Airbnb’s sinister ban implied that I was a criminal
Airbnb’s sinister ban implied that I was a criminal
Share:
My account was suddenly terminated because of someone I’m ‘closely associated with’. But who?. I am a widow who booked an Airbnb for a family holiday. Months before the trip, I received an email from Airbnb informing me that my account will be terminated because I’m “closely associated” with someone who has been banned from the platform. I assumed it was a scam, but when I phoned Airbnb it confirmed that it was genuine and that I had seven days to appeal. I can’t imagine who this “close associate” can be and therefore can’t provide evidence for an appeal.
![[Anna Tims]](https://i.guim.co.uk/img/uploads/2018/01/08/Anna_Tims,_L.png?width=75&dpr=1&s=none&crop=none)
I am also bemused how Airbnb can link the information it has on me to this banned person, since my accompanying guests were not named on the booking, and I paid with my own credit card. CM, Gloucestershire. This is a sinister situation. The email tells you that you can no longer host, or travel, with Airbnb, and that your booking will be cancelled. The tone implies you lurk in the criminal underworld, and Airbnb’s own website is not reassuring. It says bans are triggered by murder, terrorism, rape or child abuse, rather than lesser offences such as drug use or disorder.
The company backed down before I got in touch with a breezy email informing you that you are allowed to remain a customer after all. It refused to tell you what had happened, citing “data protection”. I was concerned by its unfounded behaviour and asked whom it counts as an “associate” and what information from which sources is used to make the link. I also wanted to know how customers can take up the option to appeal if they’re given no information about their ban, and where, in its terms and conditions, it states that Airbnb can ban a customer if it decides they know someone it doesn’t like.
Airbnb says merely that your account was suspended as a “security precaution” and reinstated 24 hours later. It’s now giving you a £250 voucher for the “inconvenience”, which suggests a mistake was made, if not admitted. If anyone else has been in this situation, I’d be interested to hear from you. Email your.problems@observer.co.uk. Include an address and phone number. Submission and publication are subject to our terms and conditions.
