What are the common elements in host family horror stories?

Often, in these horror stories, there are issues with cleanliness. Guests arrive to find dirty rooms, bathrooms, or kitchens. Also, unexpected and unpleasant noises are common, whether it's from machinery, animals in a way that's not pleasant, or just noisy neighbors that the host didn't mention. And sometimes, the host has a lot of rules that they don't communicate clearly until the guests are already there and it becomes a source of conflict.

One common element is a haunted house. It often has strange noises, like creaking floors or banging on the walls. Another element is the presence of something that seems out of place, like an old object with a mysterious past, such as a cursed mirror or a possessed doll. Strange apparitions are also common, like seeing a ghostly figure in the hallway or at the foot of a bed at night. Family members often start to act differently too, like becoming more withdrawn or having unexplained fits of fear.

One common element is money issues. For example, in divorce cases, one party may try to hide assets to avoid splitting them fairly. Another is custody battles. Often, false accusations are made to gain an advantage in getting custody of the children. Also, complex and unclear family laws can be a big part of it. People may not understand their rights and obligations fully, leading to unfair situations.

Dirty accommodations are common. Guests expect a clean place but sometimes find dirty bathrooms or unmade beds. Another is overcharging. Some hosts try to add extra fees that were not mentioned before.

I heard of a situation where the host family promised a clean and comfortable living environment but it was the opposite. The room given to the student was dirty and full of bugs. The heating didn't work during the cold winter months either. And on top of that, the family members were always arguing loudly, creating a very tense and unpleasant atmosphere for the student who was trying to study and adapt to a new country.

One horror story is when a host family made the au pair work excessive hours. They constantly added more tasks like cleaning the whole house daily, taking care of multiple kids alone for long hours, and also doing all the grocery shopping. It was way more than what was agreed in the contract, leaving the au pair exhausted and stressed.

One horror story could be a host family overworking the au pair. They made her work from dawn till late at night, taking care of the kids, cleaning the whole house, and cooking all the meals without proper breaks. Another is a host family being extremely rude and disrespectful, constantly criticizing the au pair's appearance and accent.

There was a student who had a host family that was constantly arguing. Screaming matches were a daily occurrence. It made the student feel very uncomfortable and unsafe. There was also a lack of proper food as the family was too preoccupied with their own problems to cook proper meals for the student.

Rudeness is a common one. Like when a host is short - tempered and snaps at customers for no good reason. Another is incompetence, such as getting the reservation details wrong. And then there's the case of the host showing favoritism. For example, seating regular customers in the best spots while making new customers wait for no good reason.

Sure. One horror story is when a host family made the exchange student clean the entire huge house alone every day. They didn't respect the student's study time at all and just treated them like a free maid.