We Booked a Pet-Friendly Rental for a Weekend Getaway, but the Property Owner Left Me a 1-Star Rating for Bringing My Dog, so Here’s What I Did.
In this twisting tale, the Original Poster (OP) and his girlfriend, attending a friend’s wedding, rent a pet-friendly Airbnb only to encounter a conflict with the homeowner over their dog’s unannounced presence. The tension escalates as a seemingly resolved misunderstanding explodes in the aftermath, leading to a climax where the tables turn dramatically in an unexpected way.
Arrival and Check-In
OP and his girlfriend recently attended a friend’s wedding and decided to rent an Airbnb to accommodate their pet dog. Upon arrival, they settle in, appreciating the cozy atmosphere and pet-friendly policy. However, a surprise visit from the homeowner introduces an unforeseen dilemma: OP had inadvertently failed to inform the homeowner of their dog.
First Encounter with the Homeowner
When the homeowner arrives, OP and his girlfriend are enjoying their time on the porch with their dog. Their conversation is light and friendly, but the homeowner points out that he wasn’t informed about the dog. OP acknowledges his honest mistake and offers to pay the pet fee on the spot.
The Homeowner’s Unexpected Response
Despite OP’s sincere apology and willingness to pay, the homeowner refuses the pet fee. The man insists that he’s a dog lover and brushes off the mistake, leaving OP and his girlfriend relieved. They proceed with their plans, assuming the issue is resolved.
Clean Up and Departure
Before leaving, OP and his girlfriend meticulously clean the Airbnb to leave no trace of their dog’s stay. Their canine companion hadn’t caused any damage, and they wanted to leave the place spotless to make up for their earlier oversight. They depart, considering their stay successful.
The Aftermath
Once home, OP receives an email prompting him to review their stay. He leaves a positive review, complimenting the homeowner and the property. However, when he checks the homeowner’s review of him, he finds a drastically different narrative.
The Unexpected Review
OP is shocked when he reads the homeowner’s review, criticizing him for not notifying him about the dog. The review complains about the extra work dogs bring and criticizes OP for leaving the dog alone in the house. This baffles OP, considering their earlier face-to-face conversation and his transparency about attending a wedding.
Confronting the Homeowner
Feeling unjustly judged, OP messages the homeowner, expressing his discontent with the review. He reminds the homeowner of their initial agreement and willingness to pay the pet fee. The homeowner ignored OP, leaving him dangling with a negative review and a damaged reputation as a renter.
The Fine Print
OP’s girlfriend, however, notes a potential violation on the homeowner’s part: showing up to the property unannounced. She meticulously goes through the Airbnb site and confirms her suspicions that this is, in fact, not motioned and is against the rental agreement.
Airbnb Support Intervention
Unaware of this policy, OP decides to contact Airbnb support, sharing details of the homeowner’s unexpected visit. Initially, OP wouldn’t have minded the interaction, but given the negative review, he feels justified in his response. Airbnb support forwards his complaint to their security team for further investigation.
Investigation and Consequences
After answering some additional questions about the incident, OP waits as Airbnb speaks to the homeowner. A week later, Airbnb informed OP that the homeowner did violate their policy. As a consequence, they refund 2 out of 3 days of his stay, totaling approximately $200. The saga concludes with an unexpected financial resolution, all sparked by a negative review.
The Revenge
OP is not sure if the money was taken from the owner of the rental or came from Airbnb as the middleman, but nevertheless, they felt vindicated for the hypocrisy they suffered at the hands of the owner. OP hopes that it costs the owner directly as punishment for his two-faced action.
The Reflection
OP is not sure exactly what went wrong or where communication soured. Of course, he realizes he did not correctly state and prepay for his pet fee, but understanding that the property allowed dogs, he is at a loss for why the owner overreacted.
Was The Man’s Behavior Appropriate?
The readers in the forum had a lot of mixed views on the matter. Here are some of their responses:
Forum Responded
One reader said, “We pride ourselves on leaving the rental cleaner than when we check in and treat the house like it is our own.
One rental had candles for use on the deck, which was really nice for late-night dinners. We were out, and I randomly grabbed a pack of candles to replace the ones we used.
We got a 4-star rating instead of a 5-star because the candles we bought weren’t soy.”
Another Commenter Thinks
Another responder wrote: “We had an Airbnb host— after reviewing us a month after our stay regarding black sharpie stains on the granite counter.
They said my 9-month-old niece somehow got on the 4-foot-tall counter and defaced it.
They said we were disrespectful and should’ve told them about the ink instead of trying to hide it under the coffee pot.
I told them, “Have you tried wiping the marks? It sounds like skid marks from the bottom of the coffee pot.”
It was. They didn’t apologize.”
A Third View on The Story
A different person states, “A family member did a 1-month long rental of an Airbnb that was pet friendly. They brought their dog and, paid the deposit, cleaned up before they left.
The host gave them a bad review because the pet-friendly Airbnb had some dog hair in it after they left.”
A Final Perspective on the Matter
Another viewpoint on the story: “I don’t do Airbnb, so I didn’t know they had a policy about owners just showing up, but as soon as I read he randomly showed up, I was immediately uncomfortable. That’s just not okay. I’m glad you reported this.”
What Do You Think?
What are your thoughts on their actions?
What would you have done in this situation?
This story is inspired by a Reddit thread.
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