Airbnb Guests Arrive At Home And Everything Is Zip-Tied Shut, Even The Refrigerator — 'Nope, Can't Use That'
"Everything is locked."
PeopleImages.com - Yuri A | Shutterstock Two friends were more than a bit shocked when they entered their booked Airbnb, only to find that they didn't have access to a majority of the appliances and features of the home they'd rented.
In a TikTok video, the two women gave viewers a tour of the Airbnb and were astonished to find that a lot of the amenities were either locked off or completely inaccessible even though they'd booked it under the assumption that they were renting ... well ... a house.
The guests arrived at their Airbnb to find that nearly everything had been zip-tied shut, including the fridge.
In the minute-long clip, the two women found it both hilarious and a bit shocking that everything in the home they'd rented was restricted from use. The fridge had a zip-tie around the handle, effectively preventing them from putting any food in it or being able to cook while they were staying at the person's property.
Not only was the fridge zip-tied, but all of the surrounding cabinets were too. Moving along, the women showed one of the bedrooms in the house, including a nightstand that was covered in plastic to prevent guests from opening it and/or putting their stuff in it during the stay. "She's really worried we're gonna steal her jewelry," one of the women joked, poking at the covered nightstand in amusement.
Despite finding humor in their unconventional Airbnb rental, the guests were seeking a refund.
As they continued walking through the house, both women noticed that certain rooms were locked off and decided to take it upon themselves to start checking if there were any other creepy and out-of-place items around the house.
While they didn't find anything else suspicious, it was definitely a bit weird that an Airbnb host would list their house for people to rent but refused to give them access to the basic amenities of a house.
In the comments section, one of the women clarified that she'd since opened a claim to get a refund for the stay and also left an honest review about their experience, which wasn't particularly positive.
Unfortunately, this seems to be a regular occurrence for many Airbnb guests, who've complained about either excessive cameras in their rentals or things being locked that shouldn't be.
Airbnb has lost a significant amount of popularity over the last several months.
According to Reuters, Airbnb reportedly told investors in August 2024 that for the third quarter, they were expecting to see a decrease in customer demand.
Even after announcing growth in bookings, the short-term-rental company lowered its projected third-quarter earnings to between $3.67 billion and $3.73 billion, below the $3.8 billion analysts expected.
New data even showed travelers' demand for short-term rentals was stalling in many parts of the U.S., with consumers complaining about burdensome cleaning fees, increasing prices, a list of expected chores to complete at the end of their stay, and a lack of quality control.
In fact, according to a 2022 survey, over 60% of Americans would rather book a stay at a hotel instead of a home rental like Airbnb. Although Airbnb can sometimes be a cheaper option, many people prefer the amenities and consistency of a hotel stay.
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What's definitely not helping Airbnb keep customers is the fact that many of the hosts for the rental company are often disagreeable and expect a bit more from their guests than they should, which is evident in this video.
If you don't want strangers in your house rifling through your personal belongings that's more than fair, but then don't rent out your home and expect guests to follow unreasonable restrictions.
Nia Tipton is a staff writer with a bachelor’s degree in creative writing and journalism who covers news and lifestyle topics that focus on psychology, relationships, and the human experience.