I booked Tom’s apartment at the beginning of April for two periods (from 24 June to 26 July; and from 5 August to 5 September 2016). I was looking forward to settling down there: it seemed to be the perfect place to work (from home) on my research project. A peaceful and pleasant area, a wonderful view of the Thames, a comfortable chair and table provided by Tom at my request... Three days before my arrival he wrote me the following email: “Please note that from June 1st, the building owners have informed me that they will be painting the external walls of the complex, and will have a temporary scaffolding around the building. This will cause no disruption to tenants but if it does please contact me immediately”. Unfortunately when I arrived at his flat the reality turned out to be quite different: the balcony was dirty, dusty and unusable because of the scaffolding and the men at work. I immediately sent an email to Tom (I have never met him: we’ve been communicating by email), who answered that it was just a temporary scaffolding and that it was out of his control. Actually the scaffolding was removed almost at the end of my first stay, causing me plenty of inconvenience, due to the lack of privacy and the tremendous noise all day (the works included the application of a new rendering system with drills). But the worst surprise was another one: shortly after my arrival I discovered (thanks to a building manager’s letter pinned up in the hall of the complex) that those “major works”, begun in March, were expected to finish around the end of July, and that all the landlords had been warned in due time about the schedule and “the associated disruption including 8am starts”. I was really disappointed, but not one word about it from Tom when I mentioned this letter... He simply appealed to my patience and understanding. Something that one can do if unforeseen difficulties or unexpected events happen, but that was not the case. In my opinion if a host is no longer able to guarantee comfort and benefits he/she promises on their Airbnb web page for the whole stay of their tenants, he/she should keep them posted and leave them free to decide whether or not their apartment is still value for money option, appropriate for their needs. The second stay went better, even if the noise didn’t stop. This time it came from the building site just in front of the complex (5 excavators and an earth auger working every day from 8am to 5.30 pm, even on Saturday mornings). Not to mention the nearby Battersea Heliport with its intense activity at weekends… I would have greatly appreciated a reference to its proximity to the complex: yes, the windows are double-glazed, but, believe me, it’s not enough to insulate the flat when the helicopters take off and land. As for the flat itself, it’s cosy, bright and well equipped,...