Well where to begin , we are two UK travellers stranded in South Africa during the global pandemic of the coronavirus . We are very limited to movement and accomadation , so after completing our two week stay at a previous airbnb we decided to book a new place (Scott's place). all is normal we liked how it looked and we liked the location so we booked it. We received countless automated emails from Scott regarding , check in , how to get in , we must go to the security guard get a code to the lockbox then get the keys from the lockbox and then we can enter the door. We thought this is all normal until the day of our check in.
when we arrived we showed the security guard the reservation and he then proceeded to go upstairs (for some reason) and then came down after 30 min and told us that the room is dirty and being used , we told him thats impossible we have a reservation and we showed him our airbnb app , receipt, and confirmation. He then told us no, there is no reservation for us. We did not know what to do , we asked them if we could use the wifi or some sort of data to try and get hold of a scott or try and book another airbnb , none of them could help us with this . We were then told we need to get off the premises . Literally kicked to the curb with no where to go during a pandemic where being on the streets without a valid reason is a crime.
So When we finally got some sort of internet (after walking a thousand miles with suitcases the size of a mini Cooper ). we recieved an email from scott asking if we had a essential workers permit ? NO WE ARE STRANDED FORIEGN NATIONALS we said. The response from the host was " oh what are we going to do now" he then said I didn't read the house rules and I accepted the airbnb T&Cs so it's my fault and there is nothing he can do(wait ? What? )
. I went back to the listing to see that down at the bottom of "house rules" after everything from , no smoking , no noise after 10 , no house parties, no having to many people over , every house rule in the book was on there ,then at the bottom it said" need an workers permit during this time . "
Probably the most vague rule I have ever read , please keep in mind airbnb also has a check in instructions section on top of house rules that only said " lockbox" that was the only check in instructions under his listing. He put the most important bit of information u need to live in this place he put it at the bottom of "house rules" at the BOTTOM . Im sorry but if u need a workers permit to check in , wouldnt that be in the check in instructions section? The host then said he can't do anything about this and that we didn't read the rules and we accepted the terms and conditions We didn't even get a sorry or can I offer u a refund ? Or anything. Nothing no help from this host whatsoever.
Just keep in mind we were already at the place the security guard did NOT ask us for this permit or if we were essential workers . We were told by security that we cannot enter this room cause it's been used and is dirty and we have no reservation .
We only found out about the permit after he told us we didnt read the bottom of the house rules. don't know what sort of communication is going on with the security and the host but please be careful when reserving this place . We did not stay in here as we were kicked to the pavement apon arrival. I mean the place looks nice from the pictures probably the only good thing I can say about this place . If I must say during this Global pandemic the host should have been more helpful and understanding we have been stuck in South Africa for almost 2 months we have no source of income or places to stay so we are relying on airbnb for cheap accomadation and wifi to contact the family, so doing us wrong like this because we didn't read a house rules is hectic. Put it in check in instructions not under house rules where I had to press read more to find it .