Villa owners. A feedback question. Updated #50 & #51

[Lisbon]

You were right to complain but I don't think the owner will really care going by the condition of the home and there attitude .
I always advise people to check with the owner when the advert photos were taken.
Rob

[Unexpectedpenny]

Oh wow that’s bad. I can’t believe they had the cheek to leave you the bad review!

Originally Posted by Lisbon

You were right to complain but I don't think the owner will really care going by the condition of the home and there attitude .
I always advise people to check with the owner when the advert photos were taken.
Rob

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Surely this kind of owner who clearly doesn’t care will just lie and say they were taken recently though.

[WileyCoyote]

Originally Posted by ELLENUT

OMG are their pics about 10 years old - looks like a different place.
I'm sorry you had this experience but definitely did the right thing here to protect other unsuspecting holiday makers.

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It does look like a different house doesn’t it and the furniture (plus lighting) makes a world of difference

Originally Posted by Rob & Jan

That's dreadful, looks like a different place-you definitely did the right thing posting the video, sorry that you have had such a awful experience.

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Thank you x

Originally Posted by Disney Planning

You mentioned it briefly in your report but it's totally not the same place, what on earth happened? I know it's always a risk when you rent, but I've never experienced anything like that (and wouldn't want to). AirBnb should be able to make them take their listing down. It's disgraceful.

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I know. I have been back and forth with them about it

Originally Posted by Mel49

I'm sure the listing will soon be removed as the before and reality is not just wear and tear and poor cleaning. Glad you got a refund and were able to find alternative accomodation but what a swizz advertising a fresh modern property when the realitly was so awful.

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They have said as it’s just one bad review they won’t do anything. It’s on them now as I have sent them pics of an unclean and unsafe(in my opinion) house and made it clear in my review. I get they wouldn’t knee jerk to a bad comment but the pics can’t be denied !

[WileyCoyote]

Originally Posted by Libby29

Makes me feel sick just looking at the pics, I would've walked. No way would I stay in such filth. Nothing worse after traveling hours to find the accomodation is disgusting. Good job, with the review 👍

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Yeah we felt the same but in the dark, with no where else to go and a tropical storm raging around we found it’s easier said than done to ship straight out. It was our first instinct but sense had to prevail for Andy driving in those conditions at the end of an already long day. Honestly we levitated over the furniture and used the loos in restaurants Thank you for the support

Originally Posted by TheHughesCrew

Oh my goodness. That's horrific! You poor things. I absolutely would be complaining to anyone and everyone. Hope the listing gets removed soon...

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Thank you. It was

Originally Posted by sotagals

It looks to me like the photos he's got on the listing are the professional realtor photos probably from when the house was sold to him.

Then of course the owners have moved out taking everything with them and he's moved his own stuff in. I can't think of any other explanation - all the big pieces of bedroom furniture are gone.

Unless he's fallen on hard times and flogged it all on Gumtree.

I'm going to be booking a few airbnb for our upcoming trips so that's why I'm looking for clues here in case I can learn something - and I have.

In the airbnb listing it doesn't mention that the place is "sparkling clean" which you would expect to see.

Also as he's been on there since 2014 you would expect to see a lot more reviews. I suspect people are complaining outwith the reviews or not reviewing at all.

Some of the reviews don't quite match the replies so maybe they have been edited due to disputes?

Amanda's experience has taught me to be even more cautious. Some subtle clues are there in the listing and I'll be applying what I've learned to my own search.

Thanks Amanda for posting this, very useful; and I hope it hasn't put you off the Bradenton Sarasota area.

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I’m glad it’s helped. And I agree. It’s a good learning experience!

We wondered if maybe it had been inherited. There were labels on all the switches and we thought maybe it was for a forgetful older person like a parent?
Looking back I can see that it’s probable they were realtor pics. They were certainly flattering.
Some of the reviews were recent and its rating was over 4.5 on everything so I was totally taken in.
I never even thought to question the pics.

He has other properties with rave reviews so his host score is across all of them.
I feel like a dumb old lady that got proper suckered

Originally Posted by Pussycat Doll

Having viewed the video I’m even more shocked! It’s a different house! I can see why you booked it Amanda, it looks stunning in the photos, sadly the reality was rubbish. I can’t imagine what happened, it’s as if he sold all his furniture and went to the thrift store to replace it!

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Yeah we felt that too. I described it to Airbnb as nothing other than asset stripping. Anything decent was gone. Leaving the curtain rails and all the nails and hooks for the other stuff was like rubbing salt in the wound.

Originally Posted by Mqt

I am furious for you. How absolutely disgusting. I think you are doing the right thing exposing the owner on YouTube. How can people get away with that?

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Thank you. It’s bad isn’t it

Originally Posted by CrispyA

Can’t believe they’ve had the cheek to leave you a bad review - it’s like a totally different property!

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I know. When we walked in Andy was like what is this place

Originally Posted by Lisbon

You were right to complain but I don't think the owner will really care going by the condition of the home and there attitude .
I always advise people to check with the owner when the advert photos were taken.
Rob

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That’s really sound advice and not something I even thought of. I can’t decide if that makes me too trusting or gullible but I’ve for sure learned it now ! And I agree, he doesn’t seem to give a hoot. Even with the photographs I sent to him.

Originally Posted by Unexpectedpenny

Oh wow that’s bad. I can’t believe they had the cheek to leave you the bad review.

Surely this kind of owner who clearly doesn’t care will just lie and say they were taken recently though.

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I know. The good and bad of social media. Thank you

[jocat]

It’s just dreadful. Those bathroom photos and I don’t even understand what that extension room is for.

Good for you for not taking it lying down. I don’t know how people like that can sleep it night, making out it’s you by leaving a bad review.

[Guest]

That is shocking. I agree that it would not have been appropriate to take down the listing for one bad review, but if they kept it up after seeing the evidence then that is not good enough.

I have never been tempted to try airbnb and am even less likely to now.

[Dizzy30]

If you look at the far right of some of the pictures, then you will see MFRMLS as a watermark, I will presume this is from Mid Florida Regional Multi Listing Service, so like rightmove where lots of houses are listed from multiple estate agents.
These are almost definitely pictures from when the house was up for sale and it has the previous owners furnishings.
realtyna.com/mls-coverage/mls/mid-florida-regional-mls-mfrmls/

[sotagals]

Originally Posted by Dizzy30

If you look at the far right of some of the pictures, then you will see MFRMLS as a watermark, I will presume this is from Mid Florida Regional Multi Listing Service, so like rightmove where lots of houses are listed from multiple estate agents.
These are almost definitely pictures from when the house was up for sale and it has the previous owners furnishings.
realtyna.com/mls-coverage/mls/mid-florida-regional-mls-mfrmls/

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We'll spotted!
My clue was that the big wall unit was "de-cluttered" a classic sale technique.

CSI Dibbers are on the case

Seriously though with that as evidence airbnb should be taking the ad down until he's changed the photos.

The OP has the actual address and could check when the property changed hands. It might still be there on the realtor websites.

I think she's drawing a line under this now though which is sensible but I still feel for the unsuspecting renters who have already booked and paid. His calendar is pretty full.

[WileyCoyote]

Originally Posted by jocat

It’s just dreadful. Those bathroom photos and I don’t even understand what that extension room is for.

Good for you for not taking it lying down. I don’t know how people like that can sleep it night, making out it’s you by leaving a bad review.

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I know. It’s just a horror story isn’t it .

Originally Posted by Claudette

That is shocking. I agree that it would not have been appropriate to take down the listing for one bad review, but if they kept it up after seeing the evidence then that is not good enough.

I have never been tempted to try airbnb and am even less likely to now.

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Yes. I do feel it’s bad on the guests who are going to turn up after me. Maybe they won’t be so bothered

Originally Posted by Dizzy30

If you look at the far right of some of the pictures, then you will see MFRMLS as a watermark, I will presume this is from Mid Florida Regional Multi Listing Service, so like rightmove where lots of houses are listed from multiple estate agents.
These are almost definitely pictures from when the house was up for sale and it has the previous owners furnishings.
realtyna.com/mls-coverage/mls/mid-florida-regional-mls-mfrmls/

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That’s really helpful. Thank you .

Originally Posted by sotagals

We'll spotted!
My clue was that the big wall unit was "de-cluttered" a classic sale technique.

CSI Dibbers are on the case

Seriously though with that as evidence airbnb should be taking the ad down until he's changed the photos.

The OP has the actual address and could check when the property changed hands. It might still be there on the realtor websites.

I think she's drawing a line under this now though which is sensible but I still feel for the unsuspecting renters who have already booked and paid. His calendar is pretty full.

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Thank you. I will give it one last go with Airbnb. I have stoped short of saying I felt de frauded in my correspondence with them. I did talk about goods and services not being received as expected but there is still something about my money changing hands under a false pretext. If it was UK trading standards issue I would be all over it but its not.

I will see what they come back with.

Thanks all . Much appreciated .

[ManCity]

I'm sorry to hear your problems. Arriving to find the villa is quite different to the listings must be very distressing. Your experience serves to remind all of us that, whilst the vast majority of villa owners provide excellent service, there are a few rogue ones we must all be wary of. You are right to provide an honest review.

I've used AirBnb several times myself and one thing I like is that they only initiate payment to the owner on the day after check in (unlike many other sites), so that if you arrive to find the villa is not as described, you can report it to them and get a prompt refund. That policy clearly worked for you. It is perhaps some consolation to know that he didn't get paid. Imagine if you had paid the owner or management company direct (as many people do), and they turned out to be a rogue one - you would be having difficulty getting your refund.

AirBnb's review system is based on the owner and guest reviewing each other in the 15 day period after check out, without being able to see the other's review first. However, you said you threatened the owner with a bad review, so he knew in advance about your review, which might have increased the likelihood of him retaliating. Unlike TripAdvisor, only people who booked through AirBnb can leave a review, so I doubt if they are 'fake' in that sense, but of course they will be subjective. You said the owner has several other properties. Is it possible that all the reviews appear together, so you were effectively reviewing the host, rather than the specific property - that might explain why there were good reviews if they had stayed in other better properties. Given that there were several properties, was the owner actually the owner, or a management company or agent who also take bookings on these sites.

AirBnb doesn't inspect the properties themselves. But hardly any villa listing sites or travel companies actually do inspections. The few that do so might only do an inspection when the listing is first created. The owner can change the furnishings, colour scheme, management company, etc at ANY time. The only foolproof way would be for an independent 3rd party to inspect the property before every guest check in - that is just not feasible. Photos only show what it was like when the photo was taken.

One thing that surprised me was the architecture of the extension was quite different to anything I've seen in a rental villa - in particular the walls are brick which is very unusual. However, my experience is of the Disney/Orlando area, perhaps Bradenton is different.

I would expect owners to advertise their villa on any site that might generate bookings. It is quite possible this property is listed elsewhere. Unfortunately, there is nothing much one guest can do to stop a rogue owner completely. However, sooner or later, justice will catch up with him. Let's hope it is sooner.