Couple’s home was listed as an Airbnb rental. Only problem: They didn’t list it
Homeowners Struggle to Remove Fake Airbnb Listing from Their Property
“It’s Peaceful, Quiet, I Can See Why It Would Be Attractive to Stay Here”
Homeowners Paul and Christina Wrabko have been living in a lovely bungalow in Markham’s Thornhill area for a while now. It’s a place they adore, and it’s not hard to see why.
Unexpected Guests Arrive at Their Doorstep
In September, things took an unexpected turn when two men showed up at their doorstep, claiming they had booked an Airbnb stay at their home. But Christina was quick to clarify that they didn’t have an Airbnb listing. The guests left without any issue, but it wasn’t the last time they received unwanted visitors.
A Repeated Pattern of Visitors
Over the next few weeks, more people showed up, claiming they had booked a stay at their home. The couple grew increasingly frustrated as they tried to reason with the guests and even contacted Airbnb’s customer service.
Fake Airbnb Listing Causes Chaos
After digging deeper, the couple discovered that someone had created a fake Airbnb listing using their address. The listing included interior photos of bedrooms and bathrooms, which didn’t belong to their home.
Airbnb’s Response Falls Short
Despite multiple requests, Airbnb refused to remove the listing, and the couple had to escalate the issue to the platform’s customer service team. It wasn’t until after they shared their story with Speakers Corner that Airbnb finally removed the listing.
A Call to Action
The Wrabkos are urging Airbnb to take more stringent measures to screen hosts and prevent such incidents in the future. As a homeowner, Paul emphasized, “I would have thought in order to list a home, you would have to prove that you own the property. Had they done that in this case, we wouldn’t have had to go through this.”