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

[JAF]

Have used AirBnB twice and not sure would again. First time everything was fine and that was when we went to Scotland for the Commonwealth Games. Second time we were in Sheffield for our ds wedding and needed to hire somewhere for the week. Arranged everything and then then 2 days before we were due to go were told they had sold the flat and it was no longer available. They wanted to move us to another flat which was inconvenient and charge us more. We said no and wanted a refund at which point they said they would not charge extra and offered us a parking space. Guess they did not want to pick up costs. To make matters worse when we arrived found the original place was not sold but being advertised at a higher price. Not used AirBnB since.

[WileyCoyote]

Originally Posted by Lizzim

Not a villa owner but having had a poor experience with a villa (was advertised on the dibb when I booked but not after we returned from our trip) in the past I would agree that you should make every effort to ensure future guests know what they will actually find on arrival.

I'm still annoyed over 2 years later...

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Thank you. I feel quite deceived and that is one thing but the bad review and lack of acknowledgement is what has got me frothing!

[Orlando Soon]

What a horrible experience for you. Even if the owner did say he/she would put things right it could not be done whilst you were staying. This looks like a total scam, hope Air B&B take down the listing.

[sotagals]

I'll be on my 80th Florida rental next year so I'll take that as my qualification to comment!

This whole thing is very puzzling.

That grime hasn't just built up over a short period so how come recent reviews are positive?

Are they fakes? I can't see anyone posting that that place is "sparkling clean"

Did the photos in the listing show the same outside views or have you been sent to a ringer?

You need to do a counter review because although you've got your money back you also went through a horrid experience so why shouldn't you tell it like it is?

I think you should do the best you can to alert future renters to what the place is really like so they don't have to go through it too.

Obviously only airbnb can help any who have already booked and paid and who might not see your review.

Is it still listed?

I've never seen anything like it. It's very strange.

[Flower2603]

OMG that is absolutely awful. If you had seen those photos beforehand, I'm sure you wouldn't have booked. So you'd be helping other holiday makers avoid a nasty experience by posting the pics.

[Lizzim]

Originally Posted by WileyCoyote

Thank you. I feel quite deceived and that is one thing but the bad review and lack of acknowledgement is what has got me frothing!

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Yeah we had a similar experience (although thankfully the villa we rented was not on the scale of yours). We were basically told that there was nothing wrong and they didn't understand why we were unhappy.

Sorry you had such a rubbish experience

[vampiress88]

Can’t believe you stayed there for any time at all.
I would have walked out and complained like nothing on earth. I have left before for less than your photos.
It’s making me feel sick. I feel so sorry for you cos it will have impacted your holiday.
I wouldn’t let the owner get away with it.

[Pussycat Doll]

Oh dear Lord, I’m afraid I’m lost for words. That’s absolutely disgusting and you should absolutely post your video etc and answer their response. Thank goodness Air B and B took you seriously and refunded you. If I had a guest send me photos like that of my villa I’d be on the next plane out there to find out what the hell was going on. I hope this doesn’t put you off renting a villa in the future but I wouldn’t be surprised at all if it did.

[WileyCoyote]

Originally Posted by JAF

Have used AirBnB twice and not sure would again. First time everything was fine and that was when we went to Scotland for the Commonwealth Games. Second time we were in Sheffield for our ds wedding and needed to hire somewhere for the week. Arranged everything and then then 2 days before we were due to go were told they had sold the flat and it was no longer available. They wanted to move us to another flat which was inconvenient and charge us more. We said no and wanted a refund at which point they said they would not charge extra and offered us a parking space. Guess they did not want to pick up costs. To make matters worse when we arrived found the original place was not sold but being advertised at a higher price. Not used AirBnB since.

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Ah that is bad. I am still undecided about it as a concept - I guess like anything when it works its great but when it goes wrong, the safety net is not as good as it could be .

Originally Posted by Orlando Soon

What a horrible experience for you. Even if the owner did say he/she would put things right it could not be done whilst you were staying. This looks like a total scam, hope Air B&B take down the listing.

See more...

I have written to Airbnb again saying similar !

Originally Posted by sotagals

I'll be on my 80th Florida rental next year so I'll take that as my qualification to comment!

This whole thing is very puzzling.

That grime hasn't just built up over a short period so how come recent reviews are positive?

Are they fakes? I can't see anyone posting that that place is "sparkling clean"

Did the photos in the listing show the same outside views or have you been sent to a ringer?

You need to do a counter review because although you've got your money back you also went through a horrid experience so why shouldn't you tell it like it is?

I think you should do the best you can to alert future renters to what the place is really like so they don't have to go through it too.

Obviously only airbnb can help any who have already booked and paid and who might not see your review.

Is it still listed?

I've never seen anything like it. It's very strange.

See more...

Yep at one point I said my husband that maybe it was the wrong house, but it wasn't. I cannot see how other people who stayed in the months before have said its clean and lovely. My review really stands out as the odd one. Its made me doubt myself. But then I look again at the pics ….

Originally Posted by Flower2603

OMG that is absolutely awful. If you had seen those photos beforehand, I'm sure you wouldn't have booked. So you'd be helping other holiday makers avoid a nasty experience by posting the pics.

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I discarded loads of places that had what I felt to be a older feel. I was specifically after a light and modern furnished place. This was not it !

Originally Posted by Lizzim

Yeah we had a similar experience (although thankfully the villa we rented was not on the scale of yours). We were basically told that there was nothing wrong and they didn't understand why we were unhappy.

Sorry you had such a rubbish experience

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Thanks - yep, not a shred that anything is amiss - even the dead cockroach and stained toilet has had no response. Surely as an owner you would question the cleaning ! We left the cockroach …...

Originally Posted by vampiress88

Can’t believe you stayed there for any time at all.
I would have walked out and complained like nothing on earth. I have left before for less than your photos.
It’s making me feel sick. I feel so sorry for you cos it will have impacted your holiday.
I wouldn’t let the owner get away with it.

See more...

When we first arrived we were quite tired after a long day. It was also the night Storm Nestor hit the Tampa Bay area. It was lashing with rain, thunder, lightning and the whole area on Tornado watch. The skyway bridge was closed and we didn't feel safe to venture out and at 9pm I was still looking to find another place to stay so we really had no choice but to sit out the storm. We barricaded the door with the cases and left as soon as the storm passed over the following morning. Happily the hotel we moved to made the end of the holiday really great so all was not lost

Originally Posted by Pussycat Doll

Oh dear Lord, I’m afraid I’m lost for words. That’s absolutely disgusting and you should absolutely post your video etc and answer their response. Thank goodness Air B and B took you seriously and refunded you. If I had a guest send me photos like that of my villa I’d be on the next plane out there to find out what the hell was going on. I hope this doesn’t put you off renting a villa in the future but I wouldn’t be surprised at all if it did.

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Thanks - it was so horrid. I felt so responsible too as I booked it

I'm not put off - this is the first bad one in all the times we have rented through any agency and where we had small hiccups before the owners were straight on to it. I did say that we were bound to hit a hitch with having 12 bookings to go through on this trip .. I just wasn't expecting it to be quite so gross !

[WileyCoyote]

Thanks to everyone for replying. I do appreciate it.

I have responded with a counter review and have published my video - its not fancy but I hope makes my case



And now … I will Let It Go !