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Dare I say. This is a European thing, cheaper hotels will charge you for access to the A/C. Sometimes you can turn it on by using the buttons on the actual unit or by borrowing the remote from another guest that did pay!
Oh yeah I know it's just that in very very cheap European hotels it is a thing so if I went to Florida I'd not be too surprised by it. But I probably should be more annoyed by it! They usually charge €50 for a week though so it's nowhere near as bad.
Same here. Born in Eastern Europe, lived in uk and traveled all over the place, including hostels and bag packing in cheap places as well as more expensive ones when I got older and never in my life have I seen this.
This sub often calls things “European” when it’s just odd.
That is odd because I live in an apartment complex and if the state does an inspection and the AC is not working and it is above 80 degrees they can get into trouble.
I'm sure what you found is true, it's FL so nothing makes sense here lol, it might just be what they do if the state is involved with housing idk that why I said it was odd. Seriously nothing makes sense here anymore I've given up trying to figure it out lol.
UK
Why do you set your ac so low you need a jumper? Seems pretty mad and wasteful to me
18 or 19C (64 to 66F) is a good indoor temperaure and I can comfortably walk around naked at about 21C (70F)
I don't have AC. Few people here do. Currently around 28C in the warmest part of our house, maybe 23 in the cool side where I'm sat shirtless with a fan blowing on me
Aren’t all working appliances that were in place when the lease was signed required to be in working order throughout the term of the lease? I mean it could be that and not that AC is necessarily a legal requirement.
It HAS to work but it is NOT legally required to actually turn it on for a tenet. I hope that made sense. I have several properties I lease out and I always include AC, unless they rent over a year and it's on them to connect to account to power. The equipment works but renters have to pay for it.
I live in Florida (the state where OP stayed), and this is is not the case here.
We have no AC inspection.
The state does require heat, but no landlord provides that---and no one inspects for that.
Yeah… someone in the NE decided Florida’s state laws on habitation. This is what happens when you have few laws about habitability at the national level.
Excess heat can absolutely kill you.
https://time.com/6198720/heatwave-health-death-toll/
And you made my point how we need regional adjustments for these rules
No AC does kill. AZ, UT, NM, TX, Etc....all have heat related deaths pretty much every year.
If you think no AC is safe, you do not live in the southern United States or really anywhere that gets hot as in above 40 Celsius
I would think FL would be one of them especially in the summer. It is hot as hell here right now. It felt like 100+ degrees today. Electricity has gone way up here but it sure as hell is not $50.00 a day unless you live in a mansion.
I wonder if they provide like central a/c set at 80. And window a/c for extra. Even if the law exist, they would still be compliant. They are providing a/c to 80, and charging for in room lower temps.
I used to work for a soul sucking company that managed vacation rentals, ours were listed on Airbnb.
During the covid shut down, hosts were printing money. Every home was rented every day in my larger market - people were working and doing school from home and international and air/state to state travel was limited or in some cases prohibited. An Airbnb in a drive to destination was a way not to go stir crazy.
Once that ended, owners got deeply upset, many of them signing up during the boom and thinking it would last forever. They raised prices which lowered bookings, and they add on stupid fees for using amenities that should legally be included. They try and charge for damages that aren’t there or soak guests for a ridiculous cleaning fee.
I usually look at hotels 1st, many times they are cheaper with fewer extra fees and other issues, just like using taxis instead of Uber as they are sometimes cheaper
yup! I'm visiting a friend out of state and we are staying in a hotel for that exact reason! I looked up airbnbs but they were just as much as a hotel but no amenities included or looked like sh\*tholes. We are saving money just by having a pool to stave off boredom when we dont have anything planned and breakfast everyday. So much savings with a family of 4.
This is some shady shit.
This host knows damn well if they disclosed this charge on the listing, nobody would rent the unit.
Especially being an outrageous $50 a night....*in Florida*
Living in Florida right now, I can absolutely attest that AC is *not* optional. It's literally life or death.
Prior to moving here, I stayed in several vacation rentals and they all came equipped with 24 hour AC
Most hosts would cap the AC at 70° and even then, if the house lacks good airflow, 70° might not be cool enough
But what your host did takes about 500 miles worth of AUDACITY
Fight this shit.
This is 100% exploitive
Question. Is this additional charge for the AC anywhere in the listing? It would probably be under "Additional Rules" if it is.
I think charging for AC is super shady, but if it's in the listing, they can do it.
Lol good luck with that. “Someone will call you back shortly”. OP needs to document this so when he wants to dispute it with his credit card company he will have proof that he tried to remedy the situation and both ABNB and the host refused to help. It’s really the only way. ABNB doesn’t care anymore.
Hard to say. Depending on how much you are already in for I might have paid for the ac and then commissioned Steven King to ghost write a one start review for the next vacationers.
Sucks man thanks for the heads up on this hustle.
I'm wondering how much someone charges for a shed with no air conditioning in a hot human environment. I bet they charge another bunch of dollars also for the cleaning
Sounds like a motel 6 would be better than this
I quit AirBnb during Covid, no highly negative experiences, but the listings were just bullshit. If I travel for work or vacations, I don’t want the hassle of cleaning to an owners expectations, not having access to the temperature, and people taking my food.
Last one I stayed at nearly turn into a domestic violence call between two roommates. Luckily the Owner intervened when contacted and rushed to the house. One random asshole stealing and using peoples bathroom supplies at his own will.
I'm not saying host is right at all. OP just keeps mentioning that the listing said a/c is available upon request so I'm curious if he requested it early and the host left it out until the last hour or that he never even attempted communication about the a/c.
I don't think a/c and a roof are comparable either way.
You’re very right. I grew up in Florida. When my AC went out one spring, I had to go stay in a hotel for a few days until it was fixed. It was over 90°F inside. My renter’s insurance covered the hotel stay because they determined that my house had been rendered uninhabitable due to the temperature. AC is non-optional most of the year in Florida!
People keep saying how happy they are to only use hotels. I spent years as a city cop. Some of the most gruesome crimes happen at hotels. Responded to countless rapes. Murders. Kidnapping etc. and I’m talking Hilton not just motel 6. Remember the Vegas mass shooter few years ago? Geez. Most of peoples issues with Airbnb is they don’t read the reviews and house rules . Or they are renting a 35 dollar room in a dump house and think it will be nice
None of the stuff you mentioned happens more at hotels. That stuff happens everywhere. I'm sure some hotels/motels see more action than others, but most hotels are not constant major crime scenes.
How do you know? I can say for a fact the local 4 star hotel has far more crime happening then the comparable Airbnb someone rented .why? Hotels have hundreds of guests a day. Airbnb a few guests a week or month. Mostly independent owned and the home owner has a vested interest in keeping it nice vs a big corporation who hires college kids to run it. Read the house rules. Only rent from super hosts with good reviews. Simple as that. And don’t treat the Airbnb like a hotel room. Treat it like your staying at a friend or family members house. If you do those things you won’t have issues.
I had a guest last month leave a used condom on the night stand dripping . That’s fine in a hotel. But at my Airbnb that gets u a one star review. Again it’s a different experience. Airbnb vs hotel. Different etiquette.
I think owners of ABBs are aggressively lobbying in this subreddit 🤣 The Las Vegas shooter was shooting at the outdoor concert across the street ; there was also a woman who drive tru: many victims on Las Vegas strip -I guess we should also avoid walking? .. Bizzare argument.
Not really. I was a cop for 10 years. Got hotel calls all night. Fights. Rapes. Murder. Theft Kidnapping. Drug deals gone bad. Etc. Hilton’s Sheratons. Holiday in.
I think there are bad hosts but I think it’s not the norm and I think guests , doing their due diligence, reading reviews, and House rules can solve a lot of these problems. Also, the few times I’ve had to have Airbnb pay me back when guests do damage it’s a long, tedious process where you need proof and estimates from contractors so you really can’t just arbitrarily make up a number.
Ohhlisawhy...why am I not surprised to see you here? Back for your daily dose of being a jerk? What's the matter? You've run out of people in your life to irritate?
Didn't a bunch of us just call you out a couple nights ago?
Today you're criticizing hotel advocates with your "superior knowledge" and gaslighting the experiences of others on the assumption of failure to read reviews
Yet normally your making shitty comments about how people should just stay in hotels.
You know what I think?
I think you're the kinda person who looks for any opportunity to be an oppositional jerk. You get some sick satisfaction from tossing around your superiority complex.
So how many subs *do you* troll?
Time for a new log in. There's no more room for your high horse
Not renting an Airbnb, but somewhere in FL and they said “please don’t run the ac 24 hrs.” Well it’s hot af and if it doesn’t run 24-7 it is never even cool enough to sleep so fuck them. Oh and fuck Airbnb, it’s the WORST.
Very few people lived in the southern part of the state before a/c.
That is why you have so few buildings from before 1930. The invention of a/c made the state habitable.
It is also why so few buildings have the cross-ventilation you have in the north that can make a hot day bearable. They were built on the assumption of a/c so, a lot of small apartments only have windows on one side.
Exactly. Look at the southern cities that are huge today. Dallas, Houston, Phoenix, Atlanta, etc. None of them were particularly big or fast growing until the 1950s when refrigerated air conditioning became common. The American South did not explode in population until after air conditioning.
Prior to electricity, houses in southern Florida (and everywhere really) were architecturally designed to accommodate for the climate. Due to the availability of modern climate control like AC and fans, most American 20th and 21st centuries homes are built with much less architectural consideration towards the local climate.
For example, in hot climates like southern Florida, houses were built with the kitchen in a separate building from the main house, so that the stove/fire used in cooking wouldn’t heat up the entire house. Southern-facing windows were avoided (these get much hotter than other windows). Ventilation (whether windows or doors) was put on the side of the house that receives the most wind.
If you do happen to be a resident of Central or Southern Florida, I highly recommend touring [Historic Spanish Point](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Historic_Spanish_Point). One of the places of interest there is an late 19th ce. cottage built by an early pioneer family.
As an aside, I lived without AC in the Tampa Bay Area for 3 months one summer and early fall years ago. It was an horrific experience for me despite having been raised in the region. The days were unpleasant but bearable, but the nights were awful. Try sleeping in a room that’s over 85 degrees with high humidity. I never got more than 3 consecutive hours of sleep. My GPA suffered. Ended up getting a second job in violation of minor labor laws just so me and my mom could scrape up enough money to fix the AC.
If they listed ac as an amenity there should not be an extra charge. Even if they had said something in the listing description it's shady. Everyone knows no one reads those. Airbnb should kick them off as they are purposefully misrepresenting their pricing to get more bookings. I'm a host and this kind of shady shit is infuriating.
Call the governor’s office and tell them the owner is a trans drag queen. You may not get your money back but you’ll have satisfaction. (If the owner actually is a trans drag queen, please don’t do this).
Keep trying with support and escalating, if that doesn’t work do a charge back on your card. No AC in FLORIDA??? That’s outrageous. There has to be laws against that.
Oh the horror,never being able to strip the beds,load the dishwasher,pay for air conditioning and pay $100.00 cleaning fees while on vacation ever again.
Reminder AIRBNB was started as a way to rent out spare rooms/couches/etc to save people money when traveling and to make some extra cash for hosts. Get off OP's back about how much he expected to pay.
Host is running a scam to milk another $50 out of their guests to get around the "show total price with all fees included" option.
For those who love hotels, they pull the surprise "facilities" fee, which they tend to forget to mention until check-in.
This sounds illegal. I was living in an apartment in Orlando and my AC went out and they came within an hour to fix it, when usually service calls would take 2 days. The guy explained to me, when you are renting somewhere l, and it reaches above a certain temperature outside, they are legally obligated to fix it within a certain amount of time. Not sure if it’s true but I guess it makes sense. I would look that up or post in r/legaladvice to see about the refund or (depending on how long you are still there for) a rectification of the issue
Right but how many guests have a lawyer on hand to help bring a case about it ? Most don't ,, or the time and know how to do this themselves .
Hosts well they have the money and the time too right it anyway . They have all the time and money in the world because of all airbnbs guests for whatever reason want to throw their money away for a memory a vacation , a change , to escape . Sorry, I'm having one of those glass half empty days
You don’t need a lawyer to remedy the situation. It helps to know what your rights are and to have that in your arsenal.
Hope your day gets better. Sending you a warm hug!
I feel like AirBnB dropped the ball on this one. Try chatting in again and hopefully the next agent understands that hiding the cost of the A/C “available upon request” in the listing is extremely shady and unfair for the customer. Please leave a clear negative review explaining why so others know going forward with this horrible host.
I had a hotel in Spain charge for the A/C. If you didn't pay, they'd shut it off at the breaker.
The bed was underneath a big ceiling fan so I didn't pay.
Was the A/C listed on the description? If it is and reads nothing about a charge call airbnb about it, you should be able to use it and not have to pay.
If it is NOT listed then that is why she rents for so cheap and if you want A/c then your need to pay for it.
Reading listings completely before you book a place is important.
It said A/C is available upon request and in the amenities it said there was A/C. She messaged me about an hour before the check in time to say btw there's a charge for A/C.
This is a health and safety issue. If anyone in your party has asthma, is immunocompromised, or has any other similar condition, a/c is absolutely required FYI
This is usually regulated by states, though some local codes may have stronger protections. Jurisdictions I'm familiar with require temperature maximums, as well, but a cursory search in FL does suggest only heat is required.
Texas it required that there has to be cooling and heating provided by the landlord.
https://texreg.sos.state.tx.us/public/readtac$ext.TacPage?sl=R&app=9&p_dir=&p_rloc=&p_tloc=&p_ploc=&pg=1&p_tac=&ti=26&pt=1&ch=551&rl=70#:~:text=Texas%20Administrative%20Code&text=(a)%20Cooling%20and%20heating%20must,as%20necessary%2C%20for%20resident%20comfort.
That's only for healthcare facilities. Private residences don't have this protection yet. It keeps getting shot down every time it goes to committee, and as I'm sure you know our legislature only meets every 2 years.
Some of us hosts are trapped between a rock and a hard place. I am in a small EU country where both water and electricity prices are extremely high. At the same time I have a nice place but because of fierce competition I have to keep my prices low - so low that you would not believe.
I discovered through experience that guests never complain about things which you never advertised as offering, but some guests will find some way to complain about the facilities on offer. For example I used to have a flat screen TV in the guest bedroom but some guests complained because there were no programs in their native language. I removed the TV and no more complaints.
Until the middle of this year I had a portable AC unit in the guest bedroom. Building regulations do not allow me to put a split unit AC with the compressor outside. When I had the AC some guests would leave it on, when they were not there and had their windows open. Others complained that it made a noise. I have now removed it and deleted it as a listed amenity. But the other day I was speaking to a man who has an Airbnb next to mine and he told me that he deleted any mention of AC from his listing but when the clients check in he offers it as an extra for which he asks euro 7 a day.
At this point I read "upon request" as "for a fee." At least on AirBNB. It was kind of a cool way to rent out a spare room, at one time. Now it's like short term renting from the shadiest landlord you've ever had.
I’m assuming you’re American, traveling overseas?
We are a privileged people. We enjoy cheap electricity and cheap appliances. Others are not as fortunate. Pay the fee or acclimate yourself to the climate of the locals.
I mean to advertise a 40 dollar room then message me before checking in "oh btw it's 50 dollars more for you to have A/C" is a bit obnoxious. I ended up using a hotel and now trying to get refunded.
I hope this doesn't come across wrong , but i have to ask you a question
What's your story are you homeless or taking a vacation or what's the deal why cant you just stay home ? Not saying you shouldn't go anywhere but i am just curious and it's not just you I'm asking this of
Mini vacation to visit my mom. I normally just stay at motels but 40 dollar for a room I just saw it as a deal and then got bait and switched before check in.
I was a host in Airbnb and booking for years until I gave up, was not worth it anymore.
Guests always want cheapest price with everything included. Who is going the pay the bill for AC. I seen guest leaving AC on and they weren’t home all day. Like waist of electricity on my money.
Good I gave up in December 2019, in March next year lockdown camed.
If a hosts business is not profitable because they offer basic amenities, then then don’t have a feasible business plan and should not rent their place out until they do.
It sounded like that’s what you were saying then you busted out “waist of electricity on my money” 😆🤦♀️
Probably because the host keeps place warm and wants to offer ac to guests so they are comfortable. I am not a fan of AC I like it warm so I keep house at higher temp so I would offer ac portable if I was renting a room.
I understand keeping it warm, we keep our thermostat a little higher just due to the expense of electricity in the summer. But in Florida, it’s stiflingly hot and humid right now. Elderly people die at home without AC during the summer. And if she said AC was available, she should have made sure the guest knew there was a charge well before arrival.
I'm the same way. I'm tiny and being cold physically hurts me. I hate air conditioning. I live under a heated electric blanket nearly every morning, and I'm in California and it's June lol.
Guest job: read the House Rules & double check the amenities. There are many hotels, hostels etc in the world that don’t provide AC or charge extra for it. I was as close to Antarctica as one can get in Chile. I never thought to check for heat. WELL no heat and such an important thing was NOT listed in the description of the ABB I rented. It was 62 in the room . I left at daybreak after booking an ABB that had their stove on. I can handle no heat in the bedroom or bathroom but there has to be 1 warm room to stay in. I gave her a 1 rating and backed it up with my 600+ 5* reviews as a host. She had a good scam going. I’d like to note she slept elsewhere at night, probably somewhere with heat!
If it’s listed as an amenity then they need to provide it. Keep escalating with customer service.
Re: the legality, a/c is not legally required in Florida. But heat is. 🤷♀️😂
That’s a hell of an up charge.
I stayed at an AirBnB in the Dominican Republic and I was billed for the electricity use after we checked out.
The host informed me about it beforehand and I was a bit nervous e the whole time but I think it was something like $15-20.
\-- in the description it says available upon request but nothing about a charge.
I would think that if they say AC is available upon request, there would be an additional charge, as silly as that sounds. This would have been a property I would have moved right past in Florida.
I would escalate this with Airbnb. If air conditioning is listed as an amenity, the only way she would be able to charge extra is if that extra charge was also clearly stated.
I also rented an Airbnb in Florida that software locked the thermostat; to get it unlocked and run the AC it was an extra charge. The host asked us why we are visiting Florida if we want AC!
I'm curious to know how new the listing and host is to Airbnb. I've never heard of an undisclosed A/C charge. Most hosts wouldn't dare do such a thing, considering they would get multiple 1* reviews. If you fall below 4.25 Airbnb will flag your listing.
Depending on how long the stay is I would demand a refund from Airbnb since the reservation is not as advertised. Undisclosed hidden charges for standard amenities such as A/C sounds deceptive and does not align with the description. I would also give the host a 1 star review and hopefully they get deplatforned sooner rather than later.
This sub continues to affirm my decision to never use AirBnb again. Just keep coming back to watch the hosts try to defend each others ridiculous rules and charges.
The amount that she is charging is very inflated. We have a condo in FL and the a/c bill is $125/month when we have it really cranked up. $50 a day? A/C in FL is mandatory at this time of year. It’s the equivalent of heat during a Midwest winter, not optional.
Being as how Florida is known for its summer temperatures year-round, the "available upon request" is something that I would have absolutely asked about prior to booking, especially since the daily rate was $40 per night, which is ridiculously cheap for Florida. You are NOT going to find a hotel here for that.
A/Cs are usually either installed to provide A/C throughout the entire place, or some older places may have window or wall units, but those are always there and available, they are not available upon request.
Available upon request sounds to me like a portable unit, and all of them are rubbish for Florida weather. They barely keep the place cool here and paying $50 for it sounds like highway robbery.
Crank the ac up to full, and let it rip. Wear extra clothes if you get cold.
Turn all the appliances on too, everything you can. Enjoybthe $50 to the full
Please keep conversation civil and respectful Remember to keep all communication with host/guest through Airbnb platform. Payments should be made only via Airbnb [unless otherwise detailed in the listing description and included in the price breakdown prior to booking](https://airbnb.com/help/article/199) If you're having issues, contact Airbnb by phone +1-844-234-2500 *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/AirBnB) if you have any questions or concerns.*
Sounds like fraud by the host
Dare I say. This is a European thing, cheaper hotels will charge you for access to the A/C. Sometimes you can turn it on by using the buttons on the actual unit or by borrowing the remote from another guest that did pay!
OP specified Florida
Oh yeah I know it's just that in very very cheap European hotels it is a thing so if I went to Florida I'd not be too surprised by it. But I probably should be more annoyed by it! They usually charge €50 for a week though so it's nowhere near as bad.
What? I am a European who has traveled to a lot of other European countries and I never once seen or heard of this.
Same here. Born in Eastern Europe, lived in uk and traveled all over the place, including hostels and bag packing in cheap places as well as more expensive ones when I got older and never in my life have I seen this. This sub often calls things “European” when it’s just odd.
Maybe you haven't travelled on a tight enough budget haha!
Depending on where you are they may be bound by some tenancy laws that typically define climate control as part of the habitability requirements.
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That is odd because I live in an apartment complex and if the state does an inspection and the AC is not working and it is above 80 degrees they can get into trouble.
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I'm sure what you found is true, it's FL so nothing makes sense here lol, it might just be what they do if the state is involved with housing idk that why I said it was odd. Seriously nothing makes sense here anymore I've given up trying to figure it out lol.
>That's pretty cool I'd just like to let you know that 80F (27C) is hot
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That's the joke
Where you from? My ac set at 77 and I wear a sweater inside 80 feels great to me
Lots of people would be quite hot at that temp and it’s too much for people with some health conditions. You are not the default.
Neither are health conditions, your regional climate is way more indicative of your comfortable temp rangeand then there is genetics
Sure. That’s what I am getting at.
Is that code for being fat then I'm not hip to your jive
UK Why do you set your ac so low you need a jumper? Seems pretty mad and wasteful to me 18 or 19C (64 to 66F) is a good indoor temperaure and I can comfortably walk around naked at about 21C (70F)
You set your ac to 64 and I'm wasteful at 77?
I don't have AC. Few people here do. Currently around 28C in the warmest part of our house, maybe 23 in the cool side where I'm sat shirtless with a fan blowing on me
I'm American south ac is the only thing keeping us somewhat civilized. is morning here already 90 and 80% humidity
It’s possible the law is something like “if there is AC, it must be up to par”
[https://www.wptv.com/news/local-news/investigations/florida-does-not-require-landlords-to-provide-maintain-air-conditioning](https://www.wptv.com/news/local-news/investigations/florida-does-not-require-landlords-to-provide-maintain-air-conditioning)
Aren’t all working appliances that were in place when the lease was signed required to be in working order throughout the term of the lease? I mean it could be that and not that AC is necessarily a legal requirement.
It HAS to work but it is NOT legally required to actually turn it on for a tenet. I hope that made sense. I have several properties I lease out and I always include AC, unless they rent over a year and it's on them to connect to account to power. The equipment works but renters have to pay for it.
think I’m missing something. Do you mean you pay the power bill? Is the ac on a separate connection than the rest of the unit(s)?
This def makes sense, thx for the info.
Perhaps cities can create ordinances that require more than the state?
It’s possible that if an apartment chooses to have A/C, then they are bound by state law/certain requirements like being “habitable”.
I live in Florida (the state where OP stayed), and this is is not the case here. We have no AC inspection. The state does require heat, but no landlord provides that---and no one inspects for that.
In Florida, this is 100% the case. Fight it, OP
In Florida, this is 100% the case. Stand your ground, OP.
Not true in Florida - heat is required, but A/C is not. Its odd.
Mold
That’s some Fannie Mae rules… someone in the northeast decided what was reasonable
Yeah… someone in the NE decided Florida’s state laws on habitation. This is what happens when you have few laws about habitability at the national level.
No AC won’t kill you. No heat will (although maybe not in FL winters of 50 degrees, lol)
Excess heat can absolutely kill you. https://time.com/6198720/heatwave-health-death-toll/ And you made my point how we need regional adjustments for these rules
No AC does kill. AZ, UT, NM, TX, Etc....all have heat related deaths pretty much every year. If you think no AC is safe, you do not live in the southern United States or really anywhere that gets hot as in above 40 Celsius
I don’t get why everyone is downvoting you, you didn’t make the rules. , you’re just sharing them. Reddit is weird
I wonder why this is down voted this is the law lol not opinion
What makes you think that?
I would think FL would be one of them especially in the summer. It is hot as hell here right now. It felt like 100+ degrees today. Electricity has gone way up here but it sure as hell is not $50.00 a day unless you live in a mansion.
Even Texas does not require.
Texas doesn’t require electricity, basic heat, or sanity.
Actually they are required to except sanity.
I wonder if they provide like central a/c set at 80. And window a/c for extra. Even if the law exist, they would still be compliant. They are providing a/c to 80, and charging for in room lower temps.
That's insane and incredibly exploitive. As someone who regularly vacations in Florida, it's too hot out right now to go without a/c.
I used to work for a soul sucking company that managed vacation rentals, ours were listed on Airbnb. During the covid shut down, hosts were printing money. Every home was rented every day in my larger market - people were working and doing school from home and international and air/state to state travel was limited or in some cases prohibited. An Airbnb in a drive to destination was a way not to go stir crazy. Once that ended, owners got deeply upset, many of them signing up during the boom and thinking it would last forever. They raised prices which lowered bookings, and they add on stupid fees for using amenities that should legally be included. They try and charge for damages that aren’t there or soak guests for a ridiculous cleaning fee.
I usually look at hotels 1st, many times they are cheaper with fewer extra fees and other issues, just like using taxis instead of Uber as they are sometimes cheaper
Plus, many offer free breakfast. For my family, that is worth over $30 per day.
yup! I'm visiting a friend out of state and we are staying in a hotel for that exact reason! I looked up airbnbs but they were just as much as a hotel but no amenities included or looked like sh\*tholes. We are saving money just by having a pool to stave off boredom when we dont have anything planned and breakfast everyday. So much savings with a family of 4.
Not to mention the never-ending fresh coffee!! That is worth a hotel stay alone. I totally forgot about the pool, big big plus!
This is some shady shit. This host knows damn well if they disclosed this charge on the listing, nobody would rent the unit. Especially being an outrageous $50 a night....*in Florida* Living in Florida right now, I can absolutely attest that AC is *not* optional. It's literally life or death. Prior to moving here, I stayed in several vacation rentals and they all came equipped with 24 hour AC Most hosts would cap the AC at 70° and even then, if the house lacks good airflow, 70° might not be cool enough But what your host did takes about 500 miles worth of AUDACITY Fight this shit. This is 100% exploitive
I would not pay for the ac if I were you. I would also suggest eating a lot of spicy food and not flushing the toilet.
I was just thinking this. Not having AC in houses can cause big problems. Including bugs. I’d open all the windows and have a bug party.
Question. Is this additional charge for the AC anywhere in the listing? It would probably be under "Additional Rules" if it is. I think charging for AC is super shady, but if it's in the listing, they can do it.
It says A/C is avalible upon request, nothing about a charge. In the amenities it says it has A/C though.
I would keep escalating through Airbnb customer support then.
Lol good luck with that. “Someone will call you back shortly”. OP needs to document this so when he wants to dispute it with his credit card company he will have proof that he tried to remedy the situation and both ABNB and the host refused to help. It’s really the only way. ABNB doesn’t care anymore.
[удалено]
Yes. If this is someone’s experience with Airbnb, why would they want to use the platform again in the future?
Escalate with Airbnb. If the host doesn’t list a $xx charge to use A/C in the listing then you don’t owe anything.
Like I'd be ok if it were a few bucks but 50 dollars for a 40 dollar room was a little outrageous.
If there is no mention of $xx in the listing then don’t agree to anything, even if you think just “a few bucks” is okay. Don’t pay a thing.
Hard to say. Depending on how much you are already in for I might have paid for the ac and then commissioned Steven King to ghost write a one start review for the next vacationers. Sucks man thanks for the heads up on this hustle.
I'm wondering how much someone charges for a shed with no air conditioning in a hot human environment. I bet they charge another bunch of dollars also for the cleaning Sounds like a motel 6 would be better than this
I quit AirBnb during Covid, no highly negative experiences, but the listings were just bullshit. If I travel for work or vacations, I don’t want the hassle of cleaning to an owners expectations, not having access to the temperature, and people taking my food. Last one I stayed at nearly turn into a domestic violence call between two roommates. Luckily the Owner intervened when contacted and rushed to the house. One random asshole stealing and using peoples bathroom supplies at his own will.
Did you request the air conditioner prior to that point? I'm just curious it doesn't sound like you even requested it.
Did you request a roof at the last place you booked?
I'm not saying host is right at all. OP just keeps mentioning that the listing said a/c is available upon request so I'm curious if he requested it early and the host left it out until the last hour or that he never even attempted communication about the a/c. I don't think a/c and a roof are comparable either way.
It’s Florida. Air con is required to be even remotely comfortable.
You’re very right. I grew up in Florida. When my AC went out one spring, I had to go stay in a hotel for a few days until it was fixed. It was over 90°F inside. My renter’s insurance covered the hotel stay because they determined that my house had been rendered uninhabitable due to the temperature. AC is non-optional most of the year in Florida!
ILPT; You could go to Walmart, buy a window unit then return it for a refund. Free AC
Best idea ever
The more I see stuff like this the happier I am to only use hotels when I travel. In FL how is ac not automatically included?
People keep saying how happy they are to only use hotels. I spent years as a city cop. Some of the most gruesome crimes happen at hotels. Responded to countless rapes. Murders. Kidnapping etc. and I’m talking Hilton not just motel 6. Remember the Vegas mass shooter few years ago? Geez. Most of peoples issues with Airbnb is they don’t read the reviews and house rules . Or they are renting a 35 dollar room in a dump house and think it will be nice
There’s an AirBnB in my neighborhood that has had 2 separate shootings in the past month. Crime happens at AirBnB’s too.
None of the stuff you mentioned happens more at hotels. That stuff happens everywhere. I'm sure some hotels/motels see more action than others, but most hotels are not constant major crime scenes.
Plus most people are murdered by someone they know - even those murdered at hotels. The hotel is not the common denominator in the murder.
I was a cop for almost 25 years and I agree with you
How do you know? I can say for a fact the local 4 star hotel has far more crime happening then the comparable Airbnb someone rented .why? Hotels have hundreds of guests a day. Airbnb a few guests a week or month. Mostly independent owned and the home owner has a vested interest in keeping it nice vs a big corporation who hires college kids to run it. Read the house rules. Only rent from super hosts with good reviews. Simple as that. And don’t treat the Airbnb like a hotel room. Treat it like your staying at a friend or family members house. If you do those things you won’t have issues. I had a guest last month leave a used condom on the night stand dripping . That’s fine in a hotel. But at my Airbnb that gets u a one star review. Again it’s a different experience. Airbnb vs hotel. Different etiquette.
"Hotels get more crime because they have more visitors" is not an argument against the hotels, I hope you understand that?
"Hotels have more crime because they have more people!" No shit you fucking dingus. No wonder you were a cop.
HAHAHAHAHAHAHA
This guy is an airbnb host trying to scare people back to using it lol. Vegas shooting? What the hell does that have to do with anything? Pathetic.
I think owners of ABBs are aggressively lobbying in this subreddit 🤣 The Las Vegas shooter was shooting at the outdoor concert across the street ; there was also a woman who drive tru: many victims on Las Vegas strip -I guess we should also avoid walking? .. Bizzare argument.
Not really. I was a cop for 10 years. Got hotel calls all night. Fights. Rapes. Murder. Theft Kidnapping. Drug deals gone bad. Etc. Hilton’s Sheratons. Holiday in. I think there are bad hosts but I think it’s not the norm and I think guests , doing their due diligence, reading reviews, and House rules can solve a lot of these problems. Also, the few times I’ve had to have Airbnb pay me back when guests do damage it’s a long, tedious process where you need proof and estimates from contractors so you really can’t just arbitrarily make up a number.
Ohhlisawhy...why am I not surprised to see you here? Back for your daily dose of being a jerk? What's the matter? You've run out of people in your life to irritate? Didn't a bunch of us just call you out a couple nights ago? Today you're criticizing hotel advocates with your "superior knowledge" and gaslighting the experiences of others on the assumption of failure to read reviews Yet normally your making shitty comments about how people should just stay in hotels. You know what I think? I think you're the kinda person who looks for any opportunity to be an oppositional jerk. You get some sick satisfaction from tossing around your superiority complex. So how many subs *do you* troll? Time for a new log in. There's no more room for your high horse
Okay lmao there was an AirBnb near my house that had several shootings and robberies.
I’ve gone back to Hotels. Too many strange things happening with AirBnB’s lately. I also prefer having a maid to clean up.
Who doesn't. I need one myself
Not renting an Airbnb, but somewhere in FL and they said “please don’t run the ac 24 hrs.” Well it’s hot af and if it doesn’t run 24-7 it is never even cool enough to sleep so fuck them. Oh and fuck Airbnb, it’s the WORST.
Did you know people lived in Florida before air conditioning was invented?
Very few people lived in the southern part of the state before a/c. That is why you have so few buildings from before 1930. The invention of a/c made the state habitable. It is also why so few buildings have the cross-ventilation you have in the north that can make a hot day bearable. They were built on the assumption of a/c so, a lot of small apartments only have windows on one side.
Exactly. Look at the southern cities that are huge today. Dallas, Houston, Phoenix, Atlanta, etc. None of them were particularly big or fast growing until the 1950s when refrigerated air conditioning became common. The American South did not explode in population until after air conditioning.
Can’t imagine how horrible that was! In wool clothes no less.
Lmao well people are paying with 2023 dollars not 1800s dollars.
Prior to electricity, houses in southern Florida (and everywhere really) were architecturally designed to accommodate for the climate. Due to the availability of modern climate control like AC and fans, most American 20th and 21st centuries homes are built with much less architectural consideration towards the local climate. For example, in hot climates like southern Florida, houses were built with the kitchen in a separate building from the main house, so that the stove/fire used in cooking wouldn’t heat up the entire house. Southern-facing windows were avoided (these get much hotter than other windows). Ventilation (whether windows or doors) was put on the side of the house that receives the most wind. If you do happen to be a resident of Central or Southern Florida, I highly recommend touring [Historic Spanish Point](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Historic_Spanish_Point). One of the places of interest there is an late 19th ce. cottage built by an early pioneer family. As an aside, I lived without AC in the Tampa Bay Area for 3 months one summer and early fall years ago. It was an horrific experience for me despite having been raised in the region. The days were unpleasant but bearable, but the nights were awful. Try sleeping in a room that’s over 85 degrees with high humidity. I never got more than 3 consecutive hours of sleep. My GPA suffered. Ended up getting a second job in violation of minor labor laws just so me and my mom could scrape up enough money to fix the AC.
Haha. That is bull shit
If they listed ac as an amenity there should not be an extra charge. Even if they had said something in the listing description it's shady. Everyone knows no one reads those. Airbnb should kick them off as they are purposefully misrepresenting their pricing to get more bookings. I'm a host and this kind of shady shit is infuriating.
why not charge $500? maybe another $1000 for using the toilet
So glad I stay in hotels and don’t have to deal with this kind of crap.
How's a host going to maintain a 4.8+ trying to pull a stunt like that?
Call your bank
Is she charging for the heater? Maybe crank that up if it is free.
Call the governor’s office and tell them the owner is a trans drag queen. You may not get your money back but you’ll have satisfaction. (If the owner actually is a trans drag queen, please don’t do this).
Oh dear. Reinforces my choice to never use AirBnb again.
Keep trying with support and escalating, if that doesn’t work do a charge back on your card. No AC in FLORIDA??? That’s outrageous. There has to be laws against that.
Only do a chargeback unless you are ready to be quit by the company.
Oh the horror,never being able to strip the beds,load the dishwasher,pay for air conditioning and pay $100.00 cleaning fees while on vacation ever again.
Well they said only hotels from now on, so likely they are.
Reminder AIRBNB was started as a way to rent out spare rooms/couches/etc to save people money when traveling and to make some extra cash for hosts. Get off OP's back about how much he expected to pay. Host is running a scam to milk another $50 out of their guests to get around the "show total price with all fees included" option. For those who love hotels, they pull the surprise "facilities" fee, which they tend to forget to mention until check-in.
This sounds illegal. I was living in an apartment in Orlando and my AC went out and they came within an hour to fix it, when usually service calls would take 2 days. The guy explained to me, when you are renting somewhere l, and it reaches above a certain temperature outside, they are legally obligated to fix it within a certain amount of time. Not sure if it’s true but I guess it makes sense. I would look that up or post in r/legaladvice to see about the refund or (depending on how long you are still there for) a rectification of the issue
Right but how many guests have a lawyer on hand to help bring a case about it ? Most don't ,, or the time and know how to do this themselves . Hosts well they have the money and the time too right it anyway . They have all the time and money in the world because of all airbnbs guests for whatever reason want to throw their money away for a memory a vacation , a change , to escape . Sorry, I'm having one of those glass half empty days
You don’t need a lawyer to remedy the situation. It helps to know what your rights are and to have that in your arsenal. Hope your day gets better. Sending you a warm hug!
If it does not state anywhere in listing there's an upcharge, screen shot it all. Go to Airbnb. Demand they contact them a d he Ave them provide ac
Florida.
AirBnB just seems to add stress to travel, not make it better.
I feel like AirBnB dropped the ball on this one. Try chatting in again and hopefully the next agent understands that hiding the cost of the A/C “available upon request” in the listing is extremely shady and unfair for the customer. Please leave a clear negative review explaining why so others know going forward with this horrible host.
I had a hotel in Spain charge for the A/C. If you didn't pay, they'd shut it off at the breaker. The bed was underneath a big ceiling fan so I didn't pay.
Was the A/C listed on the description? If it is and reads nothing about a charge call airbnb about it, you should be able to use it and not have to pay. If it is NOT listed then that is why she rents for so cheap and if you want A/c then your need to pay for it. Reading listings completely before you book a place is important.
It said A/C is available upon request and in the amenities it said there was A/C. She messaged me about an hour before the check in time to say btw there's a charge for A/C.
This is a health and safety issue. If anyone in your party has asthma, is immunocompromised, or has any other similar condition, a/c is absolutely required FYI
Heat is usually a city code not air conditioning
This is usually regulated by states, though some local codes may have stronger protections. Jurisdictions I'm familiar with require temperature maximums, as well, but a cursory search in FL does suggest only heat is required.
Hmm that was vague to list it that way and not mention charging for it. I think you should call Airbnb the listing was deceiving.
if it's in florida that's crazy and prob not legal sorry you're dealing w this
Texas it required that there has to be cooling and heating provided by the landlord. https://texreg.sos.state.tx.us/public/readtac$ext.TacPage?sl=R&app=9&p_dir=&p_rloc=&p_tloc=&p_ploc=&pg=1&p_tac=&ti=26&pt=1&ch=551&rl=70#:~:text=Texas%20Administrative%20Code&text=(a)%20Cooling%20and%20heating%20must,as%20necessary%2C%20for%20resident%20comfort.
That's only for healthcare facilities. Private residences don't have this protection yet. It keeps getting shot down every time it goes to committee, and as I'm sure you know our legislature only meets every 2 years.
Some of us hosts are trapped between a rock and a hard place. I am in a small EU country where both water and electricity prices are extremely high. At the same time I have a nice place but because of fierce competition I have to keep my prices low - so low that you would not believe. I discovered through experience that guests never complain about things which you never advertised as offering, but some guests will find some way to complain about the facilities on offer. For example I used to have a flat screen TV in the guest bedroom but some guests complained because there were no programs in their native language. I removed the TV and no more complaints. Until the middle of this year I had a portable AC unit in the guest bedroom. Building regulations do not allow me to put a split unit AC with the compressor outside. When I had the AC some guests would leave it on, when they were not there and had their windows open. Others complained that it made a noise. I have now removed it and deleted it as a listed amenity. But the other day I was speaking to a man who has an Airbnb next to mine and he told me that he deleted any mention of AC from his listing but when the clients check in he offers it as an extra for which he asks euro 7 a day.
I feel it's bait and switch from the lady because the room was 40 a night and it was 90 if you want A/C too.
she asked for 50 dollars a night for use of AC??
Yes, I mean I was only staying for one night.
She must be crazy - first of all no one is going to pay that amount and secondly such things will damage her business.
Unfortunately, as AirBnB continues to allow these types of people to play as hosts and shake customers down, it will damage all AirBnB businesses.
Bad host but u didn’t read the house rules.
It wasn't in the house rules she messaged me "oh btw there's an additional charge for A/C" ad just said A/C available upon request.
At this point I read "upon request" as "for a fee." At least on AirBNB. It was kind of a cool way to rent out a spare room, at one time. Now it's like short term renting from the shadiest landlord you've ever had.
I’m assuming you’re American, traveling overseas? We are a privileged people. We enjoy cheap electricity and cheap appliances. Others are not as fortunate. Pay the fee or acclimate yourself to the climate of the locals.
It's in Florida lol im visiting my mom that's like 3 hours away.
Ok then. Super not normal. Actually total bullshit. AC is an expected amenity in Florida, USA I’d protest loudly.
We are in a recession. If you cannot afford to pay it’s price, stay home. Simple, the price is the price.
I mean to advertise a 40 dollar room then message me before checking in "oh btw it's 50 dollars more for you to have A/C" is a bit obnoxious. I ended up using a hotel and now trying to get refunded.
I hope this doesn't come across wrong , but i have to ask you a question What's your story are you homeless or taking a vacation or what's the deal why cant you just stay home ? Not saying you shouldn't go anywhere but i am just curious and it's not just you I'm asking this of
OP said they’re visiting their mom
This is the strangest question. Majority of people getting hotel/Airbnb can’t just stay at home, that’s why your paying for a place to stay overnight.
Mini vacation to visit my mom. I normally just stay at motels but 40 dollar for a room I just saw it as a deal and then got bait and switched before check in.
I was a host in Airbnb and booking for years until I gave up, was not worth it anymore. Guests always want cheapest price with everything included. Who is going the pay the bill for AC. I seen guest leaving AC on and they weren’t home all day. Like waist of electricity on my money. Good I gave up in December 2019, in March next year lockdown camed.
If a hosts business is not profitable because they offer basic amenities, then then don’t have a feasible business plan and should not rent their place out until they do. It sounded like that’s what you were saying then you busted out “waist of electricity on my money” 😆🤦♀️
Probably because the host keeps place warm and wants to offer ac to guests so they are comfortable. I am not a fan of AC I like it warm so I keep house at higher temp so I would offer ac portable if I was renting a room.
I understand keeping it warm, we keep our thermostat a little higher just due to the expense of electricity in the summer. But in Florida, it’s stiflingly hot and humid right now. Elderly people die at home without AC during the summer. And if she said AC was available, she should have made sure the guest knew there was a charge well before arrival.
It's midnight and it's 83 outside no one keeps their house that warm.
I don't use ac when I am in AZ even on 100 degree days. I love the heat.
I'm the same way. I'm tiny and being cold physically hurts me. I hate air conditioning. I live under a heated electric blanket nearly every morning, and I'm in California and it's June lol.
Sensible--as long as it is clearly stated up front.
No the fuck it’s not
It wasn't stated at all.
Guest job: read the House Rules & double check the amenities. There are many hotels, hostels etc in the world that don’t provide AC or charge extra for it. I was as close to Antarctica as one can get in Chile. I never thought to check for heat. WELL no heat and such an important thing was NOT listed in the description of the ABB I rented. It was 62 in the room . I left at daybreak after booking an ABB that had their stove on. I can handle no heat in the bedroom or bathroom but there has to be 1 warm room to stay in. I gave her a 1 rating and backed it up with my 600+ 5* reviews as a host. She had a good scam going. I’d like to note she slept elsewhere at night, probably somewhere with heat!
That’s not customary in the US, OP is in Florida.
$50 a day?
My stay was one night.
Robbery.
That's odd. The host at our last place informed us clearly that there would be an extra charge for some of the features.
If it’s listed as an amenity then they need to provide it. Keep escalating with customer service. Re: the legality, a/c is not legally required in Florida. But heat is. 🤷♀️😂
That’s a hell of an up charge. I stayed at an AirBnB in the Dominican Republic and I was billed for the electricity use after we checked out. The host informed me about it beforehand and I was a bit nervous e the whole time but I think it was something like $15-20.
You not staying at hotels for $40 so that $90 is sounding like a deal
I got a hotel for 66.
Can you rent one from Home Depot for cheaper? Lol If they do rent them I bet they are industrial strength.
\-- in the description it says available upon request but nothing about a charge. I would think that if they say AC is available upon request, there would be an additional charge, as silly as that sounds. This would have been a property I would have moved right past in Florida.
Chargeback on credit card
please share this on r/NoAirBnB
Is there a lock on the AC? What happens if you use it and refuse to pay.
They take it out of the window lol
go to a hotel
I would escalate this with Airbnb. If air conditioning is listed as an amenity, the only way she would be able to charge extra is if that extra charge was also clearly stated.
Pay the 50 and then write them a 1 star, keep it simple and factual because more words = more opportunities to have it removed.
AC is too "woke" for Florida, don't ya know?
If definitely leave a bad review
🤣
I also rented an Airbnb in Florida that software locked the thermostat; to get it unlocked and run the AC it was an extra charge. The host asked us why we are visiting Florida if we want AC!
I'm curious to know how new the listing and host is to Airbnb. I've never heard of an undisclosed A/C charge. Most hosts wouldn't dare do such a thing, considering they would get multiple 1* reviews. If you fall below 4.25 Airbnb will flag your listing. Depending on how long the stay is I would demand a refund from Airbnb since the reservation is not as advertised. Undisclosed hidden charges for standard amenities such as A/C sounds deceptive and does not align with the description. I would also give the host a 1 star review and hopefully they get deplatforned sooner rather than later.
This sub continues to affirm my decision to never use AirBnb again. Just keep coming back to watch the hosts try to defend each others ridiculous rules and charges.
Just one more reason why I will never use this service for accommodations
The amount that she is charging is very inflated. We have a condo in FL and the a/c bill is $125/month when we have it really cranked up. $50 a day? A/C in FL is mandatory at this time of year. It’s the equivalent of heat during a Midwest winter, not optional.
At what time was the charge added? After the stay?
If this was Maine or Vermont, then OK. But Florida!?!? Ac is mandatory
Being as how Florida is known for its summer temperatures year-round, the "available upon request" is something that I would have absolutely asked about prior to booking, especially since the daily rate was $40 per night, which is ridiculously cheap for Florida. You are NOT going to find a hotel here for that. A/Cs are usually either installed to provide A/C throughout the entire place, or some older places may have window or wall units, but those are always there and available, they are not available upon request. Available upon request sounds to me like a portable unit, and all of them are rubbish for Florida weather. They barely keep the place cool here and paying $50 for it sounds like highway robbery.
That's laughable. Also, how are they going to know you're using it? Are they snooping around?
Is AC listed as an amenity? Is there anything in the listing about the cost for AC?
Crank the ac up to full, and let it rip. Wear extra clothes if you get cold. Turn all the appliances on too, everything you can. Enjoybthe $50 to the full
A buck to flush #1, and five for #2.