AirBnB Nightmare Health Hazards and Building Code Violations at Airbnb “Boho-Chic Rooftop Apartment” in Vienna
Health Hazards and Building Code Violations at Vienna Airbnb: A Comprehensive Account of Raw Sewage Gas Exposure, Injuries, and Host Mistreatment
⚠️ LISTING INFORMATION
Property: “Boho-Chic rooftop apartment, cityview terrace, AC!”
Address: Gatterholzgasse 7/31, 1120 Wien, Austria
Hosts: Roland and Jasmin
Airbnb Listing: airbnb.com/rooms/1179817583534111484
Reservation Period: October 11 – November 16, 2025 (terminated early October 29, 2025)
Guests: Dainis W. Michel and daughter Emi (age 18)
This document details severe health hazards including raw sewage gas exposure, multiple Austrian building code violations, physical injuries, and systematic mistreatment by both the host and Airbnb. Professional verification confirmed that ventilation systems were deliberately faked to create false appearance of code compliance.
OCTOBER 11, 2025 – ARRIVAL & INITIAL DEFICIENCIES
- Apartment not ready for arrival despite confirmed check-in date; cleaning lady still present
- Loose door handle on WC door (subsequently tightened manually by guest using hex wrench gifted by technician. additional loose door handles found.)
- Missing basic amenities: no hot water kettle, no dish rack, no hair dryer
- Decorative lighters empty of fluid (guest purchased and filled lighter fluid as courtesy gesture)
- No mailbox key provided – inability to receive mail or packages during one-month stay
OCTOBER 13, 2025 – HEALTH HAZARD DISCOVERY
- Strong sewage/mold odor detected in shower/laundry room upon guest arrival
- Standing water observed in shower drain (breeding ground for mold and bacteria)
- Guest immediately reported odor issue to host Roland
- Guest began self-remediation: purchased and applied Schimmel (mold) remover from OBI
- Discovery: both WC and shower/laundry room are windowless with NO mechanical ventilation
⚖️ VIOLATION: ÖNORM H 6038 (Austrian standard requiring mechanical ventilation in windowless bathrooms)
⚖️ VIOLATION: DIN 18017-3 (“Lüftung von Bädern und Toilettenräumen ohne Außenfenster” – ventilation of bathrooms and toilets without external windows)
⚖️ VIOLATION: § 118 Abs. 2 Wiener Bauordnung (Vienna Building Code requiring proper ventilation)
OCTOBER 14-16, 2025 – GUEST SELF-REMEDIATION ATTEMPTS
- Guest purchased professional drain cleaning products:
- Initial Drano-type cleaner (October 14)
- 2-hour gel-type cleaner (October 15)
- Additional cleaning fluids from OBI
- Host informed of ventilation violations and sewage odor
- Guest kept shower room door completely closed and burned incense to mask odor
- Guest documented all conditions with photographs and videos
OCTOBER 17, 2025 (7:37-9:12 AM) – FORCED MAINTENANCE SUPERVISION (Session 1)
- Two technicians arrived for hot water heater maintenance
- Guest required to supervise for over 1.5 hours during working hours
- Technicians:
- Moved guest’s clean dishes (later contaminated with metallic dust)
- Requested and used guest’s ladder
- Requested vacuum cleaner (Staubsauger)
- Climbed onto kitchen counter for repairs
- Created hazardous metallic dust throughout kitchen area
- Eye irritation from metallic dust exposure (8:00 AM documented)
- All clean dishes rendered unusable and required re-washing due to industrial contamination
- Technicians broke dishes (8:18 AM) while pulling wooden cutting board – guest said “Opaa” and graciously stated “it was good luck”
- Technicians inspected the faked ventilation cover, photographed it, and assessed it as “Pfusch” (botched work)
- VERIFICATION BY PROFESSIONALS: Confirmed no fans exists behind 2 ventilation covers – only pipe with cover
- Technicians poured professional-grade drain cleaner (“Bombe”) into shower drain
- Because the guest was so friendly, the technicians gave him a hex wrench to tighten loose WC door handle as a present
- Multiple door handles remain loose throughout apartment
⚖️ VIOLATION: ÖNORM B 1300 / B 1301 (Safety and health protection in buildings – landlord’s duty to maintain safe conditions)
GUEST TREATMENT VIOLATIONS:
- Unacceptable imposition on paying guest to serve as maintenance supervisor
- No compensation provided for time, supervision, or cleanup
- Guest is NOT host’s employee, caretaker, or property manager
OCTOBER 17-21, 2025 – ESCALATING HEALTH CRISIS
- Sewage odor persists despite three separate cleaning treatments
- Guest and daughter forced to sleep with windows/doors open
- Shower room kept sealed with door closed at all times
- Burning incense continuously to mask toxic odor
- Host Roland suggested keeping bathroom doors OPEN – directly contrary to containment strategy
- Guest diagnosis: shower drain designed with standing water feature (breeding ground for pathogens)
- Possible sewage gas backflow through improperly installed sink pipes
- Guest filled sink with water to create temporary seal against sewage gas
OCTOBER 22, 2025 (Wednesday) – ACUTE HEALTH EMERGENCY
- 1:29 PM: Guest exited apartment and NEARLY VOMITED ON STREET from sewage gas exposure
- GAGGING AND HEAVING documented in audio recording
- Guest’s mother called during distress episode (recorded call available)
- Eye burning from toxic gas exposure
- Lung irritation from sewage gas inhalation (hydrogen sulfide and/or methane)
- Both guest and daughter developed SKIN RASHES from toxic gas exposure
- Guest reported rashes appear as if “pores were clogged” – numerous small pimples
- MEDICAL HARM: Consistent with hydrogen sulfide (H₂S) and ammonia exposure affecting skin and mucous membranes
- Breathing impairment documented
- Guest in acute distress – requested immediate evacuation assistance
⚠️ HEALTH HAZARD ASSESSMENT (October 22, 10:38 PM):
- ChatGPT consultation confirmed explosion risk in sealed, unventilated room with sewer opening
- Methane is explosive at 5-15% concentration in air (LEL/UEL)
- Expert assessment: “Treat it as a potentially explosive atmosphere”
- Eye burn indicates TOXICITY RISK from hydrogen sulfide and ammonia
- Guest advised to avoid ignition sources (no flames, smoking, light switches, power tools inside sealed room)
⚖️ VIOLATION: Landlord duty to provide habitable premises free from health hazards
OCTOBER 22-23, 2025 – HOST MISTREATMENT AND INADEQUATE RESPONSE
- Host Roland called guest and became UPSET that guest contacted Airbnb Support
- Host DEFENDED property claiming “never had a problem”
- Host HUNG UP on guest during conversation (October 22, 7:18 PM)
- Guest described host’s phone manner as “impossible” and “horrid Austrian jerk methods”
- Host told guest to “CALM DOWN” at 11:26 PM (October 22) – deeply inappropriate given health emergency
- Host offered hotel reimbursement of maximum €130 per night (October 22, 5:04 PM)
- ACTUAL hotel availability: minimum €222 per night (Hilton Vienna Park last available room)
- 90% of Vienna accommodations fully booked for dates needed
- Host offered inadequate financial assistance forcing guest to either:
- Pay difference out-of-pocket (financial impossibility – guest awaiting November 3 paycheck)
- Remain in toxic, health-hazardous apartment
- Host’s offer essentially TRAPPED guests in unsafe conditions
MISTREATMENT SUMMARY:
- Emotional manipulation and defensiveness
- Inadequate financial assistance
- Dismissive attitude toward documented health emergency
- Inappropriate tone and communication
- Failure to take immediate corrective action
- Prioritized reputation over guest safety
OCTOBER 23, 2025 (Thursday) – INJURY AND CONTINUED HEALTH HAZARDS
- Guest sustained BLEEDING FOOT INJURY from sharp stair edge leading to terrace
- ⚖️ VIOLATION: OIB-Richtlinie 4, Punkt 4.2.2 (building elements must ensure safe and permanent use)
- SAFETY HAZARD: Risk of serious injury to children or elderly guests
- Broken toilet brush – handle detaches during use, preventing proper sanitation
- ⚖️ VIOLATION: ÖNORM B 1300 / B 1301 (hygiene maintenance obligation of property owner)
- Faulty window blinds on slanted roof windows:
- Free-hanging without side rails or tension guides
- Pendulum effect causes jamming and damage risk
- Manual pushing required – high breakage probability
- ⚖️ VIOLATION: ÖNORM EN 13120 (Interior blinds – safety and performance requirements)
- ⚖️ VIOLATION: EN 16433/EN 16434 (Additional safety standards for interior blinds)
- ⚖️ VIOLATION: OIB-Richtlinie 4, Punkt 4.2.2 (safe design of building components)
OCTOBER 23, 2025 (3:27 PM) – FORCED MAINTENANCE SUPERVISION (Session 2)
- Arslan Installationen plumbing company dispatched (3 technicians: Arslan, Mustafa, Cica)
- Guest again required to supervise professional service during working hours
- Guest’s daughter Emi also conscripted to assist
✓ FINDINGS VERIFIED BY LICENSED PROFESSIONALS:
- Shower drain improperly assembled – corrected during visit
- Both ventilation covers (WC and shower room) CONFIRMED to have NO ACTUAL FANS
- Only decorative covers installed to create FALSE APPEARANCE of compliance
- Installation of proper mechanical fans is technically feasible but requires owner authorization
- Technicians searched for dead animals in roof crevices (per Roland’s instruction) – none found
- Guest instructed to “monitor if smell reduces” – continued imposition of unpaid labor
⚖️ PROFESSIONAL CONFIRMATION OF VIOLATIONS:
- ÖNORM H 6038 (mechanical exhaust ventilation required)
- DIN 18017-3 (ventilation standards for windowless bathrooms)
- § 118 Abs. 2 Wiener Bauordnung (Vienna Building Code)
GUEST EXPLOITATION CONTINUES:
- Total maintenance supervision sessions: 2
- Total hours imposed on guest: approximately 4+ hours
- Total service personnel supervised: 5 technicians
- Compensation received: ZERO
- Guest status: Paying customer treated as unpaid property manager
OCTOBER 23, 2025 – AIRBNB SUPPORT FAILURES
- Airbnb offered inadequate assistance options:
- OPTION 1: Guest pays for hotel, receives 20% reimbursement (up to 3 nights only)
- OPTION 2: Guest books new Airbnb, receives 20% coupon for replacement property
- Both options require guest to PAY TWICE for accommodations
- Guest has ALREADY PAID for safe, code-compliant housing through November 16
- Guest’s financial position: awaiting November 3 paycheck, cannot front additional €1,000+ for hotel
- Food already purchased for full month – financial resources committed
- Airbnb effectively ABANDONED guest in health-hazardous situation
- No immediate evacuation assistance provided despite documented medical emergency
OCTOBER 24-25, 2025 – MITIGATION ATTEMPTS AND FORCED OCCUPANCY
- Guest and daughter taped off shower room with covering tape (October 23, 9:38 PM)
- Additional door closed to create secondary barrier against toxic gas
- Windows kept open continuously – sleeping in cold conditions
- Daughter sleeping upstairs with terrace door open for ventilation
- Both occupants suffering from:
- Ongoing rash (gradually fading)
- Respiratory irritation
- Eye irritation
- Fatigue
- Sleep deprivation
- Psychological distress
- Guest’s work severely impacted – launch project disrupted
- Guest maintains large fan running continuously to exhaust toxic air
- Clothing contaminated with sewage odor residue
- Coffee and food taste affected by pervasive sewage smell
OCTOBER 25, 2025 – MINIMAL IMPROVEMENT / CONTINUED VIOLATIONS
- Sewage smell “almost entirely gone” (10:30 AM) following drain repair
- Apartment remains in VIOLATION of ventilation codes – no fans installed
- Lingering contamination in clothing and belongings
- Guest’s lungs still recovering from sewage gas exposure
- Guest and daughter cutting stay short – departing October 28-29 (originally November 16)
- Lost vacation time: approximately 18 days
- Guest still serving as unpaid monitor of apartment conditions
- Apartment remains UNFIT FOR RENTAL until fans installed and verified
OCTOBER 25, 2025 – AIRBNB’S INADEQUATE REFUND OFFER
Airbnb Senior Case Manager “Salim” offered refund calculation:
- 30% refund for 9 “impacted nights” (Oct 11-22): €205.20
- 100% refund for 24 “unspent nights”: €1,368.00
- Cleaning fee refund: €70.00
- TOTAL ESTIMATED REFUND: €1,643.20
GUEST RESPONSE: “DEEPLY INSULTED” (10:56 AM)
- This is NOT a “cleanliness issue” – it is a severe health hazard
- Guest provided AUDIO EVIDENCE of gagging from toxic gas inhalation
- Guest and daughter sustained physical injuries and illness
- Guest performed extensive unpaid labor:
- 4+ hours supervising maintenance crews
- Multiple self-remediation attempts
- Continuous monitoring and containment efforts
- Documentation and reporting to authorities
- October 25 is FIRST DAY apartment even minimally livable
- Airbnb expects guest to PAY for days spent in toxic, code-violating conditions
- Airbnb categorized severe health violations as minor “cleanliness” issue warranting only 30% reduction
GUEST’S LEGITIMATE EXPECTATION:
Full refund for entire stay plus compensation for:
- Health harm and medical impacts
- Unpaid labor and supervision duties
- Lost vacation time and ruined experience
- Emotional distress and trauma
- Professional/work disruption
- Expenses for cleaning products, incense, and mitigation supplies
═══════════════════════════════════════
SUMMARY OF VIOLATIONS AND REGULATORY BREACHES
═══════════════════════════════════════
⚖️ AUSTRIAN BUILDING CODE VIOLATIONS:
- § 118 Abs. 2 Wiener Bauordnung – Failure to provide mechanical ventilation in windowless wet rooms
- ÖNORM H 6038 – No mechanical exhaust ventilation in WC or shower/laundry room
- DIN 18017-3 – Ventilation requirements not met for bathrooms without external windows
⚖️ SAFETY VIOLATIONS:
- ÖNORM EN 13120 – Window blinds not compliant with safety/performance requirements
- EN 16433/EN 16434 – Additional blind safety standards violated
- OIB-Richtlinie 4, Punkt 4.2.2 – Building elements not designed for safe, permanent use (blinds, stairs)
⚖️ HYGIENE VIOLATIONS:
- ÖNORM B 1300 / B 1301 – Failure to maintain sanitary conditions (broken toilet brush, toxic air)
⚠️ HEALTH HAZARDS:
- Raw sewage gas exposure (hydrogen sulfide, methane, ammonia)
- Explosion risk in sealed, unventilated room with sewer connection
- Toxic gas causing respiratory harm, eye damage, skin reactions
- Mold breeding conditions (standing water in drain)
🩹 PHYSICAL INJURIES:
- Bleeding foot wound from sharp terrace stair edge
- Respiratory damage from sewage gas inhalation
- Eye irritation and burning
- Skin rashes on both occupants
MISTREATMENT BY HOST:
- Emotional manipulation and defensive hostility
- Inadequate financial assistance (€130 offer vs. €222 reality)
- Inappropriate tone and communication
- Hung up on guest during crisis
- Told guest to “calm down” during medical emergency
- False reassurances about ventilation compliance
EXPLOITATION OF GUEST:
- Forced supervision of 5 technicians/staff across 2 sessions (4+ hours)
- No compensation for unpaid labor
- Treatment as property manager rather than paying customer
- Requirement to clean, remediate, and monitor conditions
- Purchase of maintenance supplies at guest’s expense
AIRBNB FAILURES:
- Inadequate support during health emergency
- Abandonment of guest in code-violating property
- Insulting refund offer (30% for health-hazard nights)
- Mischaracterization of severe violations as “cleanliness issue”
- No immediate evacuation assistance
- Financial burden shifted to victim
This constitutes a comprehensive record of regulatory violations, health hazards, physical injuries, psychological harm, financial exploitation, and systemic mistreatment from October 11-25, 2025.
Every claim is supported by timestamped documentation, photographic evidence, audio recordings, professional verification, and witness accounts.
The apartment at Gatterholzgasse 7/31 remains in violation of Austrian building codes and unfit for occupancy until proper mechanical ventilation is installed and verified by municipal authorities.
Respectfully compiled,
Dainis W. Michel
October 25, 2025
📢 Disclosure & Purpose
This document is published to warn future travelers about serious health and safety violations at this property, to hold both the host and Airbnb accountable for their failures, and to advocate for stronger enforcement of building codes and guest protection policies in short-term rentals.
All information presented is factual, documented, and verified by licensed professionals.
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