Airbnb 'Superhost' Fakes Photos To Accuse Guest Of Damage Worth Rs 14 Lakh

News18

11 hours ago

A woman in London faced false damage claims after leaving a NYC Airbnb early. After appealing with proof, Airbnb refunded her full amount and apologised
Airbnb has become a highly popular online platform for booking accommodation. People not only reserve hotel rooms but often list their own homes on Airbnb as well. Recently, a rather unusual incident occurred involving a woman from England while she was in the United States of America.
She had booked an Airbnb, but as she was preparing to leave, the host accused her of causing damage, leaving the woman astonished. She subsequently provided evidence that ultimately revealed the truth.
The Booking And Early Departure
A woman from London had booked a one-bedroom flat in Manhattan, New York, for two and a half months via Airbnb. According to a report by The Guardian, the incident took place earlier this year. The woman ended her stay after just seven weeks, citing an unsafe environment, and cut her booking short.
Shortly after her departure, the host accused her of causing damage worth $16,000 (around Rs 14 lakh), claiming she had broken the coffee table, left urine stains on the mattress, and damaged the robot vacuum, sofa, microwave, television, and air conditioning unit, backing these claims with several photographs.
The woman denied all allegations made by the Airbnb host. She explained that only two visitors had come to see her during her stay. Upon examining the photos of the coffee table closely, she noticed that the damage appeared different in each image. She suspected that the photos were either artificially generated or doctored.
The woman believed the host was retaliating due to her early departure. As the host was classified as a 'Superhost', the situation was particularly serious. Initially, following what Airbnb described as a 'thorough investigation" of the photos, the woman was asked to pay over $7,000 (approximately Rs 6.13 lakh).
The Appeal And Evidence Presented
The woman appealed the decision, providing testimony from an eyewitness who was present during her checkout and could confirm that the property had been left clean and undamaged. She highlighted inconsistencies in the photos that would be impossible in original, unaltered images of the same wooden table.
She commented, 'Such an obvious error should have immediately invalidated the host's claims, but Airbnb neither acknowledged nor considered my evidence." Five days after Guardian Money intervened, Airbnb accepted her appeal and credited £500 (around Rs 58,000) to her account. When she announced she would no longer book through Airbnb, the company offered her a refund of £854 (around Rs 1 lakh), which was only one-fifth of the total booking cost. She declined this offer.
Resolution And Apology
Ultimately, the woman was refunded the full booking amount of approximately £4,269 (around Rs 5.3 lakh), and the negative review posted by the host was removed. Airbnb apologised to the woman for the ordeal and promised to conduct an internal investigation. The host received a warning for breaching platform rules and was informed that repeated complaints could lead to their removal from Airbnb.
The company issued a statement saying, 'We take claims of damage very seriously. Our expert team examines all available evidence to ensure a fair decision for both parties. There is also an option to appeal decisions."
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airbnb Airbnb Host fake case Manhattan New York the united states of america viral news viral news today
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