Holidaymaker Arrives in Amsterdam to Discover His Airbnb is Actually a Shipping Container
Airbnb, Inc. offers the members services of arranging to lodge, primarily homestays. It operates a global online marketplace and hospitality service accessible via its mobile apps and websites. Even though most of the members are satisfied with its services, there are some complaints, such one made by the British tourist who booked a £100-a-night home in Amsterdam.
The football fan Ben Speller arrived in the Dutch city ahead of Tottenham Hotspur’s match against local team Ajax and he was shocked to find the ‘cottage’ he reserved was a shipping container set up on the roadside. He was delighted when he succeeds to find something cheap and cheerful, using the listing for a ‘clean home in Amsterdam with a private bathroom’.
After his arriving the Londoner received quite the shock because he met with a grey shipping container with three mattresses and a portable toilet inside at Pauwenpad, in Amsterdam.
He told AT5: “We had already driven past the container three times in the taxi trying to find the place.” They didn’t believe it was the place they were looking for. At the end when they realized it was the offered place, they opened the door and looked inside, locked the door and left to a hotel which stay costs him the additional £230.
Then Mr. Speller asked the owner for a refund of the £100 for booking the ‘cottage’ as well as the £230 for the hotel booking itself.
The home, so-called a ‘cottage’ by the host ‘Jacob’, was taken off the site shortly after Mr. Speller raised his complaint.
AT5 claimed that there was no permit for the container, and it was towed away by city contractors. According to the spokesperson for Airbnb, this host was removed from their platform. He stated: “Misrepresented or fraudulent listings have no place on our platform, and our team works hard to constantly strengthen our defenses and stay ahead of bad actors.”
There are many other dubious listings made on the popular accommodation booking website, such this one in March 2016, when one citizen set up a double bed in a car park outside of a row of garages in Peckham. He listed it on the rental site for £8.
It was not surprising that the accommodation seems too good to be true for that cheap price in London. It was described as a rental of a ‘private room in a public space.’
Airbnb reacted to the person who listed the stay saying him that this listing had to be removed for not meeting their occupancy standards. Their standards should be at least a place with four walls, running water and a little more privacy.
Another post echoes interesting accommodation that was put up in New York.
One citizen from Brooklyn build up an igloo in his back garden and then advertised it on Airbnb. He gave the name of this accommodation ‘Boutique winter igloo,’ and list the offer of studio living for up to two people at $200 (£140) a night.
In case someone experiences such a situation here is the action that should be taken:
– Call the host
– But if you can’t contact the host or if the issue needs to be escalated you can ask Airbnb for help.
– Depending on the circumstances, you can apply for a refund.
Source: www.at5.nl