On May 23rd, 2017 we booked a week at an Airbnb in Jerusalem. Our first impressions was that it appeared to be a nice clean apartment, and its owners appeared equally welcoming. We settled to sleep for the night, and then the noise started. It went on for some six hours or more. We heard talking all night, all from one man. As a result, I could not sleep.
I complained to Airbnb and they did not believe me. To date I have stayed in many Airbnb properties without an incident. The lack of attention Airbnb shows to their clients is appalling. They asked for photographs and communications. Even though I had a recording on WhatsApp of a dialogue that I had with the owners they did not believe me. The Airbnb contract is between the local owners and the guest, not with the company.
The hosts said: “I’m really sorry to hear about this incident. It’s the first time it has happened. We had a guest staying for a whole month and he never told me anything about it. I guess it’s a one time thing. The neighbor got drunk and made a lot of noise. Things happen… I really understand your frustration, especially since it happened on your first night with us. Unfortunately there is nothing I can do about it. I truly believe and hope it won’t happen again. My suggestion to you is to give it another night. Usually this apartment and neighborhood are very quiet! That having been said, I’ll understand if you want to cancel your reservation with us and move to another place. If you do so, we will refund you 50% of the reservation cost. By the way, did you try taking a broomstick and knocking on the ceiling, so he will understand he’s being loud? Maybe he didn’t realize. Try that or knocking on his door asking him to lower his voice. Like normal people do in this situation.”
A tenant in the next apartment revealed the truth of what was going on: “In this apartment complex, the Israeli Government lets apartments to Amidar, a social housing organization. According to the neighbor, who lives next door, next to him is a man who has a psychiatric disorder and in the garden there are two men who smoke joints. On the roof terrace are more drug addicts and this place is known to the Israeli police. [The host] knows this situation well and so it is no wonder that all night long there is noise. [The host]’s mother owns the apartment, and knows the situation here very well.”
I complained continuously to Airbnb and said I would send them the police report. At that point, they gave us a total refund. On our return to the UK they were still pestering me for the police report and I deleted my Airbnb account. I noticed that the apartment that we stayed in is still being rented out. You can view it here https://www.airbnb.co.uk/rooms/17724596
5-star hotels are really the only place you should be staying at. Airbnb is a unique set-up that is not right for everyone, especially those who feel entitled to have their requests met immediately, no matter the time of night. I do feel bad for you having to deal with noisy neighbors; I’ve encountered similar situations while staying in Airbnbs from time to time. But it never occurred to me to demand that the host find a different place for me or to refund my money at 2 in the morning. And I definitely wouldn’t have then felt it necessary to escalate it by 9 in the morning because the host hadn’t responded yet. Airbnb hosts are not hotel managers. They are regular people renting out their available space in their free time. If that does not sit right with you, then find accommodations elsewhere. And furthermore, don’t get upset at a likely well-meaning host for your misunderstanding of the realities of Airbnb (e.g., hosts who won’t respond to your messages at 2 in the morning because they’re sleeping, and hosts who don’t have control over their neighbors). What you did is akin to going to eat at McDonalds and yelling at the management because you didn’t get a superbly cooked filet mignon. A sleepless night sucks, but a host getting the police called to their place because a guest was unhappy with noisy neighbors sucks far more.
I am the author of this post and am a travel blogger and wrote about it on https://goo.gl/Ziuzxx
Since I stayed with my partner in the property there have been good reviews and the property has a 5 star rating! I can only think that the reviews are fake.
The hosts are in business and Israel is a corrupt country according to https://www.transparency.org/country/ISR Transparency International – Israel has a score of 64/100
Furthermore see also the book:
The Fall of Israel Hardcover – 1 May 1992
by Barry Chamish which is available on Amazon, which talks of the widespread corruption with Israel.
This is a real event and it happened to me literally, and it demonstrates what is wrong with Airbnb, who are no mistakes a profit making business, who have little regards for their guests’ safety. They demonstrate what is wrong with the travel industry and greed.
Don’t get me wrong I have stayed in loads of AirBNB properties and never had a problem until now that is……
On the 23rd May 2017 we booked for a week and moved into 21 Naomi St / apartment 6 and first impressions revealed that it appeared a nice clean apartment, and it’s owners Avi & Avi appeared equally welcoming, and we settled to sleep for the night, and then the noise started, and below is my whatsapp dialogue with the owner:
[2:28 AM, 5/24/2017] From 1230am until now there is a man above us talking loudly, singing as if drunk and as such we want a refund or you move us to a quieter place please
[2:55 AM, 5/24/2017] The talking is still going on
[9:43 AM, 5/24/2017] With respect I have reported the incident to AirBNB and we want a refund please
[9:44 AM, 5/24/2017] Avi & Avi Jerusalem: With respect…
[9:44 AM, 5/24/2017] Avi & Avi Jerusalem: I heard you. I’ll see what I can do about it
I’ve spoken to AirBNB who have informed me that I have to prove the problem – I consider that you already knew or must have known about this problem – therefore I will have to ask the police to come round tonight so that i have the good documentation that AirBNB ask for. I am also a journalist and a travel blogger and write on a number of media platforms including http://www.travelblogpress.com/
[11:38 AM, 5/24/2017] Avi & Avi Jerusalem: Hi Lawrence. I’m really sorry to hear about this incident. It’s the first time it happens. We had a guest staying for a whole month and he never told me anything about it. “I guess it’s a one time thing” – “the neighbor got drunk and made a lot of noise. Things happen…” I really understand your frustration, especially since it happened at your first night with us. “Unfortunately there is nothing I can do about it. I truly believe and hope it won’t happen again. My suggestion to you is to give it another night. Usually this apartment and neighborhood are very quiet!”
After that being said, I’ll understand if you want to cancel your reservation with us and move to another place. If you do so, we will refund you 50% of the reservation cost. Btw, did you try taking a broomstick and knock on the ceiling? so he will understand he’s being heard, loudly. Maybe he didn’t realize. Try that or knocking on his door asking him to lower his voice. Like normal people do in this situation.
[11:43 AM, 5/24/2017] You suggested to go out and knock on the doors in this apartment building, and you appear to forget that we do not speak Hebrew or Arabic and are in a totally different environment and someone could easily pull out a knife or a gun …… so this was not possible. My wife did use the broomstick to knock the ceiling to signal him several times, but he hit back harder, and carried on with a louder voice – he may very well have a psychiatric disorder .
The sheer panache of Avi & Avi, who know completely what is wrong with their apartment and demonstrate the liars that they are – the reviews must be false.
A tenant in the next apartment revealed the truth of what was going on:
[3:30 PM, 5/24/2017] “In this apartment complex, the Israeli Government let apartments to Amidar, a social housing organization, according to the neighbor, who lives next door, and next to him is a man who has a psychiatric disorder and in the garden here there are two Arab/ Israeli men smoking a joint. On the roof terrace are more drug addicts and this place is known to the Israeli police. Avi knows this situation well and so it is no wonder that all night long there is noise. Avi’s mother owns the apartment, and knows the situation here very well”.
Amidar have a bad name throughout Israel and just googling them and Methadone, and there is this article in Haaretz, that exposes the problems that are prevalent in Israel.
I was on the phone all day to AirBNB who were demanding documentation, something that is very difficult to get when it comes to noise – this highlights a huge flaw in the AirBNB set up. I consulted Which Consumer Advice in the UK, who told me that they cannot do anything, because my contract was with Avi & Avi in Israel, the owners of the apartment and not with AirBNB the company.
Story shared om Airbnb hell.
However if you are in a similar situation the more pressure that you put on AirBNB the better – you have to also ask yourselves if it is worth booking with Airbnb considering your consumer rights?
[7:04 PM, 5/24/2017] Airbnb gave us a full 100% refund and we left your place – the key is in the key safe
Ironically this property is still being advertised on the Airbnb website – will you be the next tourist to book it? To fall for the trap?
I notice that there have been several good reviews since, but could the reviews be false?
This all brings us down to the integrity of Airbnb – do they have a conscience or not?
The founders of Airbnb are Joe Gebbia CPO & Co-Founder, Brain Chesky Co-Founder CEO and Head Of Community, and Nathan Blecharczyk CSO & Co-Founder, and I wondered how they might react to the continued inclusion on their website of an apartment, where the neighbors take methadone and hashish? Would they allow their elderly parents to stay there too?
There is a site called AirBnb hell and I wonder if the founders have heard of it? When a guest complains, why is the property of the host allowed to remain on the site?
Next time you book with Airbnb – book using your credit card, because under section 75 of the Credit Consumer Act in the UK, Airbnb is jointly liable with the hosts.
Unfortunately though a lot of us do not have credit cards.