As a guest, how safe is Airbnb?
From the perspective of a guest, as opposed to a host, how safe is it staying at an Airbnb place?
I understand that hosts are encouraged to provide verification and that you can communicate with hosts before your visit. And I'm sure in the majority of cases the visit is fine, just like most ferry trips don't end in fatalities.
Some of the things I've read are:
- People who arrived at their place and then cancel their booking due to unacceptable quality are unable to leave reviews.
- Airbnb has been unhelpful when a serious crime is reported to be taking place.
- That it is a largely passive platform when it comes to safety, but is proactive in making sure the properties are photographed nicely. Basically, it's just another sharing economy company that is all profit and little responsibility (and that much of that responsibility is towards hosts, not guests).
On the other hand, there's an article saying Airbnb took down a host from its site for unacceptable behaviour.
Best Answer
To answer your questions:
People who arrived their place and cancel their booking due to unacceptable quality are unable to leave reviews.
This doesn't really affect safety, as finding out the apartment is actually a moldy hole in the wall isn't dangerous per se. That being said, Airbnb is reliable in refunding misleading bookings. In many cases they also try to find a suitable replacement from their own listings, but that's not guaranteed.
I've also seen several reviews which were clearly posted after a refund, so I'm not sure if it's consistently impossible to leave one in case of trouble.
AirBNB has been unhelpful when a serious crime is reported to be taking place.
Not to sound like I'm blaming the victim here, but I'd call the police first rather than trying to reach Airbnb. Likewise I'd call the ambulance if I got food poisoning from something in the fridge, rather than reaching the host or customer support. Airbnb is not a replacement for emergency services.
Since Airbnb deals with millions of bookings each month, it's impossible to guarantee a single host won't go crazy somewhere. But you can't guarantee that in hotels either, as similar cases have happened there as well.
That it is a largely passive platform when it comes to safety, but is proactive in making sure the properties are photographed nicely.
Airbnb provides numerous ways of making sure you're not dealing with a criminal: verified IDs, links to social networks, reviews, cashless payment and verified photographers taking the pictures. This is by far better than any holiday listings, which often don't provide anything more than an email and a phone number.
Basically, it's just another sharing economy company that is all profit and little responsibility (and that much of that responsibility is towards hosts, not guests)
Whether or not they're "just another startup" is irrelevant to the questions of safety.
To summarize: is Airbnb 100% foolproof when it comes to safety? No. Is Airbnb's level of safety comparable to hotels? Yes.
Pictures about "As a guest, how safe is Airbnb?"
How secure is Airbnb?
Airbnb bookings are safe - as long as you know what to look for. As mentioned above, one feature that separates Airbnb from other major booking sites is its new user verification process. When new Airbnb users create an account, they must verify their identity before they can book.Do Airbnb guests steal?
Hosts not only have to be wary of scams and protect their rental from damages, but also from guests who tend to help themselves from something that isn't theirs. Having a head start, and doing your bit before allowing guests to stay in your rental will prevent troublesome guests from potentially stealing.What is the downside of Airbnb?
Airbnb makes the bulk of its revenue by charging a service fee for each booking. Cons of using this service include not getting what you expected, and, for hosts, renting your place to someone you haven't had the chance to meet first.Are Airbnb Superhosts safe?
For any safety concerns, superhosts are pretty much on the same level as anyone listing their property on Airbnb. Superhosts must host at least 10 trips a year, maintain at least a 90 percent response rate, receive five-star reviews 80 percent of the time, and not cancel their reservations.IS AIRBNB SAFE? 🏠 My Experience After 20+ Bookings!
Sources: Stack Exchange - This article follows the attribution requirements of Stack Exchange and is licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0.
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