Woman Says Airbnb Host Charged Her An Additional $925 For Using The Pool Table, Wi-Fi, TV & Microwave
She's probably wishing she stayed in a hotel now.
giggsy25 / Shutterstock Many people think of Airbnb as a great alternative to hotels. It offers the cozy feeling of home while also allowing everyone to have the space that they need.
One woman’s Airbnb stay turned into an unfortunate nightmare when her host charged her almost $1,000 extra for using amenities around the house that should have been free.
A woman was charged an extra $925 by her Airbnb host for using things like the Wi-Fi and microwave.
In a video posted by @getlostwebsite on TikTok, a woman named Joanna can be seen negotiating with her Airbnb host after discovering some alarming fees added to her stay.
Joanna caught some of the interesting things she saw in the house on camera. There were notes left all around the house detailing what could be used and how much you would be charged for using it.
“I’m here at this nice Airbnb, but it’s not so nice because there’s notes everywhere,” she said.
For example, the washing machine had a notecard taped to it that said, “The washing machine will be charged at five pounds per wash. No exceptions.”
There was also a note on the pool table that said, “Pool is five pounds per day. You can pay via PayPal or leave the cash in the lockbox.”
The notes extended beyond just charging guests for amenities that are typically free, though.
In the kitchen, the microwave featured a sign that read, “No meat or animal products allowed!” The fridge had another one explaining why the host was so against meat: “This is a vegan household; respect that!”
Perhaps the strangest of all was a note left on a chair that stated, “DO NOT sit in this chair; it was my deceased husband’s favorite one.”
Airbnb's policy on these things is clear; this host wasn’t following it.
According to Airbnb's website, extra charges cannot be collected. “For the most part, Hosts can’t collect any additional fees or charges outside our platform unless expressly authorized by us,” they said.
Putting cash in a lockbox to cover pool table expenses seems to fall under this category.
“The exception is hotels and software-connected Hosts, who can charge and collect certain fees using a separate payment method — as long as they’re detailed in the listing and included in the price breakdown before booking,” they continued on their website.
Clearly, Joanna was not staying in a hotel, and there was no indication that she was staying with a “software-connected host.” Even if she were, these prices were not disclosed to her ahead of time.
Joanna confronted her Airbnb host about the additional charges she accrued.
Joanna filmed herself talking with her Airbnb host over the phone to discuss the $925 fees she had amassed. She showed a screenshot of an email that stated these charges were for washing machine and Wi-Fi usage, in addition to the need for a carpet cleaning and “damage to [an] antique teacup.”
“You used the pool table twice, and there’s a charge on the pool table,” the host said.
“Sorry, I just am actually curious as well,” Joana cut in. “Whether or not I used the pool table, how did you know I used the pool table?”
“Everything was in a different place,” the host responded.
This immediately sent up a red flag for fellow TikTokers. “Knowing someone played pool is one thing,” a user said. “Knowing they played twice means y’all have hidden cameras.”
“This is why I put labels on things, so people are aware of the extra charges,” the host concluded before she and Joanna both agreed to dispute the charges with Airbnb.
Joanna’s story highlights just how unreasonable some people can be.
Maybe she would have been better off staying in a hotel after all.
Mary-Faith Martinez is a writer for YourTango who covers entertainment, news, and human interest topics.