Cancellation gone wrong and Airbnb lacking consistency

Ali289
Level 1
Lyon, France

Cancellation gone wrong and Airbnb lacking consistency

So once I had a booking. And for medical reasons I had to leave the property and get help. 

I communicated with Airbnb throughout the process and semeed that we came to an agreement that I will not be charged for the days when I leave and would get a full refund. And after further communications when I have already left the apartment, I was told that Airbnb is trying to get an agreement with the host in regard to the refund ((I thought we already did?). And that it would help to complete the procesure by providing a medical letter from my doctor. 

Not only this reopend the refund and made it questionalble. But I was also demanded something else. 

I still believed this is just a routine I need to go through. So once I met my doctor on 6 November, got the letter and sent to Airbnb. Then was the surprise, I get a message from Airbnb explaining that I would only get a refund for the period after the 6th November! I left on October 24!

Not only this does not make sense but also puts Airbnb in general under question with how unfair they are dealling with situation like mine. 

How can a doctor letter (which described my condition and the need for me to move to a bigger city where i can get medical help) be ignored and rather focus on the date it was writtin? Which is more important? 

 

I already have an open case with the same booking. With the host demanding me cost of damage I never done. Over 500 euros for a heater that fell on the floor and the host accusing me of making it fall. Nothing more insulting like that. Again with the same issue I have commuicated with both the host and Airbnb support. The host asked me not to worry and advised there will a technication to come and look at it. The technation cancelled and then I left the apartment after already agreeing with the host and Airbnb. All good. Until later I receive messegses from both Airbnb and the host asking me to provide documentation of what happened. Its like trying to prove to them something I never did. Making me feel somehow responsible and need to disapprove my responsiboilty.  

 

I have always had good experiences with hosts as well as Airbnb customer service. However this one rather disppointing and stressing experience when I feel Airbnb losing the logic and fair judgement as well as ignoring previous messages that assured me I would be getting a full refund. 

 

 

2 Replies 2
Helga0
Level 10
Quimper, France

@Ali289, you posted this in the wrong discussion room - this one here serves for airbnb announcements about their yearly event, the Open. It’s not ment to be a place open for all posts. 

 

If I understand you correctly, there were two things, a damage claim and you left early. I did not understand the part about the damage. It’s settled?

 

For the refund, as far as I understand, that’s what happened:

 

you moved out on October 24th for a medical condition. 

This was so urgent, that you had to leave on October 24 but not urgent enough to see a doctor before November 6. That’s 13 days. That must seem very strange to any case worker processing your claim.

what happened was, you left and wanted a refund for medical reasons. That may be a reason of extenuating circumstances, “Force Majeure”. To be valid as such, you need to prove, that there was a condition forcing you to act immediately. If you have to be admitted to a hospital, that would qualify. They would give you a letter stating “Ali xy was admitted in our service from October 24 to November...” The letter does not say for which reason you were admitted, that’s private information. 

If you need a service provided only in a big city, like urgent examen or a dialyse or whatever, you could get a confirmation from the lab or hospital, “Alu xy presented himself in our facility on the 25, 28 31...” like you would get it to present to an employer for a leave of absence. 

If this was the case, your doctor could write, that he ordered examens from the 24 on and saw you with the results on the 6th. You should have a dated invoice for the lab or can print a history of payment via ameli.fr, if you are insured in France. 

 

If you have no proof at all prior to the 6th, you have to understand, that the host will insist, that the normal cancellation conditions apply. 

Stefano553
Level 3
Marche, Italy

Mi sembra logico quanto scrive Helga