This was published 6 years ago
Traveller letters: Our Airbnb rental was robbed, and no-one cared
Airbnb supports hosts, not guests, writes one reader.Credit: Alamy
LETTER OF THE WEEK: LOST WEEKEND
We booked an otherwise beautiful Airbnb property – our first – in inner-city Melbourne for a girls weekend away but we soon discovered that the security was not adequate.
On arrival, we found our supposedly "private secure code" was keyed into a non-functioning combination lock next to the front door for anyone to see. We scrambled it immediately.
That night we were broken into while we were out at dinner. Cash was taken and our belongings riffled. The owner did not answer our numerous phone calls to come and reset the code. Two doors on the lower downstairs did not have dead locks and the property backed onto a deserted laneway.
We felt unsafe and left the property, booking into the Mantra on Little Bourke in the early hours of the morning. The fantastic night staff upgraded us, gave us a discount and a cheese platter. The hotel proved to be a haven.
Airbnb is fine if you don't have a problem. When we contacted Airbnb, providing evidence, we got no support, only patronising emails. The owner refused to grant any refund despite the break-in.
The Airbnb business model really exists to support hosts, not guests. Travellers should also note that not all reviews are posted. My one to warn other travellers of this property's security issue has not appeared at the time of writing and the owner still has a five-star rating.
Marie Elliott, Ryde, NSW
MISSIONS BEAT
Having read the letter about the experience at the Australian embassy in Paris (Rants & raves, September 23), I couldn't help but feel and understand the pain. Having recently needed to renew my daughter's passport in Denmark, I felt I was also treated like a criminal.
Not just the rudeness of the staff but the constant questioning about the legitimacy of the application and even one question/statement 'did your wife really sign this? I will be calling her to ensure it isn't forged'.
Comparing this with obtaining a Danish passport which was a pain-free, fully online process and about $180 cheaper ($30 for a Danish kid's passport), the Australian government and their embassies need to take a good look at themselves, their processes and how they treat their citizens.
Brendan Devenny, Middelfart, Denmark
Regarding the letter from Errol Grace (23/9) and his bad experience with the Australian embassy in Paris, I had the opposite experience in Madrid a few years ago. My travelling companion's passport was stolen on the train from the airport. Both the Spanish police and Australian embassy staff were helpful and efficient and a new temporary passport was issued in 24 hours.
Elisabeth Jackson, Brunswick, VIC
Let's get a few things straight. Yes, you pay to be issued a passport but at no time is that passport yours to keep: it's owned by the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade. You can't write or put staples in it – in fact it can be seized by the Australian government at any time. You don't own it.
With the amount of Australian passports lost overseas increasing annually, think of the broader implications of an Australian passport in the wrong hands.
I can tell you, it will almost certainly be used by an organised crime group to further its deviant aims. So, thank you for being so careless with your passport, it has likely been sold for a nice fee and will enable some serious crime.
Losing a passport is massive and overseas consulates run on very low budgets and are increasingly relied upon by naughty and careless travellers, with staff often overworked and sorting out the mess created by our nationals.
Dimitri Pappas, Toorak, VIC
CODE BREAKER
I confess to being so unworldly that I had to look up some of the airport codes that Richard Lees of Double Bay quoted in his rant about his misprioritised luggage (Rants & raves, September 23).
Perhaps he'd be better off staying at home in DBY.
Martin Low, Cecil Hills, NSW
FISHY BUSINESS
Further to the letter by Fran Haarsma about her San Sebastian and Rioja wine trip (Rants & raves, September 16), in Spain last year we ate at Restaurant Martinela at the fishing wharf.
It serves a fantastic fish dinner. Co-owner Amaia is married to an Aussie who has a tour business "To be Basque" who does guided tours through the Rioja wine area.
If you are into food and wine, San Sebastian is a must-go destination and visit Amaia at Restaurant Martinela who, when she hears the Aussie accent, will greet you like a long lost friend.
John Carroll, Caves Beach, NSW
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