“If something looks too good to be true, it probably is.” This has never rang truer for us more than it did during our stay at Relais in LA. For this past year, my girlfriend, my cat, and I have been living exclusively in Airbnb rentals because we were displaced from our condo because of a plumbing disaster. We’ve moved 20 TIMES this year, and we were even interviewed by Airbnb’s research team. We’re seasoned pros, particularly in LA.

After moving so many times, we were looking for a place we could relax, and Relais in LA seemed to fit the bill perfectly. Lance was friendly at first, but when when our cat scratched his bar stools, something we never contested, a very controlling, intimidating, and vindictive side of Lance emerged, and it got to the point where we felt we had to contact Airbnb.

We stayed at Relais in LA for 2½ months. We paid the first month’s booking through Airbnb, then for the second month, Lance suggested we pay him directly because it saves him money. We reluctantly agreed, but the following month we told Lance we wanted to go back to booking through Airbnb (for everyone’s protection), and that’s when everything broke down with Lance and he became increasing hostile and manipulative.

Lance demanded we tell him how many days we need in June, and set a hard date to tell him by. We told him we needed at least until June 15th, We agreed on a price. We asked Lance to send us the booking offer for the agreed amount. Lance then stated he didn’t know how, told us to make the reservation through Airbnb ourselves, and he would then refund us the agreed amount after we booked.

We completed the booking ourselves as advised, then asked Lance to refund the money due. Lance then stated he is withholding the money he overcharged until the bar stools were repaired to his satisfaction.

We never contested the damage. We asked Lance how much the stools costs, when he purchased them, and where he purchased them from, to determine a fair value. He refused to tell us this. We started a resolution center item trying to pay him for the chairs. He ignored it and sent us a harassing message threatening litigation. We contacted Airbnb and escalated the matter to mediation where it still remains.

A week after he said he would, Lance finally provided an estimate for reupholstery which was many times in excess of what we’re sure Lance paid for them. We feel Lance is using us an ATM machine by getting estimates grossly over what he knows the chairs are worth.

He has been deceptive and unrighteous by overcharging booking fees, withholding money, and grossly overcharging for the stools. We also saw him go through our trash and didn’t feel comfortable throwing anything away at his place after that.

There’s NO way we can recommend anybody stay at Relais in LA.