Party policy updates, Superhost status extensions, and more in Catherine’s latest Host Update

[Airbnb]

If you watched the first Host Update from our new Global Head of Hosting Catherine Powell, you’ll know that we are working on rebuilding our business around hosts, and giving you more transparency along the way. 

Today, we’re sharing Catherine’s latest Host Update with you. In this video, she discusses important priorities and insights for hosts at Airbnb right now. These include how Airbnb is handling parties, active steps being taken to support Superhosts, and why it can pay off to commit to higher standards for cleaning. 

Once you’ve watched the video, we’d really love to hear from you. Please let us know what you’d like us to cover in future Host Updates with Catherine.

Thank you.

[Ian-And-Anne-Marie0]

@Mike-And-Jane0 @Catherine-Powell 

So to be completely clear and transparent about this... The post 14th March contracts are no protection from Covid cancellations because a guest can "attest" they are ill for a full refund - without a shred of evidence.

For that, the guest gets a travel voucher, Airbnb keep the cash and the host gets nothing.

Just correct me if I'm wrong...

[Huma0]

@Ian-And-Anne-Marie0 

This is what I asked in my first response to this post, but I don't see any clarification on that. In fact, I haven't seen any clear communication from Airbnb about this whole 'attestation' thing. I first found out about it some time back when I called up CS about a guest who wanted to cancel but did not fall within the COVID-19 policy. He ended up being fully refunded and told me he had done so by telling Airbnb it was due to health reasons, but he was not sick! He just didn't want to travel. It was all there in the message thread.

So, unless guests are required to provide proof, rather than just attest, what has actually changed here? I am really confused, because this seems like the same policy that has been in place now for at least a couple of months regarding post March 15th cancellations. Am I missing something? Can anyone explain what is new about it?

[Ian-And-Anne-Marie0]

@Huma0 

First point: Transparency. FAIL.

@Catherine-Powell 's first video explained transparency was going to be addressed. Nothing of the sort! If you, a seasoned host cannot understand this, then something is drastically wrong.

You will note that my previous statement stands un-challenged:

So to be completely clear and transparent about this... The post 14th March contracts are no protection from Covid cancellations because a guest can "attest" they are ill for a full refund - without a shred of evidence.

I could list the benefits this brings for Airbnb and how it helps their cashflow by converting cash into travel vouchers and penalises hosts, but why? It's been said many times before and does get rather tedious.

The fact is; Nothing has changed. After the change of contracts to include Covid-19 in new contracts where before it was non-existent has changed nothing. Airbnb just decided it would allow guests override their responsibility of obtaining travel insurance against that known risk and let hosts continue shouldering the liability rather than let guests attempt to obtain refunds via their card payment companies - which would remove cash from Airbnb by way of clawbacks. So they thought it would be a good idea to let guests cancel by just saying they couldn't travel because of Covid. Now they need to say that they have Covid. The level of difference in evidence for such is ZERO.

On May 1st, here on the CC an Airbnb employed Customer Services agent posted, that in order to secure a refund, all a guest needed to do was "write on a piece of paper that you cannot travel due to COVID-19 and will get a full cash refund automatically"  Today, all a guest needs to say "attest" is that they are ill with Covid : 

@Huma0 

Can anyone explain what is new about it?

Nothing.

[Huma0]

@Ian-And-Anne-Marie0 

Ok, got it. Travel restrictions, flight cancellations etc. have apparently been taken out of the equation (that is, unless Airbnb chooses to cancel the booking due to government restrictions) and now it's just sickness from COVID-19 that applies. But, like you say, what difference does that make if a guest only has to scribble on a piece of paper that they are sick?

@Catherine-Powell 

Please can you clarify how Airbnb justifies this policy of 'attestations' in place of evidence? How can any EC policy, COVID-19 or otherwise, have any validity if all a guest has to do is scribble on a piece of paper that they qualify?

Meanwhile, Airbnb holds on to funds in the form of travel credit. What happens to that money if the guest does not use the credit? What happens to the money that's left over if the guest uses it to book a stay of less value? I assume that Airbnb KEEPS it, i.e. keeps the accommodation fees that the guest paid and the host was denied.

Please could you explain the legality of this? Please can we have a post on the CC spelling this out and Airbnb's justification for doing this? I think that would make interesting reading...

[Catherine-Powell]

@Huma0  thanks for your question. Guests with reservations made after March 14 must contact our community support team to cancel if they are sick with COVID. When guests contact community support, they are asked to provide evidence of their condition. Our community support team works very hard to get proper documentation (e.g. doctor's note, government notice on restrictions to travel) and to treat with sensitivity those guests that have been directly impacted by the virus.

@Ian-And-Anne-Marie0, thanks for sharing this screenshot, and I will be happy to ask a member of the team to look into this, as the statement being made here is not correct as per our policy. I appreciate your desire for transparency here and I hope this helps to clarify.

Please bear in mind I cannot always respond to your comments immediately, however I will be working with the Community Managers here on the CC to ensure that you do get a response, if not from myself then from someone within the team.

Thanks, Catherine

[Stone43]

Guest should have a doctors NOTE if they are Sick ! or Airbnb Should NOTE REFUND ANYONE unless you have a note from the Doctors office  so you can call to verify ! That is not to hard to figure out !   But with Airbnb  they NEVER GET back with your ! should NEVER take over a week to handle any issues ! NEVER !

[Stone43]

Thats because they like  to keep you guessing ! i had a  ISSUE with a Guest for 3 MONTHS  Yes 3 months and she was here @ my place a month Disrespecting my home and AirBNB took forever to deal with the guess! i at one point told AIRBNB  to deal with her or she must leave my property !  NOTE She disrespected my home for the full month she was here and AIRBNB said they would handle  this and 3 plus months went by and NOTHING  from AIRBNB!  why cant they handle this within a week ? ! shame on AIRBNB ! very disappointed!

[Ian-And-Anne-Marie0]

So to be completely clear and transparent about this... The post 14th March contracts are no protection from Covid cancellations because a guest can "attest" they are ill for a full refund - without a shred of evidence.

So much for transparency and supporting hosts with those 'new' contracts. 

No such thing.

[Ann72]

Excellent, @Catherine-Powell, thank you.  I appreciate the firm statement about cancellations.  With such clarity from the top, Customer Support's job will be easier.

[Tracy647]

Can I ask what is the policy to protect the Guest? We booked a house for our daughter's (very!) small wedding (30 people for a dinner for 2 hours - only 2 people spending the night!) and now it cannot happen because of your party policy. Is our host required to refund the entire amount to us?  We paid an 'event' fee in addition to our rental fee. Our host has not been the most cooperative and I have a hunch he will try to keep as much of our money as he can. Is there anything we can do? The wedding is Sept. 12 and now we have to figure out a whole new plan... possibly without $1100! Please advise.

[Mark116]

@Tracy647  Usually whatever was in place  at the time of booking will remain in force

[Tracy647]

But it also says that neighbors can 'report' the host if they see too many people at their rental. And how would the neighbor know when the reservation was made? AirBNB could end up getting a LOT of reports/complaints if that's the case, and I wouldn't think they would want to field that. I guess we will have to call and find out exactly if our host doesn't respond.

[Stone43]

I have had quit a few times Guest would not reply and i had to call Airbnb regarding the issues and I find when a guest is a bad guest Airbnb does noting to resolve the issues ! NOTED 

[Susan1188]

Did you explain how you were planning on using the property to your host when you booked?

If you were transparent and clear, and the host agreed with you having 30 people on-site for a dinner, there should be no problem, right?

[Stone43]

You had issues with a HOST  ?   I had issues with a Gust disrespecting my property for 30 days and AIRBNB never handled the issues @ my place and I had to call AIRBNB  and ask them to talk to the guest  on  a few times a week for the guest not giveing 2 Sh-ts of my property ! and so at the 3 week i asked AIRBNB  to talk with her or leave my property @ once !  yet she still disrespected my property!  Yet Airbnb DID NOTHING  after i sent them pictures on what the guest done ! NOTTING was done about this guest in the month of June  here its now Sept. and yet they AIRBNB did not hold her accountable for her actions !