A traveling healthcare worker from Florida found herself in a nightmare scenario after booking an Airbnb in western New Jersey for a 13-week contract. Casey, who shares her experiences on TikTok under the handle @spaceycaseycowboy, claims she was left feeling completely scammed after paying $4,000 for what was advertised as an entire home. As detailed by BroBible, the reality turned out to be far from the private, comfortable space she had expected.
She noted that listing photos showed stairs in the living room, which led her to believe she had the whole property to herself. Instead, she discovered she was staying in a basement with no soundproofing, living directly beneath two to three men who were frequently angry. At one point, she suspected they were throwing objects around upstairs. When she contacted Airbnb customer support to raise the privacy issue, they allegedly told her the space still qualified as an entire home because it had a separate entrance.
The situation escalated further when Casey discovered a major safety concern midway through her stay. The electrical wiring in the basement was severely inadequate, with nearly everything running to a single breaker. She could not use more than three kitchen appliances at once without risking a fire.
Airbnb sent an electrician who said the basement wasn’t fit for living
When Casey contacted support again to request a cancellation and full refund, Airbnb sent an electrician to the property. According to Casey, the electrician confirmed the setup was incorrect and questioned how it had ever passed inspection. He reportedly told them the space was not fit for living and needed to be rewired to avoid a major fire hazard. Casey’s account gained traction on TikTok, amid a wave of similar consumer grievance stories going viral on the platform, including a viral restaurant dispute out of Arizona.
Despite that warning, Casey says Airbnb’s support remained unhelpful. She kept detailed records and made multiple calls, but felt the company was actively fighting her on the refund. At one point an agent agreed to a refund, then communication went silent. Fearing for her safety, Casey left the property in the middle of the night on April 10, even though her rent was not due until April 13.
Once back in Florida, she claims the next agent she spoke with was condescending and suggested she should have tried harder to make her case. The host had apparently been filing complaints claiming Casey failed to pay rent, even though she had already vacated. The issue was escalated to a senior staff member, but Casey says she never received a follow-up.
She eventually checked her app to find her stay had been cancelled for non-payment, which she argues is inaccurate given her ongoing refund requests based on the safety hazards. A higher-up at the company allegedly told her there was not much they could do because it appeared she had been cancelled for not paying and there was not enough evidence she had moved out. Casey is currently pursuing a chargeback through her bank, a move her TikTok followers have encouraged. Amid the dispute, Casey’s case draws attention to broader safety concerns for traveling workers, not unlike the scrutiny facing temporary accommodation and health hazards documented in recent cruise ship health reports.
In a statement provided to the media, an Airbnb spokesperson said the company was disappointed the stay did not meet expectations and that they are working to ensure the guest is not charged for nights she did not stay. They also stated that while some issues Casey encountered were disclosed in the listing description, they are working with the host to make that information clearer. The company added that the listing did include information regarding appliance use and how to handle potential circuit breaker issues.
Under Airbnb’s official refund policy, which has been in effect since February 6, 2025, guests are entitled to a refund if a reservation issue disrupts their stay, provided they report it within 72 hours of discovery. Covered issues include safety hazards and accommodations that differ significantly from what was advertised.
Published: May 8, 2026 07:30 am