Airbnb offers accommodations and experiences in any corner of the world. In a quick search, we will find an apartment in the center of a big city, a picturesque estate in the mountains or an apartment in major tourist destinations such as Malta. That is where a Canarian family had planned to spend their holidays. They had planned everything in advance, more than half a year in advance.
However, there are events that are hardly foreseeable. Upon arriving on the island and faced with the difficulties in contacting the hostess, they approached the apartment and there they found a picture that they never imagined: the owner had appeared dead inside the property.
The nightmare of this Canarian family did not end there, who remained on the street after Airbnb did not offer them any alternative, as reported by Cadena Ser on Monday, although it did not detail the exact date of the incident.
The travelers explain that communication with the owner of the apartment had been perfectly fluid until a few days before arrival. As the day approached, the answers did not come. They didn’t care. They thought it would have been coincidence. The comments from previous guests were very positive and gave them some reassurance.
According to this medium, given the lack of communication, the new tenants were going to go to the apartment to find out what had happened. In a reserved emergency hotel, people over 78 and 80 years old and with various health problems were waiting.
When they arrived, they were surprised that there was no one in the apartment, although the lights were on. They had to return the next day. The neighbors didn’t know what was happening either. “We decided to go there in the hope that she was still hospitalized but recovered enough to be able to notify someone to bring us the keys,” says one of those affected.
This Canarian family was still without an apartment in Malta and without being able to enjoy their holidays. And the Airbnb reservation ended in the worst possible way. “On the way, we received a call telling us that the neighbors, already alarmed by what we had told them, had notified the police,” Antonio Montesdeoca explained to Cadena Ser.
When they arrived at the house, there were many policemen and also forensic experts. Authorities had found the woman’s body in the apartment where they were going to spend the holidays.
This family had no choice but to call Airbnb to tell them what had happened. They were on the street and the disbursement had already been made. “Our mothers are diabetic and it was 35 degrees; beyond preventing them from dehydrating and having a drop in sugar, we did not know what to do,” they tell this medium.
But the accommodation operator was totally neglected. They did not give them any housing alternative and they did not promise to return the money, although they finally made the refund days late. They simply sent him a link with apartments, a very limited offer, taking into account the high season dates.
Those affected got ahead thanks to the solidarity of a local real estate company, which provided them with a residence where they could enjoy their stay in Malta.
