Cairns homestay hosts in dispute with YouSTUDY International College over under paid bills

A Cairns-based international college has admitted to withholding payment from a homestay and accommodation provider over a Google review.

Homestay host Dada Bikic has had international students board in her Mooroobool home for years without issue, but has recently started working with an international college in Cairns that is withholding payments. Picture: Brendan Radke

A Cairns-based international college has admitted to withholding payment from a homestay and accommodation provider over a Google review.

Cairns homestay provider Dada Bikic and AirBNB host Lucy Pilon claim YouSTUDY International College owe almost $3800 combined for accommodation and homestay services provided to students of the college during the months of July, August and November last year.

Ms Pilon has been paid $1450 but has been awaiting payment of $2530 since November 5, 2023, for housing two international students at her short-stay accommodation.

YouSTUDY CEO Carol Doyle advised no additional payment would be made until Ms Pilon removed an online review which was published in January of this year, two months after payment was due.

In her online review Ms Pilon said: “OMG... I am just reading the reviews of others that struggled to get their money. I have been waiting 8 weeks and no payment yet, just excuses from Carol and some other person that sends emails that doesn’t seem to exist ... How can they be getting away with this?”

There are three reviews from homestay hosts who claim to be underpaid.

Ms Doyle said the company does not “appreciate the use of … (Google review) as a mechanism to finalise a situation that should be resolved through personal communication”.

“Seeking to have the comment withdrawn before payment is made is a decision we did not take lightly; after payment is made, they are free to comment as they see fit,” she said.

Ms Pilon said she made the review as a final resort.

YouSTUDY International College CEO Carol Doyle said the company did not appreciate the use of Google reviews to dispute their business dealings. PICTURE: STEWART McLEAN

“The review was there because she didn’t pay the rent (on time),” Ms Pilon said.

As an AirBNB host, she said she had told the company payment was to be made in full on November 5 but only received a $900 bond from the students on their arrival, which was later used to pay for damage made during their stay.

A further contribution of $550 was made to Ms Pilon on January 2 of this year.

“I was continuously messaging and calling YouSTUDY about the rent while the students were in my property,” Ms Pilon claimed.

Ms Doyle refuted the terms of the agreement, stating it was a week-by-week agreement.

“She accepted the bond as rent, the college was to pay the difference to cover the damages but to this day she has not told us the amount (of the damage),” Ms Doyle said.

Cairns homestay provider Dada Bikic. Picture: Brendan Radke

Meanwhile, Ms Bikic claims YouSTUDY owes her between $1200-1300 for hosting a student in July and a couple in August of 2023.

“I’ve been hosting for nearly eight years kids from other colleges and I’ve never had a problem,” Ms Bikic said.

She claimed YouSTUDY agreed to pay board in full in the middle of each stay and has been chasing repayment since mid-July.

Ms Doyle said the terms were correct but payment was being negotiated because strict house rules had “caused trauma and distress” to the students, which is disputed by Ms Bikic.

“I tried to discuss the payments with her as she had not provided many of the services that is expected as part of the homestay (experience),” she said.

Ms Bikic confirmed she had removed the couple as they had not followed her rules while another student also left early.

But Ms Bikic claims she was never told that this is why payment was delayed.

“She didn’t ever tell me about any issues with the students and I haven’t seen any emails,” Ms Bikic said.

The two women are considering taking legal action.

Originally published as Cairns homestay hosts in dispute with YouSTUDY International College over under paid bills