Chicago Airbnb host says company didn't allow him to refute unfounded allegation
CHICAGO (CBS) – A Chicago Airbnb host said he was locked out of his account and at risk of losing thousands of dollars after he was unable to defend himself against an unfounded allegation.
He wasn't able to resume booking reservations until CBS 2 stepped in.
Tyre Evans began a gut job on his apartment in 2019, creating a space for himself upstairs and a short-term rental property downstairs. It allowed him to make passive income as an Airbnb host, which sure beats his job with the city writing people parking tickets.
"I did not like that at all," Evans said, laughing. "So I was like, 'I gotta get out of here.'"
The home renovation literally paid off for Evans with a bounty of bookings. He said he was making between $5,000 and $7,000 a month, until Airbnb took down his listing in April.
"I got an email that my account was suspended alleging that there was recording devices in my Airbnb," he said. "And I was dumbfounded because I've never done anything like that, nor would I ever."
He said no one from Airbnb or a police officer ever physically came to his home to investigate the allegation.
"Absolutely not," he said. "I would've loved that."
Instead of a chance to prove himself, he got another email saying his account had been removed and that he wouldn't be able to book reservations.
It was "extremely devastating," he said. "I was confused and lost."
He was also out of a lot of money because the Airbnb ban canceled bookings people had already made for his place, about $9,000 worth of reservations.
The wound worsened.
Evans said he was locked out of the app, which prevented him from communicating and fighting the allegations against him.
"The practice that they have, I think it needs to be dismantled, and I think it needs to be refreshed because it puts you in a position as a host to be victimized," Evans said.
Other hosts agreed and complained about Airbnb's community forum about the company's investigative process. One user wrote, "Good luck in the twilight zone that is Airbnb investigations."
Another said, "There is no due process on Airbnb." Another thread included a comment that said, "This 'guilty unto [sic] proven innocent' approach from their 'trust and safety' team is ridiculous."
Evans was scratching his head over what happened next after CBS 2 asked Airbnb's media team about his blocked account.
"The day after that, I woke up to bing, bing, bing, bing," he said. "I'm like, what is – I'm thinking it's an emergency. It's bookings!"
Did media attention prompt Airbnb to do an about-face? Just like that, Evans' rental was back on the platform and was even listed with the elevated status of "Superhost," despite all the drama.
Company representatives wouldn't answer any questions from CBS 2.
More than 3,000 Airbnbs are registered in Chicago. Should hosts and guests alike be worried about a fair investigation if something goes wrong?
Problems with short-term or vacation rentals aren't only investigated by the company involved. Complaints can be filed with Chicago's Department of Business Affairs and Consumer Protection, and reports can also be made to the Federal Trade Commission.
Editor's Note: Two days after our original story aired, Airbnb provided us with a statement. While Airbnb claims "users also have the ability to appeal decisions," Evans said his experience was quite the opposite, and did not have the ability to appeal or communicate with Airbnb about further steps until a day after we got involved.
This is Airbnb's statement:
"The safety of our guests and hosts is a priority. In general, when we receive a report of a potential safety concern, we take action that can include suspending accounts or listings while our team conducts a thorough investigation of the report. Users also have the ability to appeal decisions if they believe an error has been made or have new information to share."
