Vanderbilt Dorm Room Listed On Airbnb

NASHVILLE, TN -- A Vanderbilt student listed his dorm room on short-term rental site AirBnb, framing the photos in such a way that made it appear as a legitimate listing.

Vanderbilt does not allow the sub-letting of its dormitories.

The listing did indicate that the room was not safe for infants, but requested "no talking ever" and that the guest "must be gay."

Vanderbilt officials did not identify the student, according to WKRN, and Airbnb said it removed the listing and cancelled the listing user's account.

With many people likely headed to Nashville for the holidays, particularly for New Year's, and wanting to take advantage of short-term rentals, Airbnb has these tips:

• Read previous community reviews. In addition to detailed profiles and secure messaging, you always have our global community to rely on. If you’re curious what a previous guest’s experience has been with a potential host, all you need to do is check that host’s reviews ahead of time. Both guests and hosts publicly review each other — and only do so after the reservation is complete — so you know the feedback is informed and real.
• Always communicate and pay on platform. All you need to do to avoid a scam is to stay on our secure Airbnb platform throughout the entire process — from communication, to booking, to payment — and you will be protected. Plus, we never release payment to a host until the guest is safely checked in, and you should never be asked to wire money or pay another user directly. In fact if you are, we advise you to report this behavior to us right away.
• If anything isn’t right, reach out. If a guest arrives at a listing and it’s not as advertised, they should immediately reach out to our global Customer Service team for help. They are standing by 24/7 in 11 languages with rebooking assistance, refunds, and/or reimbursements to help make things right in the rare event that things don’t go as planned.
• Get to know your host and home in advance. The Airbnb experience is unique and authentic because you’re booking with a local host. That means every home will be different. We always recommend that guests take advantage of the many tools Airbnb offers to get to know your host (and listing) before you book. Read the host’s detailed profile and listing description thoroughly, including house rules, amenities, and cancellation policy. We also have a safe and easy way for you to get to know your host before booking a reservation through our secure on-platform messaging tool. You can use it to get your questions answered about the home and set clear expectations with the host for your stay.

If a community member notices suspicious or inappropriate activity on a person’s profile, listing, or messages, you can report it using the user flags tool, neighbor tool, or by contacting Airbnb directly at 1-855-424-7262.

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