Independent reporting for guests burned by short‑term rentals
A daily feed from The Renter’s Court
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.
Join the fight · Free
Join free and get the week’s worst rental stories, plus a heads-up on new short-term rental laws, pushes to hold hosts and platforms accountable, and any class action you might qualify for, if one comes up.
Free. One short email a week. No spam. Unsubscribe anytime. Members stay anonymous. We share lawsuits and actions as we find them. We’re not a law firm and this isn’t legal advice.
Unverified claim·Online
A guest says they were left on the street with their group after a 3 PM check-in because the host admitted in writing that the property had no electricity. They say the support chat kept them waiting for hours instead of rebooking them. Unverified user report from X.
“I am currently stranded on the street with my group.”@Animeshranaa
Unverified claim·Online
A guest says the host blamed them for damage they deny causing, and the platform sided with the host because they did not photograph every item before leaving. They say they are being asked to pay $1,200 for a small hole in a sofa. Unverified user report from X.
“they making me pay $1200 for a small hole in a sofa”@Ilyas1089626
Unverified claim·Paris, France
A guest says she arrived in Paris for a Vrbo stay but the host never met her. She says Vrbo promised to resolve it, but she is still waiting on a refund and feels back at square one. Unverified user report from X.
“I arrived in Paris, but the host did not meet me.”@ChavesSole9060
Unverified claim·Online
A guest says an alarm in the electrics box beeped every other second for 14 hours while the unit had no power, heat, hot water or cooking. They say the host never answered, the listed phone number did not work, and support offered 70% of one night. Unverified user report from Reddit.
“It has been beeping every other second for 14 hours now”u/GeneralAddress2614
Unverified claim·Online
A guest says their one month honeymoon booking was cancelled right before their flight and their money was frozen. They say the replacement offered was a studio instead of a whole house, and a promised call from higher level support never came. Unverified user report from X.
“Left us stranded with no place to sleep and no money.”@jochasia13
Unverified claim·Online
A guest says she booked a 3 month stay near her chosen birth hospital and set up daycare nearby, then the host cancelled two days out citing maintenance. She says Airbnb offered $2,000, but comparable places now cost at least $4,000 more. Unverified user report from Reddit.
“I'm panicking because we genuinely have nowhere to stay in two days.”r/AirBnB poster
Unverified claim·Turin, Italy
A guest says their host cancelled at 9:30 AM for a 3 PM check-in in Turin, leaving a group of students on the street with their bags and no funds. They say support offered to cover only 20% of what they paid instead of rebooking them. Unverified user report from X.
“We're students stranded on the street with luggage & 0 funds.”@MariaMysz66666
Unverified claim·Quebec, Canada
A guest says the host found their watch after checkout, then asked for a screenshot of a 5-star Google review before following up on returning it. They say the host then quoted 100 Canadian dollars (roughly $72) to ship it about two hours away. Unverified user report from Reddit.
“Could you please send us a screenshot once you've posted your review on Google?”r/AirBnB poster, quoting the host
Unverified claim·Tokyo, Japan
A guest on their first Airbnb trip says the Tokyo unit had no water for more than 15 hours and the host never responded. They say support promised a refund and a same-price alternative if the host did not reply within 30 minutes. Unverified user report from X.
“We've had NO WATER for over 15 hours and the host hasn't responded either.”@smriti__tandon
Unverified claim·San Francisco, CA
A family says they arrived for a Vrbo stay in San Francisco to find another guest already in the unit, could not reach the owner until late evening, and ended up paying for an expensive hotel. Unverified user report from Facebook.
Unverified claim·Davenport, FL
A guest who booked a Davenport resort stay for its pools and lazy river says they learned 17 days before arrival, after the free-cancellation deadline, that the amenities had been closed for renovations since September. They say the hosts never told them. Unverified user report from Facebook.
Unverified claim·Online
Guests say they found a rodent in the bed of their Airbnb, the host made jokes instead of fixing it, and the contaminated bedding sat in the front yard for four days. Unverified user report from Facebook.
Unverified claim·Mount Sterling
A guest documents a cancelled Airbnb stay in Mount Sterling with photos of an unmade bed, dirty floors, possible pest specks on sheets, and a soiled bathroom, with a refund pending. Unverified user report from Facebook.
Unverified claim·Online
A family says a listing advertised as 2 bedrooms was actually 1 bedroom plus a mattress on the floor, and Airbnb support closed the case without relocating them. Unverified user report from Facebook.
Unverified claim·Medellín
A Medellín guest documents a dispute over a charge for an unauthorized guest swap, arguing the Colombian guest registration systems are free and the extra fees were questionable. Unverified user report from Facebook.
Unverified claim·Online
A guest says their $885 stay had no hot water, faulty plumbing, and a toilet full of poop. They say Airbnb insisted they stay, then would not refund even the first two nights without hot water.
Unverified claim·Online
A guest says a listing was so unhygienic and unsafe that they had to check out right after arriving. They say both the host and Airbnb refused a refund, citing insufficient evidence, even though they posted photos of the place.
Unverified claim·Mexico City, Mexico
A guest says they were stuck outside their Mexico City rental because the host demanded they sign an unannounced 6 page legal contract at check-in. They say phone support left them waiting for more than 5 hours with no help. Unverified user report from X.
“my host is demanding I sign an unannounced 6-page legal contract at check-in”@fra94211
Unverified claim·Edmond, OK
KFOR reports an Edmond host watched on camera as a man hid a bag of marijuana products under the grill cover hours before check-in. She says she changed the door code and had Airbnb cancel, and the family showed up to a locked house and left.
Unverified claim·Nashville
Three guests say they arrived at midnight in Nashville to find the host living in the property despite the listing suggesting otherwise, and Airbnb refunded the stay and covered a premium hotel weekend. Unverified user report from Facebook.
Unverified claim·Online
A guest says a three-night stay had a wasp nest by the patio door, steep stairs with a shaky railing where a friend fell twice, and an unguarded hot tub beside bear-inhabited woods, followed by a $49 host demand for a laundry basket worth about $10. Unverified user report from Facebook.
Unverified claim·Online
A guest reports his wife spotted a blinking light on a smoke detector, he unscrewed it and found a hidden camera, and the couple left immediately and posted a warning review. Unverified user report from Facebook.
Unverified claim·Online
A guest says a six night, $13,521 stay in Florida had biological stains, mold, and missing amenities, all documented with photos and reported to the host within 72 hours. They say the host fixed little, Airbnb offered about $4,000, then closed the case because they had not contacted Airbnb itself within 72 hours.
Unverified claim·Online
A guest says they had to leave a rental with a collapsing ceiling and disabled smoke detectors. Six days later, they say support agents agree it is unacceptable but say they cannot refund the $1,994.97 without the host's consent.
Unverified claim·Online
A long-time Airbnb guest says a listing was falsely advertised and the host tried to charge the full booking plus an extra $850, with receipts claimed as evidence. Unverified user report from Threads.
Unverified claim·Denver
A guest on a four-day Denver Airbnb stay says they arrived for 3 p.m. check-in to find the unit still uncleaned from the prior guest, with a cleaner arriving only hours later. Unverified user report from Threads.
Unverified claim·Online
A guest says a caretaker who appeared intoxicated verbally abused their group and locked them out of the property they had booked, leaving them stranded on the street with all their bags. They say an hour after filing a support request there was still no fix.
Unverified claim·Online
A guest says a host they booked through Booking.com shut off their power over a weekend stay and pressured them into paying extra fees, saying they broke rules that were posted on the host's Facebook page.
Unverified claim·Clemson, SC
A guest says four friends booked a 2-bed condo for a football weekend and found an undisclosed man living in the attached garage, reachable only through their bathroom. They say he brought in guests, offered them weed and was sick on the patio, and Airbnb closed the case.
Unverified claim·Houston, TX
A guest says they rented a large home for a work retreat for over $15,000. They say that when they missed the host's check-in message, a second host was sent to make the group wait outside until the person who booked returned from a grocery run with ID.
Unverified claim·White Plains, NY
A guest says a White Plains, NY room booked for $183 for two nights had no door, a filthy bathroom and unwashed sheets, and she left after the first night. Unverified user report from Threads.
Unverified claim·Online
A guest says a listing advertised as a private one-bedroom apartment had strangers entering the unit at night. Unverified user report from Threads.
Unverified claim·Online
A guest says a birthday-trip rental did not match its listing photos and looked like a private home, with the host claiming her account had been hacked. Unverified user report from Facebook.
Unverified claim·Online
A guest warns about a Trion KL listing, alleging a dirty room, itching after lying on the mattress, and only a 30 percent refund with no apology. Unverified user report from Threads.
Unverified claim·Mexico City, Mexico
A guest says they confirmed with the host a month ahead that the whole apartment would be theirs for Day of the Dead. About three hours before the free cancellation deadline, they say the host said she would be staying the entire time with her dogs.
Unverified claim·Online
A guest says a Vrbo listing had an inaccurate address that made the whole listing questionable, so they left within two minutes. They say the host refused a refund, Vrbo offered $53.55, and their review has not been published.
Unverified claim·Online
A guest says they paid $1,170 for a month-long stay from October 17 to November 16, but the host is forcing them out on October 26 even though the room had pest problems and they never got a key. They say the host wants to keep 60% of the money and that support keeps escalating without resolving anything.
Unverified claim·Online
A guest says they lost 300 pounds (about $400) on a stay booked through Booking.com this year. They say the host let strange men into their room, tried to get them to leave for a day so photos could be taken, and there was construction going on, and that the platform wouldn't help.
Unverified claim·Online
A guest says that on their only Airbnb stay, the family came back from the beach with a soaking wet five-year-old and found the keypad dead. They say they couldn't reach the owner for hours, worried about where they'd sleep after dark, and only then learned there was a hidden backup key.
Unverified claim·Online
A guest says someone contacted them on WhatsApp this week with the details of their actual Airbnb booking and pushed them to click a link. They say they clicked it, their phone blocked the page, and the sender just kept repeating to click the link.
Unverified claim·Online
A guest says they woke on their last night with a bedbug next to their face. They say an exterminator told them the infestation had been there 3 or 4 weeks, yet the host blamed them, asked three times for no review, then left a review saying they brought the bugs. They say they tossed over 800 euros (about $930) of luggage and, 81 daily posts later, still have no full refund.
Unverified claim·Online
A guest says they loaded the dishwasher as asked and spent two hours tidying, then got a one-star review for leaving a mess and dirty dishes everywhere. They say the hosts later found the housekeeper had taken the plates out of the dishwasher, piled them in the sink, and sent a photo as if the guests left them there.
Unverified claim·Online
A guest says their rental had no hot water at night, and the instructions were to go outside and hit the water heater with a broom to scare off the ants. They say it did not work.
Unverified claim·Online
A guest says Airbnb canceled their rental one day before the trip after a previous renter accused the owners of racism, and that Airbnb told them the owner had canceled. They say that was not true, and the owner ended up renting the same home to them through Vrbo.
Unverified claim·Online
A guest says the host told them the place was no longer available the day before a weekend trip and asked them to cancel it themselves. They say support told them canceling that close would mean no refund and that the host should be the one to cancel.
Unverified claim·Online
A guest says a new apartment listing asked them through Booking's own chat to bank transfer 825 euros (about $950) within 24 hours. They say support assured them over about two hours that it was verified and legit, then 45 reviews appeared from families saying they paid and the host vanished, while the listing still showed a 10 rating.
Unverified claim·Online
A guest says they checked in to no power or AC in the heat, and a condemned, burned-down property sat just feet from the rental with debris spilling over. They say the host claimed a fence separated the homes, the fence was gone, they left, and support flip-flopped on a refund.
Unverified claim·Online
A guest says they booked a five-star Airbnb with hundreds of reviews and found the mattress soaked in urine, with fans already blowing on it. They say Airbnb fought them over a refund and told them to be understanding.
Unverified claim·Online
A longtime Airbnb user says their unit had stained bedding and a clogged shower drain that pushed up sewage-like water with every flush, and they spent the night lying on towels. They say support kept citing a policy limiting them to a partial refund, so they got their money back through a credit card dispute.
Unverified claim·Online
A woman traveling alone for work says someone knocked at 8 p.m. at a door with no peephole, then entered the code and walked in, saying he was there for the AC. She says the AC was working fine, he left, and the owner had not replied yet.
Unverified claim·Online
A guest says they found dust, a wet dog smell and mold on the AC vent above the beds, and Airbnb support approved a full refund. They say a cleaner and then the host walked in while they packed, and the host claimed a shower would void the refund.
Unverified claim·Online
A guest says they arrived to find their host had double booked the home, and a family with kids already inside had to pack up and leave. They say the family had just cooked a meal and never got to eat it, while a cleaner rushed in to turn the place over.
Unverified claim·Online
A guest says the house they booked for 16 people, including small children, was double booked for the first night. They say the cheapest fallback was a motel 25 minutes away at $512 a room, they needed two rooms, and Airbnb later refunded the stay in full.
Unverified claim·Online
The AP reports that for stays booked on or after Nov. 20, Airbnb hosts can't require checkout tasks like washing dishes, stripping beds or taking trash offsite. Hosts can still ask for simple things like putting dishes in the sink, and house rules must be shown before booking.
Unverified claim·Ahmedabad, India
According to a complaint reported by Gujarat Samachar, a retired man trying to book a Diwali stay contacted a number he believed was Airbnb support and was sent app files over WhatsApp. Seventeen transactions then drained about ₹9.77 lakh (roughly $11,500) from two bank accounts, and the Ahmedabad Cyber Cell is investigating.
Unverified claim·Online
A guest says they booked a stay around 12:30 a.m., got a confirmation, and arrived with family to find no one there. They say neither the host nor Airbnb responded after repeated attempts, leaving the family with nowhere to stay.
Unverified claim·Online
A guest says their group was robbed inside a locked Airbnb where the host controlled the digital lock and codes. They say they filed a police report, but the insurance claim was denied because they had no video of the thief.
Unverified claim·Online
A guest says Airbnb's support team found the host had uploaded photos of a different house and threw out the host's extra fees. The guest says the host then left a retaliatory review, which they are now asking Airbnb to remove.
Unverified claim·Online
A mother traveling alone with two children says the highly rated listing turned out run-down, with daily construction and strangers on the terrace. She says the host then threatened to cut the utilities in 85-degree heat, which she calls dangerous given her high blood pressure.
Unverified claim·Calabasas, CA
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.
Unverified claim·Westfield, NJ
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.
Unverified claim·Los Angeles, CA
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.
Unverified claim·Rome, Italy
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.
Unverified claim·New York, NY
A guest told The Guardian a Manhattan host claimed more than £12,000 (roughly $16,000) 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.
Unverified claim·Los Angeles, CA
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.
Unverified claim·Online
The Guardian reported that scammers appear to be hacking accommodation accounts and then messaging guests, sometimes inside the real Booking.com app, demanding urgent card details to avoid a cancellation.
Unverified claim·Goa, India
The Indian Express reported that Goa police arrested four people accused of listing villas that didn't exist on travel sites and taking advance payments off-platform, using photos of other properties.
Unverified claim·Glendale, AZ
A couple told FOX 10 Phoenix they were handcuffed by police after booking a backyard pool on Swimply that the homeowners had never listed. They were released without charges, and Swimply said it refunded them.
Unverified claim·Los Angeles, CA
The LA City Attorney sued operators it says illegally rented at least 30 leased homes short-term on Airbnb and other sites without city registration, and hid the real locations until after guests booked. These are allegations in a civil complaint.
Unverified claim·Council Bluffs, IA
A family told KETV they booked a Vrbo home and walked in through an unlocked door, only to learn the owner had never listed it. Vrbo said the listing was unauthorized, removed it and refunded the family.
Unverified claim·Los Angeles, CA
The LA City Attorney sued a short-term rental operator it says ran hundreds of leased properties as illegal party houses, with police called to linked properties more than 250 times in two years. The allegations are unproven.
Unverified claim·London, UK
WIRED reported that its reporter was put in a different London apartment than the one booked, and traced linked host accounts with stock-photo profiles and over 2,100 reviews on about 200 listings. WIRED said Airbnb suspended the linked listings after being alerted.
Unverified claim·Chicago, IL
A VICE reporter says they were moved at the last minute from a booked Chicago listing over a supposed plumbing issue, then traced the host profile to what VICE described as a network of nearly 100 listings in eight cities with fake reviews.
NightmAirbnb is not affiliated with or endorsed by Airbnb, Inc.
Join the fight · Free
Every week: the worst rental stories, the scams going around, new short-term rental laws, pushes to hold hosts and platforms accountable, and a heads-up on any class action you might qualify for, if one comes up. The more of us there are, the harder we are to ignore.
Free. One short email a week. No spam. Unsubscribe anytime. Members stay anonymous. We share lawsuits and actions as we find them. We’re not a law firm and this isn’t legal advice. Read Issue #1 →