The Renter's Court is where guests vent about bad Airbnb, Vrbo and other short-term rental experiences, find people who went through the same thing, and get real steps to fix it.
Read stories from guests who hit the same wall, whether it's a fake listing, a refund denied, a bait and switch, or a damage claim.
Read stories →A plain-English playbook: platform claims, chargebacks, regulators, and small claims court, with official links.
Get the playbook →Unverified public claims from renters, collected daily from X, Reddit, reviews and the news. We link every source. We don't verify them, and you shouldn't treat them as fact.
A Calabasas man was sentenced to a year and a day in federal prison and fined $15,000 over an Airbnb and Vrbo double-booking scheme, MyNewsLA reported. Guests were often bumped with last-minute excuses such as plumbing problems.
News: MyNewsLA ↗ · Named here? Respond #
Police said a local home was listed for rent online without the owner's permission, and several would-be renters showed up at the property. Police did not say whether anyone lost money.
Two cousins pleaded guilty in a federal case over a scheme that, prosecutors said, double-booked the same rentals on Airbnb and Vrbo and moved or cancelled guests with fake excuses like plumbing problems. One pleaded to wire fraud, the other to obstruction; other indictment allegations were not proven.
Court / prosecutor record: U.S. Attorney's Office, C.D. Cal. (via FHFA OIG) ↗ · Named here? Respond #
The U.S. Secret Service said scammers advertised luxury Rome rentals that didn't exist, talked travelers into paying deposits by phone instead of through the booking site, and sent fake confirmation numbers.
Public source: U.S. Secret Service ↗ · Named here? Respond #
A guest told The Guardian a Manhattan host claimed more than £12,000 in damage using photos she says were digitally altered. Airbnb first sided with the host, then refunded her and apologised after the paper asked questions.
News: The Guardian ↗ · Named here? Respond #
The LA City Attorney sued Airbnb, alleging prices on thousands of LA listings rose past California's 10% emergency price-gouging limit after the January 2025 wildfires. These are allegations; no court has ruled.
City / police / regulator record: Los Angeles City Attorney ↗ · Named here? Respond #
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Guests' own accounts. Not verified.
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