, but instead of cooperating, the guest just kept repeating: “It doesn’t work! Refund! Refund!”
As for the noise, this property is located along a road. We clearly disclose in the listing that some guests may notice noise, while most guests over more than 5 years of operation have not found it to be a problem. We also clearly state that guests who are sensitive to noise should avoid booking. In other words: this was disclosed in advance, and the guest booked with that information available.
Even so, we still tried to respond sincerely and proactively, including suggesting practical measures such as earplugs and other ways to improve the stay. But the guest would accept nothing except a full refund.
After several rounds of messages, Airbnb forcibly altered/cancelled the reservation without properly confirming the situation with us.
Then, after the guest left, we entered the room and tested the Wi-Fi ourselves.
The result? 376.7 Mbps.
Yes. 376.7 Mbps. Extremely fast.
We then carefully explained the full situation to Airbnb and requested a review. Their response was essentially: “Because the guest said the Wi-Fi did not work while they were there, it counts as a malfunction.”
How does that make any sense?
How does the Wi-Fi supposedly “break” only while the guest is there, and then magically return to ultra-high speed immediately after checkout?
Anyone who has dealt with internet issues knows connection problems can also depend on the guest’s own device, settings, or environment. We immediately tried to help and offered troubleshooting, including restarting devices, but none of that seemed to matter.
As for the noise issue, Airbnb’s position was basically that no matter how clearly it was disclosed in advance, if the guest says it was noisy and has “evidence,” that is enough. End of discussion.
And then support shut the case down.
Is this really acceptable?
The Wi-Fi was running at 376.7 Mbps.
At the very least, shouldn’t Airbnb confirm the host’s side properly before taking such drastic action?
We acted sincerely, professionally, and in good faith throughout.