Backlash for host sharing video on how she cancelled a booking
SOCIAL media users have reacted with disdain towards an Airbnb host who shared a video of how she and her co-host cancelled a guest’s stay at their Airbnb just hours before check-in.
The Airbnb hosts, Qinisile Dlamini (@ladique) and her unnamed partner, received a backlash on TikTok and from Twitter users for their lack of decorum and the way they handled the guest.
In the video titled “She refused to take her money back!!”, Dlamini recounts how she had to be the bearer of bad news and cancel on the guest who had paid for a night’s stay because her co-host had received a longer booking that would generate a bigger profit.
“We had gotten this lady’s booking maybe a week before she was to check in. Her booking was for only one night, about R2 000 or something. The day before she was supposed to check in, he got a very big booking, maybe R8 000 or R10 000, now the obvious point is to cancel that booking,” said Dlamini. She revealed that the guest didn’t take the news of her stay being cancelled well and refused their offer of getting her money back.
“Home girl refused. She did not want the money. She’s like I want that place! I’m like, ‘my sister I’m so sorry it’s not available’ … I’m only telling you this’. She’s like I want that place,
I will call my lawyers,” said Dlamini.
The video made its way to Twitter with Palesa Mbali commenting: “There is no way this is right. Imagine your host cancelling on you in the morning because they got a better offer??”
Another user, Bongani Ntuli, shared this: “In 2018 we booked and paid R20 000+ for Airbnb in Cape Town for New Year’s Eve, on the 24th the host cancelled and said the place was flooded and would only be fixed in a month, we checked airbnb & it was advertised at double the rate for the same dates.”
Lynette Engelbrecht, said: “This is so messed up on so many levels. She posted this still not realising how wrong this is, the giggles and laughter are so infuriating too.”
The video on Dlamini’s TikTok has since been deleted. She posted a new video apologising for the first video and said she did not leave the client stranded; she was given a bigger unit in the end.