Latest news with #AirCover
Daily Mirror
07-08-2025
- Daily Mirror
‘An Airbnb owner wrote a nasty review of my daughter when she complained'
Oner claimed friends had left apartment in filthy state and caused damage An Airbnb owner wrote a scathing takedown of a young woman after she left a review complaining about faulty air conditioning which took days to fix. The Times reported that the womana nd three friends stayed in an apartment in Cala d'Or, Mallorca and were left sweltering after being unable to reach the owner. The girl's mum said: 'My daughter and three friends have used Airbnb for four years and received glowing reviews from owners after their stays until this summer, when they rented an apartment in Cala d'Or, Mallorca. When they arrived, the air-conditioning didn't work. The owner couldn't be contacted after 4pm, so my daughter rang Airbnb. It was finally fixed after two sweaty nights, plus long calls to the Airbnb helpline, and Airbnb agreed to a partial refund.' However there were more problems with the fusebox tripping - and after the refund the owner wrote a review back -a ccusing them of lying, leaving the apartment in a terrible state, advising people not to rent to that customer. The mum said: 'Later, the electricity kept tripping and the owner accused them of lying about this to get more money back. "Worse still, after they left a fair, balanced review, they were shocked to see the owner's retaliatory review, falsely claiming they had damaged the apartment and left it very dirty, advising other owners to 'proceed with caution' if asked to rent to them. There was no damage to the property and they actually left it cleaner than it had been when they arrived. 'Fortunately they had taken photos, but despite this, Airbnb refused to remove the defamatory review. Then came the £109 phone bill. Airbnb had given my daughter a US customer service number with no warning and she assumed it was included in her roaming. Despite screenshots, she has been told she doesn't 'fit the criteria' for reimbursement. I am appalled about the way my daughter has been treated and it feels morally wrong to let it go.' An Airbnb spokesperson said: 'We were disappointed to hear about this experience and want to make it right. We have fully refunded the guest and removed the review as per our policies. While calls to Airbnb's customer service are typically free to use, this guest was charged due to human error and we have offered to reimburse them in full. All bookings come with AirCover, meaning in the rare event of an issue that the host can't resolve, we'll help guests find a similar place or give them a refund.' The apartment is no longer listed on the site.
Telegraph
25-07-2025
- Telegraph
‘A criminal gang stole £20k worth of racing bikes from our Airbnb in France'
Has a company treated you unfairly? Our Consumer Champion is available to help. For how to contact her click here. Dear Katie, We booked an 11-bedroom property in France through Airbnb for a cycling trip during the Paris-Roubaix weekend in April. What should have been a memorable sporting holiday turned into a distressing ordeal involving burglary, unsafe accommodation and what we feel is a complete failure of Airbnb's much-advertised AirCover protection. Before our arrival, we informed the host that 14 guests would be bringing bicycles, and asked about secure storage. Upon arrival, we discovered that the property's deadlock was jammed and inoperable. My husband phoned the host, who promised a locksmith would attend the next day. However, that night we awoke at 3am to find the front door wide open. To our horror, we found that five bikes, a camera and a set of van keys had been stolen. Luckily, someone in our party had thought to place an AirTag on one of the bikes, and we subsequently recovered three of them by confronting the thieves ourselves. The police, who arrived heavily armed and in body armour, confirmed forced entry and advised us to leave immediately, warning that the gang might return. But Airbnb delayed our relocation, refusing to cover the cost for all guests. After hours of phone calls and having a front door that wouldn't lock, and us needing to guard the property physically, Airbnb finally agreed to let us find our own hotel. We had to pay upfront for alternative accommodation, and were later partially reimbursed. However, when we submitted claims for the stolen items, and other losses under Airbnb's AirCover policy, its insurer denied liability, citing 'forced entry', which effectively absolved the host and, by extension, Airbnb, of responsibility. We feel Airbnb's decision not to compensate us for the two bikes and the camera that remain lost directly contradicts its own promise of '$1m liability insurance' for stolen belongings where the host is liable. We feel our experience raises serious questions about Airbnb's AirCover policy. Its insurer initially claimed it didn't handle theft claims at all, until we sent them Airbnb's own terms. To date, we are still over £10,000 out of pocket. Airbnb's promises of guest protection and responsive support have proven hollow, and we feel we deserve better. Despite repeated attempts to contact them, Airbnb has ignored our emails and failed to address our concerns about the way we have been treated. – KW, via email Dear KW, You faced a terrifying ordeal when you awoke to shuffling sounds coming from downstairs, and you were met face to face with a group of robbers armed with spanners. They made off with some bikes and other valuables, but thankfully, you caught them before they could steal some of your group's more valuable bikes, which were worth as much as £10,000 each. After calling the police, you were startled when they arrived at around 7.30am fully armed with weapons. Apparently, they told you this street you were staying on was notorious for break-ins, as organised crime was rife in the area. Naturally, this frightened the life out of you all and made you want to leave immediately. If this area was as rife with crime as the police had said, then it struck me as deeply irresponsible of the host to allow guests to stay at this property without a sufficiently secure front door. A door with a latch and a functioning deadlock is the bare minimum one would expect at a rental property, and in fact, many insurers insist on front doors having this level of security for valid cover to be put in place. This front door did have a deadlock, but upon arrival at the property, you quickly realised it was temperamental. You messaged the host to let them know it was dangerous. He replied saying someone would come in the morning, but of course, by then it was too late. You also say you were provided with no key to the front door, just a four digit PIN which you were asked not to share with anyone, making you wonder whether it was ever changed between guest stays. Once the police had inspected the break-in, you say you were told that it looked as though the property had been broken into previously, which sent chills down your spine. You phoned Airbnb to report the incident and ask it to move you to another property, but by the sounds of it, it was initially rather useless. Following my involvement, you have now been fully refunded for your replacement hotel, and Airbnb has offered to reimburse the additional expenses you incurred 'as a goodwill gesture', including the van recovery and replacement key, train tickets and event entry fees. This amounts to around £6,000 in total, which will help make up for the £10,000 losses your group incurred as a result of the robbery. However, it still leaves you out of pocket by around £4,000 for the actual items stolen. You rightly point out that part of Airbnb offers cover for guests' stolen belongings in the rare event that their host is found liable for the incident. You made an AirCover claim which was reviewed by an independent adjudicator, but unfortunately they decided that the host was not liable for the claim. However, Airbnb has refused to disclose the full reasons for this decision, and has not sent you the adjudicator's report to examine, or given you the opportunity to appeal the decision. When I asked it for more information, it told me it had not received any evidence that the host confirmed there was anywhere for you to store the bikes after you told it in advance that you were bringing them, or that they described the lock as temperamental, or that they offered to call a locksmith. I told Airbnb that I couldn't see that any of this was reasonable evidence proving that the host was not liable for failing to install basic security on the property's front door, which ultimately left your bikes and camera vulnerable in the attack. I was left feeling concerned that the adjudicator's assessment of the situation had been sloppy, and that Airbnb wasn't interested in digging deeper to establish the true picture. To make matters worse, Airbnb refused to speak to me over the phone about the issue, insisting on email communication only, which only deepened my fears. So with Airbnb digging its heels in over the remaining money, those in your party whom the bikes and camera belonged to are now forced to claim on their home insurance, which will result in higher premiums for them. This seems unfair given the circumstances, and Airbnb's reticence to discuss the nitty gritty here has left me feeling uncomfortable to say the least. I'm sorry you're still disappointed with the outcome, but I have done all I can here with the limited information I've been given. An Airbnb spokesman said: 'Our host liability protection provides up to $1m in coverage in the rare event a guest's belongings are stolen or damaged during a stay and the host is found liable. In this case, the third-party adjuster investigated and did not find the host liable for this incident. 'However, we were sorry to hear about this experience, and as a gesture of goodwill, in addition to refunding the guests for their hotel, we have offered a reimbursement for additional expenses incurred.'
Yahoo
12-02-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Airbnb urges holidaymakers to be vigilant amid AI-generated image scams
Airbnb has urged holidaymakers to be vigilant amid the potential for AI-generated images of holiday properties to be mistaken for the real thing. Research from Airbnb and Get Safe Online said that scams related to booking holidays were among the most common types of fraud in the UK, just behind credit card fraud and phishing scams. Alongside that, the holiday rental company said AI and social media were causing additional problems for consumers. In a survey, 68% of those asked said they were confident they could spot a fake advert for a holiday. This was despite the fact that nearly two-thirds were unable to spot AI-generated images of holiday properties when they were shown. Airbnb said it was publishing the figures to coincide with what its data says is now the busiest window for booking Easter breaks. In response, the property rental firm has issued a range of safety tips alongside Get Safe Online to help people avoid holiday scams. Tips offered included urging users to never click on unexpected links, always report suspected scams and be wary of unusually cheap deals or high deposits. It also encourages users to avoid paying for trips by direct bank transfer, stick to trusted platforms to book and pay and ensure their online accounts are secure with a strong password and multifactor authentication. Amanda Cupples, general manager of UK and Northern Europe for Airbnb, said: 'As people look to plan their Easter break, holidaymakers should remain vigilant when browsing for their trips. 'New technologies are fast emerging and using trusted platforms to book, pay and communicate is the best way to beat potential fraudsters. Recommended reading: Rightmove reveals the two best months for people to put their home up for sale This DIY mistake could ruin your home as Brits issued warning by home experts The countries you can travel to with less than six months left on your passport 'We have safeguards in place to protect stays booked on Airbnb, including secure payment processes and support measures like AirCover.' Get Safe Online chief executive, Tony Neate, said: 'As you seek out deals when securing your hard-earned break away, as the research shows, this year it's more important than ever to stay alert when it comes to booking a holiday. 'When it comes to payment, always pay on a trusted platform, which will provide better protection than parting with your money to someone you don't know. And trust your instincts – if a deal looks too good to be true, then it probably is.'
Yahoo
12-02-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Airbnb issues warning of holiday scams fuelled by AI and social media
Holidaymakers have been warned to be vigilant of scams as they book trips away, as new research says nearly two thirds of people struggle to identify AI-generated images of properties. The research from Airbnb and the UK's internet safety platform Get Safe Online found that the average amount lost to fraud is now £1,937 ($2,411) – a figure which has been rising steadily in recent years. The study said that scams related to booking holidays were among the most common types of fraud in the UK, just behind credit card fraud and phishing scams. Airbnb said AI and social media were causing additional problems for consumers, with the research finding that despite 68% of those asked saying they were confident they could spot a fake advert for a holiday, nearly two thirds were unable to spot AI-generated images of holiday properties when shown them. In addition, it warned that young people were leaving themselves potentially exposed to scams on social media, after the study found that more than 40% of those under 30 would search or book a holiday via social media, and more than a third of the same age range said they would be willing to make a large purchase if it was advertised by an influencer or celebrity. Airbnb said it was publishing the figures to coincide with what its data says is now the busiest window for booking Easter breaks. In response, the property rental firm has issued a range of safety tips alongside Get Safe Online to help people avoid holiday scams. Those tips urge users to never click on unexpected links, always report suspected scams and to be wary of unusually cheap deals or high deposits. It also encourages users to avoid paying for trips by direct bank transfer, stick to trusted platforms to book and pay, and ensure their online accounts are secure with a strong password and multifactor authentication. Amanda Cupples, general manager of UK and Northern Europe for Airbnb, said: 'As people look to plan their Easter break, holidaymakers should remain vigilant when browsing for their trips. 'New technologies are fast emerging and using trusted platforms to book, pay and communicate is the best way to beat potential fraudsters. 'We have safeguards in place to protect stays booked on Airbnb, including secure payment processes and support measures like AirCover.' Get Safe Online chief executive, Tony Neate, said: 'As you seek out deals when securing your hard-earned break away, as the research shows, this year it's more important than ever to stay alert when it comes to booking a holiday. 'When it comes to payment, always pay on a trusted platform, which will provide better protection than parting with your money to someone you don't know. And trust your instincts – if a deal looks too good to be true, then it probably is.'
