Rental platforms like Airbnb make finding the ideal place to stay easy. You can rent a space for multiple people to share, a shared space with private rooms or the entire property for yourself.
Did you know that Airbnb lets property owners monitor guests via camera? There are certain restrictions, but you may feel uncomfortable being watched, plus people sometimes break the rules and install cameras where they shouldn’t (such as in a bedroom). Tap or click here for a gadget that helps you detect hidden cameras.
Airbnb conducts background checks on hosts and guests, affecting their ability to use the platform. The problem is that some people are banned from the forum without warning.
Here’s the backstory
Airbnb guests and hosts are subject to rules. Breaking them can lead to warnings, fines, suspension or outright bans.
One way to lose Airbnb privileges is to fail the company’s background check. Airbnb employs third-party background check providers to look into the history of both hosts and guests. Here’s when the check is run:
- Guests: 10 days before the check-in date of their reservation (or later in the case of bookings within 10 days of check-in).
- Hosts: When the host logs in after creating a listing or when a stay or experience is booked — whichever comes first.
There’s nothing unusual about a company like Airbnb running a background check, but it seems the rental juggernaut is being quite strict.
One guest named Ashley booked an Airbnb to visit family in Ohio and received an email that she was banned from the platform as either a host or guest. The reason? The background check, conducted by a company called Inflection, revealed she had a criminal record.
Ashley wasn’t aware of any such thing. But in 2013, she had gotten in trouble with a police officer for her escaped dog, which was neither registered nor leashed. Ashley paid the fine and signed some paperwork provided by the officer.
As it turns out, she had received two misdemeanors. “I thought it was a ticket,” she told Motherboard. Ashley received glowing reviews from her Airbnb hosts, but despite this, she was booted from the platform without warning.
She applied for reinstatement but was rejected. In Airbnb’s response, the company said it “came to this outcome to safeguard the community and protect our policy.”
Motherboard contacted Airbnb about Ashley’s case and she was soon reinstated.
One fast way to get suspended from the platform is to throw a party. Tap or click here to check out Airbnb’s policies on getting rowdy with your friends.
Not an exact science
Airbnb says it reviews every case and does what it thinks is best for the company and its clients. Mistakes are made and Airbnb says it’s working to improve the policy and appeals process.
There’s no way to know what Airbnb’s contracted companies will pull from your past, but if you get banned without warning, you should first appeal for reinstatement.
Some criteria must be met for reinstatement. Primary factors include:
- The individual’s age at the time of conviction.
- The number of prior convictions.
- Time since the last conviction.
Crimes, such as human trafficking and sexual violence, are taken very seriously and are not likely eligible for reinstatement. Even lesser crimes, such as disorderly conduct or marijuana possession, are not removable offenses.
Get full details on how to appeal at Airbnb’s support page.
Are you having problems with your appeal? Tap or click here to send Kim Komando a message.
Keep reading
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