Airbnb host suspended after being falsely accused of installing hidden camera
An Airbnb guest accused her host of having a hidden camera inside the accommodation - not realising that what she was suspicious of was actually a carbon monoxide detector.
As a result, the host, 48-year-old Robert Serr, had his account suspended by the platform and an investigation kicked off over the accusations.
After staying at the three-bedroom property near Palm Beach, Florida, US, a guest reportedly claimed that there were "two smoke detectors in the room" and that she feared one contained a "recording device".
Instead, the device in question was a carbon monoxide detector - which is also required by law, the host said.
And as if that wasn't enough, Robert, from Leeds, West Yorkshire, said the guest left the property a "filthy, disgusting mess".
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The guest said the property had a 'hidden camera' over what turned out to be a carbon monoxide detector (Kennedy News and Media)The real estate developer suggested that the guest made the accusation on purpose, after receiving a one-star review by Robert given the state she left the apartment in.
Robert claimed five hours were needed to clean the apartment after his guest checked out.
Furious about the accusation, Robert said it made him feel like a "Peeping Tom" and that it was very damaging.
He said: "It is the vilest accusation to make about somebody, that I'm some kind of sick voyeur or peeping Tom. It's very damaging to my reputation. It's one step below saying I'm essentially a sex offender."
Robert complained over the platform's policy which accepted the claim "without evidence".
48-year-old Robert Serr left his guest a one-star review (Kennedy News and Media)He noted: "To level that kind of accusation then have Airbnb accept their claim without evidence and banning me, it makes you feel disgusting.
"She was too stupid to realise that one of them is a smoke detector and one of them is a carbon monoxide detector. Airbnb need to change their ways. You're guilty until proven innocent."
Robert first listed his Airbnb property in November and claims he had previously had a bad experience with another partygoer who ruined his fruit machine and dartboard.
When his latest guest checked in on December 29, he had already warned her that parties were banned - but he claims she threw two loud gatherings anyway.
After the guests left, Robert claims his cleaners reported the rental was 'very dirty', prompting him to leave a one-star review for the customer.
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Robert, originally from Leeds, West Yorkshire, has an apartment in Palm Beach, Florida (Kennedy News and Media)But three days later, he woke to a review from the woman herself, who claimed that while the house was 'gorgeous' she feared Robert had planted a hidden camera.
Robert said: "This woman sent me a message after she booked [the house] asking me if I had a large back garden.
"The alarm bells started going off right away and I contacted Airbnb.
"They told me to get in touch with her and send a message making it very clear there's not to be any parties at the house. She responded and said 'absolutely, there's not going to be any parties. I'm renting it for my mother, it's her birthday'.
"She checks into the house. At 1am that night, I get a phone call from my neighbours to say she's having a big party at the house.
"[Then] the following night I get a phone call from the neighbours at 4am and there's a bunch of people coming in and out of the house."
The guest was not supposed to have a party at the property (Kennedy News and Media)The following day, Robert's cleaners went to the property and he claims it took them five hours to clean up after her - finding grease-covered towels and ruined bedsheets.
Robert said: "It was so disgusting and filthy. They ruined my bedsheets and towels.
"She wiped up grease from the kitchen with the bedsheets and the towels. It was a filthy, disgusting mess.
"Evidently the one star review I left her prompted Airbnb to get in touch [with her] and because of this I believe she made up lies and said my carbon monoxide detector was a camera.
"I got an email from Airbnb [on Sunday, January 8] first thing in the morning saying they'd suspended the account pending investigation from their Trust and Safety team because somebody felt unsafe in the house.
"I brought up the party I'd reported and asked if it wasn't pretty obvious to them what had happened. They were not the least bit interested in talking about the party and couldn't care less."
The guest complained over a what she thought was a 'recording device' (Kennedy News and Media)Robert claims that despite providing evidence that 16 people were spotted coming in and out of the property, his account remained suspended for five days.
He is now considering pulling his listing from the platform and potentially selling his newly-renovated property.
Robert said: "I'm in the process of finishing two other properties that I was originally going to turn into Airbnbs but I'm not going to do that now because of that.
"Am I supposed to be grateful that they’ve now restored my account that never should have been suspended in the first place?
"No. All this has done has made me see just how easy it is to have your entire business shut down at the snap of a finger with little to no recourse.
"Airbnb had so much documentation of my concerns about this booking from the start but it seems like all of that is irrelevant. Even down to the 4am phone calls to Airbnb."
An Airbnb spokesperson said: "We were disappointed to learn about this experience, and have resolved this matter.
"A temporary suspension was in place as we investigated a security query to help protect our community. We have contacted the host to reactivate the listing, and we have taken appropriate action on the booking guest."
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