AirBnB host wants a call before my stay

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Thanks for the update, in the end the hotel will be a much better and more relaxing option

Certainly better than staying at this guy’s house. But we had several reasons we wanted a house including family in town we wanted to see while our kids slept and not all sit there silent in the same room, and a dog we don’t want to walk a block for grass. We will live, but we had good reasons for an Airbnb vs a hotel. The hotel will be a harder trip. But now there are limited dog friendly options this close in on VRBO and/or Airbnb. So hotel it is! Soured me on the Airbnb experience. But poster upthread is right that you do take on risk that you’ll get the crazy host.

Or the weird tenant who avoids phone calls.

If I had a dog and kids and wanted to spend quality time with others, I would want a house. Dog in hotel room plus kids sounds horrible.

Why didn’t you just call him back before canceling?

I remember I once got freaked out about a host wanting a picture of my Id and credit card and license plate. I really didn’t want to give it to him. At the end of the day, the security guard checked my id and license plate. The house was fine.

[Anonymous]

Never did an airbnb, I was interested in buying a home to raise my family that has a community pool. tennis, etc . RE mentioned I could also do short term rentals. So as a homeowner neighbor, I can get a revolving door of guests, like a hotel next door, so 30 people (or more) could show up to party, as I am putting my kids to sleep? WTH?

So people are renting out a house in a residential neighborhood & have no idea who is staying there? If a host asks to talk to a renter, they are weird, suspect, &/or doing something "against the rules"? Or they are racist and/or should be reported for asking to talk to a potential guest?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Never did an airbnb, I was interested in buying a home to raise my family that has a community pool. tennis, etc . RE mentioned I could also do short term rentals. So as a homeowner neighbor, I can get a revolving door of guests, like a hotel next door, so 30 people (or more) could show up to party, as I am putting my kids to sleep? WTH?

So people are renting out a house in a residential neighborhood & have no idea who is staying there? If a host asks to talk to a renter, they are weird, suspect, &/or doing something "against the rules"? Or they are racist and/or should be reported for asking to talk to a potential guest?

Another poster who was interested in buying a vacation home and renting it out via vrbo.

Gosh, I may have called tenant to see if they had any questions or to explain how the dishwasher worked or where to find the extra towels.

Some rentals have very detailed binders. Others have one piece of paper on the fridge with trash instructions only.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Never did an airbnb, I was interested in buying a home to raise my family that has a community pool. tennis, etc . RE mentioned I could also do short term rentals. So as a homeowner neighbor, I can get a revolving door of guests, like a hotel next door, so 30 people (or more) could show up to party, as I am putting my kids to sleep? WTH?

So people are renting out a house in a residential neighborhood & have no idea who is staying there? If a host asks to talk to a renter, they are weird, suspect, &/or doing something "against the rules"? Or they are racist and/or should be reported for asking to talk to a potential guest?

Another poster who was interested in buying a vacation home and renting it out via vrbo.

Gosh, I may have called tenant to see if they had any questions or to explain how the dishwasher worked or where to find the extra towels.

Some rentals have very detailed binders. Others have one piece of paper on the fridge with trash instructions only.

One of the other minority PPs

There's a world of difference between calling after the rental has started to confirm that things are going well and calling after booking, but before the rental begins and saying that you, as an owner, have reservations when the client will not call you against rental agency policy.

In OP's case, the owner may have been trying to verify whether OP, the client, was a minority and was threatening to cancel the reservation (with a no refund policy) if they couldn't talk to the client. OP was trying to avoid losing her rental payment (and some of the airBnB's have a policy that only a portion can be refunded after a certain date) and possibly being discriminated against.

In this case, she did the appropriate thing in referring this to airBnB and the owner who was clearly violating airBnB policy was flagged and OP got her full payment reimbursed. She got what she deserved and so did the home owner.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I think it is odd that you won’t call him on the phone.

I have rented often from vrbo. I remember I emailed a host and she didn’t respond for days and then called me. She was super friendly. She sounded older. Some people are just phone people.

The last time we rented, we were given poor instructions. They kept writing via the app but there was a delay. It was so annoying waiting for responses. I wish they just called me.

Dh is a physician. He always talks to people on the phone. Whenever I text him, he never responds. He just calls. Some people are just phone people.

I would not have cancelled a reservation over the host wanting to talk to you. As weirded out as you were, he probably thought you were equally odd for trying to avoid talking on the phone.

You are so clearly white and you don't even realize your white privilege.

It's no big problem because you are not and would not be the target of discrimination.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think it is odd that you won’t call him on the phone.

I have rented often from vrbo. I remember I emailed a host and she didn’t respond for days and then called me. She was super friendly. She sounded older. Some people are just phone people.

The last time we rented, we were given poor instructions. They kept writing via the app but there was a delay. It was so annoying waiting for responses. I wish they just called me.

Dh is a physician. He always talks to people on the phone. Whenever I text him, he never responds. He just calls. Some people are just phone people.

I would not have cancelled a reservation over the host wanting to talk to you. As weirded out as you were, he probably thought you were equally odd for trying to avoid talking on the phone.

You are so clearly white and you don't even realize your white privilege.

It's no big problem because you are not and would not be the target of discrimination.

I’m actually Asian. I am not sure how one could tell if someone is black over the phone. You wouldn’t be able to tell I was Asian on the phone.

I admit I didn’t read the entire thread. Was there something about canceling the reservation?

I have had an owner call me before confirming a reservation. I think she wanted to know who was in our party. She asked about bedtime. I think she didn’t want too many people and late nighters. I didn’t even think anything of it.

[Anonymous]

AirBnB hosts are just wild now.

Last one I stayed at had cameras that the host watched like a hawk. One at the front door - cool, normal... and one in the living room area that lorded over the living room, dining, and kitchen areas (open floorplan).

I was worried that there could have been hidden cameras and ended up changing like the freakin' houseguests do on the TV show Big Brother.

The cameras inside were NOT mentioned on the listing. I wouldn't have selected it if they had been, tbh.

I tried casually turning the living room cam to only face a wall but quickly got a message from the host to ask if someone had bumped it. I moved it back, reluctantly, and started screenshotting the listing. I then asked the host why the cameras inside were not listed and he tried to play the "I'm sure they are" game and told me it was for everyone's safety. Ok creeper.

I contacted support & got a 50% refund. I also can't find that listing on the site anymore.

Also, if I see one more homemade Cricut sign...

Hope you enjoyed your stay,
but before you depart,
help make our cleaner's day
by doing your part...

Dirty towels? Start a load.
Dirty dishes? Start a load.
Trashcans full? Remove from the abode.
And if it's Wednesday, bins to the road.

This will be the first summer where we don't have any AirBnB or VRBO stays booked and are instead opting for hotels again.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think it is odd that you won’t call him on the phone.

I have rented often from vrbo. I remember I emailed a host and she didn’t respond for days and then called me. She was super friendly. She sounded older. Some people are just phone people.

The last time we rented, we were given poor instructions. They kept writing via the app but there was a delay. It was so annoying waiting for responses. I wish they just called me.

Dh is a physician. He always talks to people on the phone. Whenever I text him, he never responds. He just calls. Some people are just phone people.

I would not have cancelled a reservation over the host wanting to talk to you. As weirded out as you were, he probably thought you were equally odd for trying to avoid talking on the phone.

You are so clearly white and you don't even realize your white privilege.

It's no big problem because you are not and would not be the target of discrimination.

I’m actually Asian. I am not sure how one could tell if someone is black over the phone. You wouldn’t be able to tell I was Asian on the phone.

I admit I didn’t read the entire thread. Was there something about canceling the reservation?

I have had an owner call me before confirming a reservation. I think she wanted to know who was in our party. She asked about bedtime. I think she didn’t want too many people and late nighters. I didn’t even think anything of it.

Wow. You might want to educate yourself.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think it is odd that you won’t call him on the phone.

I have rented often from vrbo. I remember I emailed a host and she didn’t respond for days and then called me. She was super friendly. She sounded older. Some people are just phone people.

The last time we rented, we were given poor instructions. They kept writing via the app but there was a delay. It was so annoying waiting for responses. I wish they just called me.

Dh is a physician. He always talks to people on the phone. Whenever I text him, he never responds. He just calls. Some people are just phone people.

I would not have cancelled a reservation over the host wanting to talk to you. As weirded out as you were, he probably thought you were equally odd for trying to avoid talking on the phone.

You are so clearly white and you don't even realize your white privilege.

It's no big problem because you are not and would not be the target of discrimination.

I’m actually Asian. I am not sure how one could tell if someone is black over the phone. You wouldn’t be able to tell I was Asian on the phone.

I admit I didn’t read the entire thread. Was there something about canceling the reservation?

I have had an owner call me before confirming a reservation. I think she wanted to know who was in our party. She asked about bedtime. I think she didn’t want too many people and late nighters. I didn’t even think anything of it.

Wow. You might want to educate yourself.

Your anger seems misplaced.

All I said was that it didn’t seem like a big deal to call back the host before canceling.

Then you said I had white privilege but I’m not white. I do have immigrant parents who wouldn’t be able to use an app to communicate or call or book or pay for the rental in the first place.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Never did an airbnb, I was interested in buying a home to raise my family that has a community pool. tennis, etc . RE mentioned I could also do short term rentals. So as a homeowner neighbor, I can get a revolving door of guests, like a hotel next door, so 30 people (or more) could show up to party, as I am putting my kids to sleep? WTH?

So people are renting out a house in a residential neighborhood & have no idea who is staying there? If a host asks to talk to a renter, they are weird, suspect, &/or doing something "against the rules"? Or they are racist and/or should be reported for asking to talk to a potential guest?

Another poster who was interested in buying a vacation home and renting it out via vrbo.

Gosh, I may have called tenant to see if they had any questions or to explain how the dishwasher worked or where to find the extra towels.

Some rentals have very detailed binders. Others have one piece of paper on the fridge with trash instructions only.

One of the other minority PPs

There's a world of difference between calling after the rental has started to confirm that things are going well and calling after booking, but before the rental begins and saying that you, as an owner, have reservations when the client will not call you against rental agency policy.

In OP's case, the owner may have been trying to verify whether OP, the client, was a minority and was threatening to cancel the reservation (with a no refund policy) if they couldn't talk to the client. OP was trying to avoid losing her rental payment (and some of the airBnB's have a policy that only a portion can be refunded after a certain date) and possibly being discriminated against.

In this case, she did the appropriate thing in referring this to airBnB and the owner who was clearly violating airBnB policy was flagged and OP got her full payment reimbursed. She got what she deserved and so did the home owner.

It seemed like a big overreaction to a minor annoyance in this case. To me. I say that with the privilege of my white skin, I understand.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

I’m actually Asian. I am not sure how one could tell if someone is black over the phone. You wouldn’t be able to tell I was Asian on the phone.

Really?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I think it is odd that you won’t call him on the phone.

I have rented often from vrbo. I remember I emailed a host and she didn’t respond for days and then called me. She was super friendly. She sounded older. Some people are just phone people.

The last time we rented, we were given poor instructions. They kept writing via the app but there was a delay. It was so annoying waiting for responses. I wish they just called me.

Dh is a physician. He always talks to people on the phone. Whenever I text him, he never responds. He just calls. Some people are just phone people.

I would not have cancelled a reservation over the host wanting to talk to you. As weirded out as you were, he probably thought you were equally odd for trying to avoid talking on the phone.

You fail at reading comprehension, but SUPER! It's a good thing op cancelled this rental. I have no doubt there are issues with it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Hey millennial, you can survive a 5 minute phone call with a stranger. Don’t pretend it’s about wanting a “record.” We know you are terrified to speak on the phone. It will be okay.

+1 THIS

[Anonymous]

Nice house, with a dog. Seems like the host just wanted to make sure you would take care of things. Personally I would have called; the new accommodations seems like a big pain.

[Anonymous]

Wait. You actually canceled because you were scared to talk on the phone? That's more bizarre than the person wanting to talk to you