Our recent change to the guest refund policy

[Catherine-Powell]

Hi Everyone, 

Hosts are the heart and soul of Airbnb. I want you to know we value you, we’re working every day to improve your hosting experience, and we’re listening to you. Recently, we updated our rebooking and refund policy to allow guests up to 72 hours to report travel issues, rather than 24 hours. Let me take you through our thinking as a company to get to this decision. 

As a two-sided marketplace, we are always putting ourselves in the shoes of both Hosts and guests. In this case, guests have been telling us 24 hours wasn’t enough time to reach out for help if something goes wrong. For example, if a guest wasn’t able to check in due to a malfunctioning lock, they may be more focused on getting settled in an alternative location and attending the event they traveled for. We also heard from Hosts that 24 hours often wasn’t enough time to resolve a guest’s concerns. For example, if a guest notified a Host that the air conditioner stopped working, it could take more than a day to contact a repair person and fix it. The 24-hour window was causing guests to feel like they had to cancel early, when more time would have been enough for Hosts to fully address the concern and keep the reservations.

We went through a similar assessment when we considered extending the filing period for Hosts to submit reimbursements requests. As part of AirCover—which includes $1 million in Host damage protection—if guests cause damage, you have 14 days to request reimbursement after they check out, even if other guests have already checked in.

I also want to assure you that we rigorously assess claims from guests in order to help protect you from fraudulent claims. And, we take action to hold guests accountable for those types of violations of our Community Standards. If a Host disagrees with our determination about a guest report, they may contest our decision and if after reviewing evidence provided by the Host, we agree with that Host, they will receive their payout for that reservation.

Your house rules are another important tool to help ensure the guest rebooking and refund policy is used as intended. House rules set and manage expectations for guests. For example, if you have a backyard pool, you might include a note that you make every attempt to keep the pool as clean as possible, but at times leaves and debris may end up on the surface. This can help guests understand why there may be leaves in the pool. 

Because of the importance of house rules, we’ve made them visible to guests when they book, and by booking, guests are agreeing to read and abide by them. House rules are also taken into account when guest refund claims are made, if relevant. Here are some helpful tips for writing and updating your house rules for guests.

We design all of our updates to help build trust, and will continue to do so as we actively listen to your feedback and concerns. I hope this note has addressed some of the questions I have heard. I want to end by thanking you for all that you do to provide the best possible hospitality for our guests.

Warmly, 

Catherine Powell
Airbnb Global Head of Hosting

[Piotr48]

This new policy is a getaway for scammers. I will be taking my business elsewhere since I can't the risk of being penalised twice (refund and relocation costs).

[Mieke61]

@Catherine-Powell Hi Catherine. I think “management” has lost touch with reality. This policy is literally inviting scammers in. It’s hard enough now to prove yourself right as a host. Your call centre is ATROCIOUS!! I had a guest request a FULL refund as apparently his car broke down and he never turned up. Your call centre harassed me to pay him back the full night INCLUDING your fees paid to him. YOUR cancellation policy was clear that you would not refund your fees but your call centre rang me and emailed me multiple times to cover both my fee and your fee when I hadn’t even done anything wrong!! If it is this bad now then how bad will it get with these stupid new policies??! 72 hours of a nail biting wait to see if you are hosting for free OR even yo have yo pay for alternative accommodation? What the hell??

[Emilie]

@Mieke61 I can understand this was frustrating, thanks for letting us know about this experience. I've tried to get more information for you regarding the issue you're referring to, and will send you a Direct message here on the Community Center shortly to talk about it a bit more!

Thanks as well for your feedback on the policy. 🙂

[David8737]

@Catherine-Powell   I am a brand new host who just listed my first property with Airbnb. I had previously decided to stick with the Airbnb platform only and not list in competitive websites for ease of use. Unfortunately, this new policy appears to add a great deal of financial risk on top of the more liberal refund policy and reporting window that you mentioned. Accordingly, I have decided that not only do I need to be listed on other sites, but that I need to raise my prices on the Airbnb site in order to compensate for the added added financial risk of this policy. I imagine that I’m not the only one who will be forced to do so. Respectfully, David

[Emilie]

@David8737 Congratulations on your new listing! I appreciate you sharing your concerns with us as well - we're reading and feeding back all the comments here to the internal teams. 🙂

[Leslie308]

If the previous guests lodged a complaint and wants a refund what happens to the guest who is now being hosted? Does Airbnb tell them to leave and give them a refund? The 72 hour window is long enough to cause issues like this. We only have 24 hours to address issues. These new policies give guests several more ways to play the system and hurts hosts. 

[Michelle819]

Hello,

We have 3 listings with Airbnb. We just blocked our calendars due to the new rules. We will be reading the new rules and rewriting our house rules and if our house rules are not feasable, then our homes will sadly be moved to another platform.

We cannot risk our business losing money due to a leaf in the pool, a "pest" coming in through an open door or window, the AC not cold enough at 63 degrees, the space in a downtown area even though the space is listed as downtown, a lightbulb burning out, the water pressure too strong or not strong enough, I can add other scenarios that can happen within the 72 hour frame and a guest asking for a refund and receiving the refund. 

Hurts my heart. Love hosting such great guests, but, the new rules are not sustainable for a host business plan.

I apologize for grammar and punctuation errors.

[Leland15]

airbnb does not really undestand the dynamics of negotiating with guests who make frivolous claims to cancel and *even* when airbnb DECLINE their request then are allowed to make a similarly ERRONEOUS review just to destroy the hosts reputation. I recently had a guest complain that they did not like the smell of the AIR FRESHNERS in the bathroom and even when I said to throw them out, requested a FULL REFUND. Despite AIRBNB turning down his request, he decided to leave the property and then when I DID NOT GIVE HIM A FULL REFUND simply made up a bogus review and gave me a 1 STAR RATING (even though he did not even stay in the place). Basically, airbnb has allowed these bad guests to use the rating system as a REVENGE SYSTEM because they dont like the refund rules.

But much like the ole' honeybadger, AIRBNB does not care and lets these people post libelous remarks and make reviews BECAUSE THEY DID NOT GET A FULL REFUND. I think AIRBNB NEEDS TO SIMPLY STOP LETTING GUESTS AND HOSTS TO POST REVIEWS IF EITHER DECIDES TO REQUEST A REFUND OR TERMINATE A STAY EARLY.  

Clearly there is no point making a review if something out of the ordinary happened and neither side can fulfill the obligation.  Now I lost my Superhost status because AIRBNB denied a full refund from the guests yet ALLOWED THE SO-CALLED CANCELED GUEST TO MAKE A FULL REVIEW AS IF THEY EVEN STAYED OR COULD HAVE ENJOYED THE PROPERTY.

I think AIRBNB has no idea what the real dynamics are between hosts and guests and is actively MAKING a festering wound on the hosts grow out of control by allowing unhappy GUESTS who are denied a full refund to make angry comments that are essentially lies and exaggerations.

Does the truth even matter to AIRBNB??

And giving guests 72 hours JUST ALLOWS THE GUEST TO STAY LONGER AND MAKE THINGS WORSE FOR THE HOST. IF A HOST CANNOT ADDRESS IN 24 HOURS THEN CHANCES ARE THAT THE GUESTS REQUEST IS REALLY UNREASONABLE ANYWAYS. For example, the water is not HOT enough. Or the weather here is not really WARM enough. Or the crickets are too loud here for me to sleep, or the place is old and smells like an OLD HOUSE....

[Sharon1428]

Wow, you have a way of simplifying words right down to the gist of things.   "guests who make frivolous claims to cancel and *even* when airbnb DECLINE their request then are allowed to make a similarly ERRONEOUS review just to destroy the hosts reputation" and  how the reviews are REVENGE SYSTEMS.  HIt the nail on the head- so much. But, ABB does know and understand. They just don't care.  

[Sandi48]

Without HOSTS, there will be no GUESTS.Without HOSTS, there will be no GUESTS.Without HOSTS, there will be no GUESTS.Without HOSTS, there will be no GUESTS.Without HOSTS, there will be no GUESTS.Without HOSTS, there will be no GUESTS.Without HOSTS, there will be no GUESTS.Without HOSTS, there will be no GUESTS.Without HOSTS, there will be no GUESTS.

[Bethany187]

Airbnb is feeling more and more risky as time goes on. I own 3  full time businesses fueled 100% by Airbnb. I have a cleaning company who has 3 employees who all work full time cleaning Airbnbs. I own a full service property management company that manages 34 Airbnbs. I own Airbnbs myself. Every time Airbnb releases another change I’m  just one step closer to all 3 of these businesses folding. The changes get more outrageous every single time. I am currently looking to list my properties on other bookings sites because it’s just a matter of time- something bad is going to happen. 

Unfortunately if you’re giving the guests more power, there is bound to be serious repercussions. The amount of fraud and guests taking full advantage will push us all away. 

Please revisit this change coming April 29th. It’s already hard enough to keep guests from abusing the system. It feels as though Airbnb is chipping away at taking our power to make decisions about our properties from us. Slowly but surely. 

Another disappointment from Airbnb 

[Sharon1428]

Do not ever put all your eggs in one basket.  With the cleaning I know you could clean businesses or residential.  But never give someone that much control -especially Air b b , they have constantly abused hosts. And also, by the looks of it on the other side as a guest, are not doing a good job there either. It should be very simple.  Instead, they make everyone mad.  

[Ryan2594]

I have never come across a whole community of privileged children before all having a tantrum over nothing.

You honestly think hosts don’t scam guests? There is loads of listings in my area that hide fees and falsely advertise their place all in the pursuit of making as much money as possible.

24 hours isn’t a reasonable time scale in the slightest. More power to the guests I say and I’m not going to be losing any sleep over this.

[Victoria-And-Todd0]

If they "hide fees" , the fees become unhidden during booking process, not 72 hrs after booking, no? Also, I have been and OWNER (not stupid "host" moniker - "hosting" implies that I am there to greet and entertain guests - I am not) for 11 years, with 3 properties and 100s of positive reviews on big G, V,  T, F B etc.  There is absolutely nothing "falsely advertised". That said, my listings are snoozed on Air. Maybe just maybe Airbnb drove out reputable owners like myself by its ridiculous policies and all is left on  Airbnb are either starry eyed newbies or scam "hosts" you describe. No reputable OWNER will allow 3rd party Airbnb to dictate how to run their business, interfere to the degree that Air tries to do. 

[Kim572]

@Catherine-Powell 

Its possible (not entirely sure) that I have never posted in the Community Center.  But this latest policy change has motivated me to speak out.  

hosting on AirBnB has always been a risk. Some AirBnB policies, such as not sharing the guest’s true name (unless the guest uses it as their username), etc., have made AirBnB an especially risky platform to host on.

 Guests can (and do) damage your property, steal from you, cheat by bringing in unregistered guests or pets that aren’t allowed, throw illegal parties, bring in bedbugs, etc.  I had a few of these things happen to our AirBnBs.  I understand that’s part of the risk of having STRs, and I’ve learned ways to manage those risks.

I’ve even figured out ways to know who I’m actually hosting.  I’ve done what I could reasonably do to mitigate and manage the risks of being an AirBnB host. But this new policy is going to be the straw that breaks the camel’s back and drives me off AirBnB.