We had to deal with a major health hazard that turned a potentially lovely stay into a disturbing event. Two hours after we got there, we noticed mold and stains on the ceiling of the upstairs bedrooms. The mold in one of the bedrooms was bad enough that fuzz was growing out from the ceiling in one spot. We promptly disclosed it and messaged the property management company to come fix it.
Two days later, we come back from a stroll to find a crew of two guys working onsite. We had asked that they call or message us with a time someone would come by, but had received no notice about it. In what had become a construction site, we could see a big hole in the ceiling, exposing just how badly damaged the roof beams were from all the mold. Brown water had seeped out into the room staining walls and bedsheets. It was utterly disgusting.
What happened next was the worst part. Instead of fixing the issue, they proceeded to simply replace the ceiling surface with new sheets of plaster, covering up the cavity of the roof where all the damage was. This place now looks like new to unsuspecting guests, unethically and dangerously exposing them to health hazards.
We took video and photographic evidence of the entire debacle as the crew was still covering things up, packed up our bags, and promptly left. We argued with them that what they were doing was unethical, but to no avail. The property management company was visibly embarrassed, but seemed to just go along with the owner's wishes.
We notified AirBnb and shared the videos we took. They are still investigating. They issued us a partial refund (ongoing), but the big issue is this place is still being listed! DO NOT RENT THIS PLACE UNLESS you see proof that they actually fixed the mold issue. It is no longer visible to the naked eye.
It's really a shame because the apartment would have been great. It is spacious, tastefully decorated, and in a great location. We really hope AirBnB holds them to account and prevents them from renting it until they fix the issue.