A woman shared her Airbnb nightmare on TikTok, saying the trailer she rented was so cold she could see her breath
16.01.2024 - 12:39
/ insider.com
A woman has shared her "nightmare" experience with Airbnb on TikTok, saying her host was unwilling to help when the rental was so cold she could see her breath.
She said she was ignored by Airbnb when she complained, until her posts about the situation went viral, getting her a refund.
Lexi is a digital nomad who travels around the US while working remotely and shares her journey on her TikTok account wildcoyotebb.
On January 11, she complained to Airbnb about the trailer in Portland, Oregon where she was staying, saying it was freezing cold, with no insulation or proper heating. She said the host wasn't helping her improve the conditions.
"I am in a hell of a situation with Airbnb and I'm not getting anywhere," she said, posting her complaint to X as well.
#landlord #fyp #portland #airbnb #landlordsfromhell #airbnbhorrorstory
Lexi said she had never had Airbnb issues in 10 years of using it, and she was used to long stays and renting tiny places.
Business Insider reviewed the Airbnb listing Lexi used, which was taken down after she complained.
The hosts had Airbnb's "superhost" status, and offered the trailer for minimum stays of 30 days. One such stay was offered for around $1,000, plus a $90 cleaning charge, and over $100 of Airbnb fees.
It was described as a "cozy" camper with access to a house to use the bathroom there. It had an average rating of 4.82 stars out of 5.
She was supposed to stay in the trailer until March 2, but she wanted to leave almost right away.
"The first night I was here I was so cold, so cold," she said.
She said the hosts recommended she use blankets and turn on the space heater, which was "the size of my hand."
"It did not warm up," Lexi said. "The other night I woke up and I could see my breath in the trailer."
It was forecast to snow that weekend, so Lexi said she was scared for her health while staying there. She was also afraid for the well-being of her cat, who travels around the US with her.
"The trailer in general is really run down," Lexi said. "Most of the stuff in here doesn't work, the oven doesn't work. The host suggested I turn the burner on for heat."
Lexi said she thought Airbnb would be happy to help her, and she'd be refunded immediately.
But that wasn't what happened, she said. She said the hosts "want to keep their money," and her messages from Airbnb support were contradictory.
"They'll keep their money regardless of whether or not I'm comfortable," she said.
She said she and the hosts had gotten into an argument, where they said she was "impossible to please."
Then, she said they shut off the power and the WiFi.
"This whole thing has been so eye-opening," she said. "I will never, ever, ever use Airbnb again. There's no point in it."
Lexi said she'd