My current guests picked the lock on my bedroom door and broke in.

[Cheyenne20]

What is my next step? My personal belongings are in my bedroom. My filing cabinets, jewelry, electronics. I called the help line and was told someone would call me back. That was 30 mins ago. 

I’m feeling really scared and violated and helpless. 

Advice? 

[Cheyenne20]

Apparently if you violate a hosts home late enough you’re allowed to stay until morning and despite video evidence of you breaking into a locked room that is NOT included in the rental you get a refund for the days you are not staying due to being kicked out for breaking my door and potentially stealing my things. Airbnb has severely let me down and I do not think I will be able to continue using them as our rental service after this. Good luck to the next host who gets these guests. I doubt they will be punsished in anyway for their actions and banned. They will probably be given a coupon for their next stay for the trouble. 

[Sarah977]

@Cheyenne20   So sorry you had this awful scenario. Did they actually take anything? Please leave a review for these guests to warn other hosts. If I were in that situation, and Airbnb didn't support me, and actually said the guest could stay the night because it was late, I'd phone the police. What the guest did is illegal- called break and enter.

[Cheyenne20]

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@Sarah977 wrote:

@Cheyenne20   So sorry you had this awful scenario. Did they actually take anything? Please leave a review for these guests to warn other hosts. If I were in that situation, and Airbnb didn't support me, and actually said the guest could stay the night because it was late, I'd phone the police. What the guest did is illegal- called break and enter.

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**[Private conversation removed in line with Community Center Guidelines]

[Pauline105]

Wow Noell

 What a f****ed up response from Airbnb.. Absurd...,

 I discovered how ridiculous their screening process is when  I created a profile for a freind as a guest user.  She was able to book a place within seconds.  No way they could have run a  criminal check on someone that quickly. 

[Cheyenne20]

I don’t know if they’ve taken anything. They spotted the camera and ducked out of the room below it so that I couldn’t see them leave. They are still in my home. So I can’t check. My husband is going to be calling the cops. I don’t know what else to do. I want them out. Apparently, according to Airbnb it’s perfectly fine to do this. No protection, 

[Kelly149]

@Cheyenne20 police police police police

ABB should never be the first call in a situation like this. ABB will not help you.

Call the police, have them at least removed and hopefully arrested.

So sorry that this happened and thank goodness you had cameras.

[Cheyenne20]

Thank you for your support! Lesson learned! Cops have been called. 

[Sarah977]

@Cheyenne20  It's so great that you have video footage of the break-in. Please get back to us here to let us know how this plays out or if you need further support when dealing with Airbnb. Their response to this is revolting.

[Cheyenne20]

I will! They did clarify that if I kick them out they will receive a refund. If I let them do it in the morning they won’t. So..., that’s an interesting policy. 

[Kelly149]

@Cheyenne20 ABB refund policy about bad guests is absurd. Nonetheless, screw the money, get the cops to drag them out with lights blazing.

they can get their lawyer to explain how they were found on video in a locked room that wasn't part of their rental.

please do let us know how you and your home fare as this goes. I'll be thinking of you.

[Sarah977]

@Cheyenne20  Yeah, wonderful. Such charming options. Kick them out tonight and get a raft of Airbnb penalties for cancelling and zero money for having to deal with a thief, or let him spend the night, sleeping under the roof of someone he intended to steal from, no doubt helping himself to something from the room he's staying in, and probably doing some willful damage. Way to go, Airbnb, endearing yourselves to the hearts of hosts worldwide, not.

[Cheyenne20]

The dispatcher doesn’t know if they can escort them off the property. Civil vs criminal. Been waiting for a call back for sometime now. An absolute nightmare. Too far away to handle anything in person myself. 

[Branka-and-Silvia0]

@Cheyenne20 

do you have a cohost or someone in charge for your property while you are absent? If you continue to rent your place while you are not present you should really find someone on site, especially if your personal stuff it there.

[Cheyenne20]

I do. Neither of which I felt were reasonably available at midnight to do something potentially dangerous.