Insect Bites vs. Food Allergy (Austin trip through

)

1. Introducing Myself and Situation

2. Pictures of Symptom (Check-in: May 5th - Check-out: May 10th)
2-1 Pictures of My Skin
2-2 Pictures of Another Friend Who Was Bitten By Insects After Sitting on the Host's Bed for Several Hours

3. Host and Airbnb Reaction to My Case and 50% Cost Refund (updated May 18th, Full Refund)
3-1. Initial Reaction from Host and Airbnb
3-2. Second Reaction After Doctor's Diagnosis about My Symptom as INSECT BITES, not Food Allergy

4. Doctor's Diagnosis (May 11th) and Official Document (May 14th)

5. Can Only One Person Get Bites Sharing a Bed with Others?
5-1. Only One Person Get Bites Sharing a Bed with Others.
5-2. Reference

6. Pictures of the Host's House

7. Suggestions to Airbnb to Improve their Service to Help Hosts Keep their House Clean

1. Introducing myself and my situation

My name is Hye Yeon. I am a ph.d Student at Georgia Institute of Technology. I took a trip to Austin for a conference and I used airbnb for booking a house to stay (May 5th - May 10th). My host is Greg and address is 1806 Lavaca St, Austin, TX 78701. (first house from the right side) Tower View Bungalow! In the heart! (http://www.airbnb.com/rooms/323840)- currently (on May 14th) off the airbnb website
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I shared a house and bed with one more friend. After checking in at the first day (May 5th), I stayed at another friend's house and I was back at the host's house on May 6th. After the first night (May 6th) at the host's house, in the morning I found almost 50 raised bumps on my skin (over the foot, legs, back, neck, arms, ears and face) and in the afternoon they went to redness, swelling, and itching. I asked to change rooms or provide a solution, but there was no other rooms available, so I went to my friend's house to sleep (May 7th). I did not have any more bumps except the current ones. The host cleaned the bed and changed the sheets. I was scared to sleep in the bed so I slept on the kitchen counter on May 8th. In the morning I had 1-2 new bumps on my foot. I slept in the bed on May 9th. When I checked out on May 10th, I found 10 new bumps on my legs and back. While I had painful and itching bumps, my friend who shared a bed with me did not have any similar symptom. However, another friend (Yan) who stayed at my bed for several hours on May 7th night had similar symptoms (4 bumps) and sent me her picture. (2-2 section)

The host insisted it is my food or detergent allergies, not insect bites since my friend who shared the bed hasn't had any symptoms. I claimed two night refunds on May 7th and the host said he can refund 1 or 2 nights, because he thought I was uncomfortable. But he did not take any action next day (May 8th). I asked for refund to my host again in May 9th 9am, but the host said "If one or both of you is still staying there I don't think it's fair to ask for a refund, do you?") (May 9th 9:30am). I was angry not for the money, but because of the host's reaction. I called airbnb (10:30am) to explain and airbnb called the host, then the host said he can refund one night (if I check out one day early, he can refund two nights). I had no place to go so I said I will stick to my schedule and he said he will refund 1 night. Since I had uncomfortable conversations with the host, I decided to clarify what I had experienced and shared this website with others for feedback.

I went back home (May 10th) and went to a health clinic to visit a doctor (May 11th morning). The doctor said it is INSECT BITES and often insects bite only certain people (see references in 5 section). However, the host said if I leave a bad review in his house, he threatened me that airbnb will be notified that I tried to scam him [1] and he suggested he will send me an exterminator's document [2], but I haven't received it yet. However, even though he had an exterminator on May 12th, it passed 48 hours after my check-out and it doesn't prove cleanness while I was staying there from May 5th to May 10th. I said it, then the host replied because I did not suggest it [3]. In fact, I kept asking for solutions to the host, but he kept ignoring my opinion that I have insect bites and the host kept insisting I have food allergy. His reaction seemed to avoid any possible responsibility. After I got doctor's diagonisis "INSECT BITE OTHER, Lesions most likely to insect exposure, bed bugs are hign on differential." (section 4), the hosts keeps insisting I have to prove that I got insect bites at his bed and at his house [2]. Apparently, I started this symptom right after I woke up from his bed, and over the night I was uncomfortable because I felt something over my body biting me. (pictures in section 2)

He said he works hard to maintain a clean place[3], but there was left-over food that had passed expiration by several months in the refrigerator. The closet was packed full of stuff such as the host's running shoes, a matress, and blankets. Several drawers were stinky and almost all the furniture and decoration were old and paint was peeling off them. I posted several pictures of the house condition in section 6. Before the host changed the sheets on May 7th, there were several small blood spots on the sheets and they looked dirty and disgusting. I wonder what maintainance the host conducts for guests. I suggest the host clean the refrigerator and throw away decaying left-over food, change some old furniture and decoration as well as change the bed and bed frame. Cracks from the old wooden furniture and bed frame are great places for bugs and insects. I also recommend he calls an exterminator to make sure the house has no insects before there are other guests who have bug bites like me.

In the begining of my case, I tried to be as nice as possible to the host, so I did not leave a bad review for several days and have contacted the host directly via an e-mail. However, I think the host's reaction to my case according to his e-mail is improper and I conclude it is a waste of my time to keep up this conversation with the host. Currently (May 14, 4:32pm), the host erased his house posting in airbnb. It is my first experience using airbnb and I hope airbnb makes more strict rules to keep hosts' places clean.

Finally, host mentioned that my broken english misunderstood the situation. [4] His insults were improper and disrespectful. I thought having a further conversation with him is a waste of time. In May 18th I got a mail from a director of customer service and trust & safety at Airbnb and received full refund. The director also told me how to leave a review even though the host erased the post.

reference
[1] May 9th, Host's text message to me
"I hope you will leave no review at all than one that could harm my work. bed bug is something that Airbnb is aware of as far as people trying to scam hosts. I know that you're not doing that and that you had a reaction, food allergy from something but they demand it be proven"
[2] May 12th 3:21pm, Host's e-mail to me
" So what was diagnosed is that you experienced insect bites of some kind but not bed bugs. It's phenonmenal that you have a special PH that allowed you to get bites but not your friend."
"I am having an exterminator come to my apt so that I can get official documentation that I don't have insects of any kind here at my place and to spray for general sanitary purposes."
"IT MUST BE PROVEN THAT THE BUG BITES YOU EXPERIENCED CAME FROM THIS APT 100%, WHICH ISN'T WHAT YOUR MEDICAL EXAM REPORTS. IT STATES YOU HAD BITES DURING YOUR STAY IN AUSTIN AND THAT YOUR "SPECIAL" PH IS WHY YOU HAD A PROBLEM AND YOUR FRIEND DID NOT. MY REPORTS FROM THE EXTERMINATOR WILL VINDICATE ME FROM ALLEGATIONS THAT WHAT HAPPEN TO YOU CAME FROM MY APT."
[3] May 13th 10:55am, Host's e-mail to me
"I didn't and you didn't suggest an exterminator while you were staying here."
"I work hard to maintain a standard that has been suitable to every guests I've hosted."
[4] May 15th 10:26am, Host's e-mail to me
"YOu and your broken english are misunderstanding things."

2. Pictures of Symptom (Check-in: May 5th - Check-out: May 10th)

2-1. Pictures of My Skin

Back	Left Leg	Right Leg	Neck	Left Hand

Back	Left Leg	Right Leg	Right Leg Front	Neck	Elbow

Legs	Legs	Left Legs (back)	Legs	Legs

Left Legs (pink color one in the middle is a new bump)	Right Leg

2-2. Pictures of Another Friend Got Insect Bites After Sitting on the Host's Bed for Several Hours

3. Host and Airbnb Reaction to My Case and 1/2 Cost Refund

3-1. Initial reaction from host and airbnb

3-2. Second Reaction After Doctor's Diagnosis about My Symptom as INSECT BITES, not Food Allergy

1) Host's second reaction to my symptom after doctor's diagnosis according to his e-mail
May 12th:
"It's phenonmenal that you have a special PH that allowed you to get bites but not your friend."

2) Airbnb's second reaction to my symptom after doctor's diagnosis according to the e-mail
May 13, from Joe C:
"While insects can indeed only target one individual and not another, it is rare."

I got an e-mail from airbnb (Joe C) on May 14th 8:19am to refund 1/2 price ($150) and issue complimentary $100 Airbnb Travel Voucher. However my body is still under crazy pain. Also it was hard to process between airbnb and host. I still think airbnb needs to improve customer service when a guest has unexpected uncomfortable and unpleasant situation like mine.

(updated) In May 18th I got a mail from a director of customer service and trust & safety at Airbnb and received full refund.

4. Doctor's Diagnosis (May 11th) and Official Document (May 14th)

5. Can Only One Person Get Bites Sharing a Bed with Others?

5-1. Only One Person Can Get Bites Sharing a Bed with Others.

5-2. Reference

6. Pictures of the Host's House

A drawer under the kitchen in the room

Left-over food when I checked out in May 10th (same as May 5th)	Milk (expiration: April 6)	Orange Juice (expiration: March 16)

Old decoration in the room next to the bed	Old wooden chair	Old decoration in the room next to the bed	Old decoration in the room next to the bed

Closet	Closet

Wooden bed frame with cracks	Bedding sheet with blood spot

7. Suggestions to Airbnb to Improve their Service to Make Hosts Keep their House Clean

I suggest that airbnb has a service to disqualify a host when a guest claims host's house cleanliness and condition with proper evidence (pictures with date) to protect guests such as myself from bug bites. I also suggest that airbnb improves their review system, so guests can rate the host, even though the host erases the posting and provides no place to leave a review.

Thank you.