Jason Posted November 4, 2019 Share Posted November 4, 2019 While searching for the person who grifted me in Chicago, I discovered just how easy it is for users of the short-term rental platform to get exploited. Quote Update 11/1/19: The morning after this article was published, the FBI contacted VICE about the claims made above. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThreePi Posted November 4, 2019 Share Posted November 4, 2019 Saw this a few days ago. Totally shocked that a largely unregulated business is rife with scams. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TwinIon Posted November 4, 2019 Share Posted November 4, 2019 I was infuriated by that article. Partly was the brazenness of the scams and how little the platform seems to care, but perhaps most of all was at the very end: Quote Even after a month of digging through public records, scouring the internet for clues, repeatedly calling Airbnb and confronting the man who called himself Patrick, I can’t say I’ll be leaving the platform, either. Dealing with Airbnb’s easily exploitable and occasionally crazy-making system is still just a bit cheaper than renting a hotel. In fact, after all that, I never even left Becky and Andrew a review. So multiple people (including the author) get scammed, treated horribly by a platform that shows no interest in their well being or their money, and they just shrug their shoulders and think "well, it's still better than a hotel." Really? Are hotels that expensive? Do people really have experiences with hotels that are that bad? I guess I've stayed in some bad hotels, but none that were outright scams. They didn't even leave a review. The entire system is built on the idea that if you have a bad experience, you leave a review. It's the one peice of (incredibly minor) recourse you have, and the best way you have to help prevent other people from being scammed, but you're not even going to do that? The San Francisco ordinance requiring hosts to register with the city seems like a good way to go. I'm more conflicted over what kind of limits I think there should be with short term rentals, but forcing hosts to register with the city seems like it would at least make potential scammers more accountable. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spawn_of_Apathy Posted November 4, 2019 Share Posted November 4, 2019 41 minutes ago, ThreePi said: Saw this a few days ago. Totally shocked that a largely unregulated business is rife with scams. Free market does no wrong. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kal-El814 Posted November 4, 2019 Share Posted November 4, 2019 32 minutes ago, TwinIon said: Are hotels that expensive? Around where I used to live in Somerville MA, on big weeks in Boston (college graduations, “moving week” when students come to the area, the Marathon, etc.) the Holiday Inn would be ~$400+ a night. You could get an airbnb for a quarter of that, easily. So yes, they certainly can be that expensive. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jason Posted November 4, 2019 Author Share Posted November 4, 2019 22 minutes ago, Kal-El814 said: Around where I used to live in Somerville MA, on big weeks in Boston (college graduations, “moving week” when students come to the area, the Marathon, etc.) the Holiday Inn would be ~$400+ a night. You could get an airbnb for a quarter of that, easily. So yes, they certainly can be that expensive. And then there's the issue that if you can find something more reasonable, it might be in a much more inconvenient location. Depending on where you're going that might also mean having to now pay fo a car rental where you wouldn't have to staying in the better-located Airbnb. Etc. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted November 4, 2019 Share Posted November 4, 2019 I’ve only used Airbnb for big groups, and it’s been good for that. I’d generally rather stay at a hotel if it’s just me or the wife and I. But the whole system seems primed for unscrupulous people to cheat people. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fuckle85 Posted November 4, 2019 Share Posted November 4, 2019 I've had some bad experiences where someone gave me the wrong keycode and wouldn't contact me until after the full refund deadline expired, but nothing quite as bad as that! Airbnb needs to revise their damn rules ASAP. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Greatoneshere Posted November 5, 2019 Share Posted November 5, 2019 AirBnB is great, it just requires an intelligent person to use it, which . . . isn't easy to find. My wife and I prefer AirBnB to hotels and have never had a problem and used it plenty of times. Vet who you choose to stay at and yes, leave reviews. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Greatoneshere Posted November 5, 2019 Share Posted November 5, 2019 6 hours ago, TwinIon said: I was infuriated by that article. Partly was the brazenness of the scams and how little the platform seems to care, but perhaps most of all was at the very end: So multiple people (including the author) get scammed, treated horribly by a platform that shows no interest in their well being or their money, and they just shrug their shoulders and think "well, it's still better than a hotel." Really? Are hotels that expensive? Do people really have experiences with hotels that are that bad? I guess I've stayed in some bad hotels, but none that were outright scams. Hotels suck. I can't emphasize enough how AirBnB (or things like it) allow you to experience the location (the city, country, whatever) in a much better way than a sterilized hotel. The guys my wife and I stayed with in Belgium had the coolest apartment and it felt like Belgium and interacting with them was a great time. Can't get that at a hotel, and all at a lower price. We're already clean, organized people, I don't need my shit washed or my bed made. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted November 5, 2019 Share Posted November 5, 2019 2 hours ago, Greatoneshere said: Hotels suck. I can't emphasize enough how AirBnB (or things like it) allow you to experience the location (the city, country, whatever) in a much better way than a sterilized hotel. The guys my wife and I stayed with in Belgium had the coolest apartment and it felt like Belgium and interacting with them was a great time. Can't get that at a hotel, and all at a lower price. We're already clean, organized people, I don't need my shit washed or my bed made. I don’t want to interact with people when I vacation though Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joe Posted November 5, 2019 Share Posted November 5, 2019 I've only had amazing experiences with AirBnB before. Guess I have been lucky. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CitizenVectron Posted November 5, 2019 Share Posted November 5, 2019 I won't stay in Airbnbs on the principal that they contribute to rising rental costs. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jason Posted November 5, 2019 Author Share Posted November 5, 2019 3 minutes ago, CitizenVectron said: I won't stay in Airbnbs on the principal that they contribute to rising rental costs. If Airbnb is measurably driving up rental costs in a city then the real problem is insufficient new housing construction. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
b_m_b_m_b_m Posted November 5, 2019 Share Posted November 5, 2019 17 minutes ago, Jason said: If Airbnb is measurably driving up rental costs in a city then the real problem is insufficient new housing construction. This, this, a million times this. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keyser_Soze Posted November 5, 2019 Share Posted November 5, 2019 4 hours ago, Greatoneshere said: I don't need my shit washed or my bed made. If you stay at a Marriott you can opt out of housekeeping and you get rewards points in exchange. Perfect for people like you who say you don't need cleaning or towels then you request towels because your room wasn't serviced. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jason Posted November 5, 2019 Author Share Posted November 5, 2019 1 hour ago, Keyser_Soze said: If you stay at a Marriott you can opt out of housekeeping and you get rewards points in exchange. Perfect for people like you who say you don't need cleaning or towels then you request towels because your room wasn't serviced. Apparently the housekeepers hate that because those rooms generally require way more time/effort and their schedules (allotted time per room) aren't adjusted accordingly. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keyser_Soze Posted November 5, 2019 Share Posted November 5, 2019 1 hour ago, Jason said: Apparently the housekeepers hate that because those rooms generally require way more time/effort and their schedules (allotted time per room) aren't adjusted accordingly. They are still required to come in every 3 days, however. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
b_m_b_m_b_m Posted November 5, 2019 Share Posted November 5, 2019 8 hours ago, Keyser_Soze said: If you stay at a Marriott you can opt out of housekeeping and you get rewards points in exchange. Perfect for people like you who say you don't need cleaning or towels then you request towels because your room wasn't serviced. You can turn down service at any hotel, they're going to come check and do a quick cleaning every three days though, as you said. I know Hilton properties won't give you points, however. I miss my points from traveling for work. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Greatoneshere Posted November 5, 2019 Share Posted November 5, 2019 10 hours ago, sblfilms said: I don’t want to interact with people when I vacation though You don't have to - plenty of AirBnB's you don't end up interacting with people, my wife and I just enjoy it is all (depending on who we are getting the room from). I get not wanting to interact with people haha. 9 hours ago, Keyser_Soze said: If you stay at a Marriott you can opt out of housekeeping and you get rewards points in exchange. Perfect for people like you who say you don't need cleaning or towels then you request towels because your room wasn't serviced. Yeah but hotels are too sterilized. They just don't have the vibe, atmosphere, or ambiance of the city in mind. I'm hardly in the room when I travel - why would I want hotel prices with less feel of the city/country I'm visiting? But I am aware of hotel points and that you can opt out of housekeeping - that is indeed what I do when I do stay in hotels. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keyser_Soze Posted November 5, 2019 Share Posted November 5, 2019 20 minutes ago, Greatoneshere said: Yeah but hotels are too sterilized. They just don't have the vibe, atmosphere, or ambiance of the city in mind. I'm hardly in the room when I travel - why would I want hotel prices with less feel of the city/country I'm visiting? Stay at mine, I'm sure you'll get some kind of mites from the seats the homeless people sleep on. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CitizenVectron Posted November 5, 2019 Share Posted November 5, 2019 10 hours ago, Jason said: If Airbnb is measurably driving up rental costs in a city then the real problem is insufficient new housing construction. 10 hours ago, b_m_b_m_b_m said: This, this, a million times this. Oh I 100% agree! While I am in favour of general zoning (i.e. no office skyscrapers or chemical plants next to a townhouse), I think that all density-levels of housing should be allowed pretty much everywhere. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
b_m_b_m_b_m Posted November 5, 2019 Share Posted November 5, 2019 14 minutes ago, CitizenVectron said: Oh I 100% agree! While I am in favour of general zoning (i.e. no office skyscrapers or chemical plants next to a townhouse), I think that all density-levels of housing should be allowed pretty much everywhere. Nothing wrong with skyscrapers next to sfh/townhomes tbh. It means the value of the land is so high that it's cheaper to build up than build out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jason Posted November 5, 2019 Author Share Posted November 5, 2019 1 hour ago, b_m_b_m_b_m said: Nothing wrong with skyscrapers next to sfh/townhomes tbh. It means the value of the land is so high that it's cheaper to build up than build out. I'd be fine with Japanese zoning though, with the maximum use being near quality transit stops and gradually going down as you move away from those stops. In Japan, as you move up the zoning codes, they include the zoning below them. So a residential zoning will have restrictions on commercial, but commercial always allows mixed/residential uses. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
b_m_b_m_b_m Posted November 5, 2019 Share Posted November 5, 2019 I love Japanese zoning. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
foosh Posted November 5, 2019 Share Posted November 5, 2019 I just happened to be staying at an Airbnb right now. The owner is no where to be found... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GeneticBlueprint Posted November 5, 2019 Share Posted November 5, 2019 1 hour ago, foosh said: I just happened to be staying at an Airbnb right now. The owner is no where to be found... The one time I used it this was the case for me. It was nice. But the anecdotal experience from friends who use it frequently tells me that my experience isn't typical. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian Posted November 5, 2019 Share Posted November 5, 2019 I’ll never use AirBnB. Hotels 4 Life Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted November 5, 2019 Share Posted November 5, 2019 I’ve actually never had an owner around the many times I’ve Airbnb’d, but it was pretty clear that these units were just investment properties and the owners were just landlords. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Captain Pickle Posted November 5, 2019 Share Posted November 5, 2019 A mix of Airbnb’s and hotels depending on the situation 4 life!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CastlevaniaNut18 Posted November 6, 2019 Share Posted November 6, 2019 We used VRBO last year in Chicago and got a good deal on an apartment in a great location for much less than a hotel would have cost. Going to look into that again when we go to NYC next year. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jason Posted November 6, 2019 Author Share Posted November 6, 2019 20 hours ago, sblfilms said: I don’t want to interact with people when I vacation though 8 minutes ago, sblfilms said: I’ve actually never had an owner around the many times I’ve Airbnb’d, but it was pretty clear that these units were just investment properties and the owners were just landlords. If you get an apartment to yourself, you've got a good chance you're going to have the blatant investment properties and never actually see anyone. You're more likely to have to interact with people at a hotel. I will say that I had a room in an apartment when I stayed in Brussels and my experience was better for it. I wound up having dinner with the host and someone else who lived in the apartment the first night (not planned, they went to dinner and they were sitting by the window as I walked by so I joined them), and had someone to give me suggestions for where to go. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
foosh Posted November 6, 2019 Share Posted November 6, 2019 With the owner not being around, I noticed that his mail is piling up and the trash bins are loaded. I'm not sure if it was intentional because I have this AirBnb for long stay. From what I understand, short term rental Airbnbs are banned here unless you live in the unit. So you can rent a room short term but not a house. It works out because my toddler is running around everywhere. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anathema- Posted November 8, 2019 Share Posted November 8, 2019 life comes at you fast dot gif Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joe Posted November 8, 2019 Share Posted November 8, 2019 I always assumed all of that was standard. Woops! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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