Logan Kugler says the LAPD knocked on the door of his Airbnb rental in Studio City on March 1, just days into his stay.
"They effectively tell me I have no standing there," he said.
The homeowner canceled his monthlong reservation for a guesthouse next to the owner's home, he says. He says he got a message from Airbnb giving him 36 hours to move out. Kugler says he called Airbnb and he was surprised by what they told him about their policy — "it does not explicitly say that a host cannot terminate a reservation at any time."
Airbnb confirms that a host can cancel, and there are penalties for each cancellation. The owner of the home told NBC4 that she was uncomfortable with certain demands Kugler was making. She says he refused to leave on the day he was required.
"I never want to stay if it's an uncomfortable situation but the problem was this is a 30-day rental."
Kugler says he was refunded more than $4,000, including money for a three-day hotel stay. Airbnb says he was also given $200 toward a new booking.
The company spokesperson says any remaining days in a reservation are blocked when a cancellation like this is made. Kugler says he wants a policy change to protect him and other potential guests.
"They need to have confidence that they are not going to wake up in the morning and get a message on their phone that the roof is going to be pulled over their heads," he said.
Airbnb says Kugler has been a good guest and the host has been with Airbnb for a while and has good reviews. Airbnb says safety is a priority and if anyone ever feels unsafe this takes precedent.
Here's Airbnb's full statement:
"There have been over 300 million guest arrivals on Airbnb to date and negative experiences are extremely rare. We have re-booked our guest and followed up with our host regarding this reservation. We work hard to make sure every guest has a great experience and want to make it right when things don't go as expected."
Here are some tips from Airbnb:
- I'm a host. What penalties apply if I need to cancel a reservation?
- What should I do if I'm uncomfortable hosting someone?
