[Updated Jan 2021] Updates about our extenuating circumstances policy in the latest Host Update

[Updated Jan 2021] Updates about our extenuating circumstances policy in the latest Host Update

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Last Updated: Jan, 2021

 

Hello,

 

The policy update outlined below is now in effect. 

 

You can find out how cancellations will work under our updated extenuating circumstances policy, effective for reservations starting on or after January 20, 2021, here.

 

Thank you.

 

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Catherine Powell is back with a new Host Update, sharing how Airbnb is working to make our extenuating circumstances policy more transparent and fair for hosts. The changes—effective for reservations of stays and Airbnb Experiences with a check-in or start date on or after January 20, 2021*—will give hosts discretion over whether to refund guests who can’t travel due to unexpected personal circumstances. The policy will continue to cover natural disasters and similar large-scale events.

 

 

Get all the details about the upcoming changes to our policy here in this Help Center article. Please let us know what you’d like covered in future Host Updates with Catherine. As always, thank you for sharing the topics that matter to you.

 

*This policy doesn’t apply to Luxe reservations, which are subject to a separate Luxe guest refund policy.

 

175 Replies 175
Emilia42
Level 10
Orono, ME

@Cathy820 what was the guest's reason for canceling?

Cathy820
Level 2
Doolin, Ireland

@Emilia42

My case manager stated that the client had provided documentation that qualifies them for a full refund. I have not been given a copy of this. My point is that host cancellation policies no longer apply. It is down to the desecration of a case manager to decide if a refund is to be applied. 

Emilia42
Level 10
Orono, ME

@Cathy820 So your guest's reason for canceling fell within the extenuating circumstances policy, in which you are right - your cancelation policy is overridden. We can only hope that once this policy is eliminated (on January 20th,) then guests will no longer be able to claim EC and you will be in complete control of your cancellation policy.  

Cathy820
Level 2
Doolin, Ireland

Thanks @Emilia42 . I have already set up my property on another platform. I am hoping they  will honor the policies listed on their site. I have very little faith in AIRBNB after this experience. 

Huma0
Level 10
London, United Kingdom

@Emilia42 @Cathy820 

 

The cancellation that @Cathy820 mentions is under the COVID-19 EC policy, not the general EC policy. The new general EC policy does cover pandemics, so I don't think it would be safe to say that her guest would not be able to claim under that policy.

Emilia42
Level 10
Orono, ME

@Huma0 I was under the impression that we don't know that. "According to my case manager " the host and guest can cancel their reservation without any penalties under the extenuating circumstances."

 

This guest could have broken their leg or caught a cold. EC would cover that with proper documentation.

Huma0
Level 10
London, United Kingdom

@Emilia42 

 

I assumed that because @Cathy820 directly quoted from the COVID-19 EC policy, not the regular one, but you're right. Possibly she was confusing the two.

In truth the start date or end date is almost irrelevant since Airbnb arbitrarily chooses which of their own policies to follow. Example: a month ago we had a traveler cancel under the then in place Airbnb Covid policy and the travelers check-in date was outside the Covid policy in place. We received an email so stating and with our "Strict" policy we were to recieve 50%.

Then several weeks later Airbnb gave them a full refund and docked us! They applied a later policy that was not in effect at the time the guest cancelled (even though the Airbnb policy states it only applies if the guest has not cancelled already) completely ignoring their own policy.

From Airbnb site:

Does the extenuating circumstances policy apply to my reservation during the COVID-19 pandemic?

Our official article explains in detail how the extenuating circumstances policy applies to cancellations due to COVID-19.

Here’s a summary to help you determine if your reservation is eligible.

Your reservation is eligible if all of the following are true

You booked on or before March 14, 2020

and the check-in date is between tomorrow and October 15, 2020

and you haven’t already canceled it

and you haven’t already checked in

and the pandemic is preventing you from completing your reservation

 

We objected and showed the proof and documentation and Airbnb just ignored it and said they qualified! Complete ignorance and arrogance was displayed by Airbnb and they refused to do the right thing. 

Just another example of Airbnb's abuse of Hosts.

Amanda940
Level 2
Sunriver, OR

I really hope Airbnb will not only give the guest the option to purchase or decline traveler’s insurance at the time of booking but also allow hosts to REQUIRE their guests to purchase the insurance in order to book their property. In the meantime, I intend to snooze my listing once I figure out how to and only use other rental platforms. The proposed changes are not enough. Airbnb please listen to your hosts.  The simple change I mentioned above is all I would need to remain a lifetime Airbnb host. 

Mike-And-Jane0
Level 10
England, United Kingdom

@Catherine-Powell 

Great to see that the EC has been improved. Its a bit sad that the EC text doesn't quite match what your video says with respect to Host's having to cancel.

Also perhaps you could be slightly more transparent in saying that the law of a country can still override the EC policy. For instance saying that Covid cancellations are not allowed is slightly misleading given that if it is illegal to host (or travel) due to legal Covid restrictions then they are allowed. As you will see on this forum many believe this is not the case!

Anyway Its good to see progress is being made and I thank you for this.

Lizzie
Former Community Manager
Former Community Manager
London, United Kingdom

Hello @Mike-And-Jane0,

 

I hope you are doing well. Great to hear you approve of the progress here. Thank you.

 

I've just updated the Help Center link in the original post here, that might be more helpful. Would you mind taking a look please? 

 

Thank you,

 

Lizzie


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Thank you for the last 7 years, find out more in my Personal Update.


Looking to contact our Support Team, for details...take a look at the Community Help Guides.

Mike-And-Jane0
Level 10
England, United Kingdom

@Lizzie The link works fine. Its just that the new EC policy doesn't cover host cancellations in the way described by Catherine in her video. Any idea why not?

Emilia42
Level 10
Orono, ME

@Lizzie 

@Mike-And-Jane0 have a great point. Would @Catherine-Powell please clarify what the new EC policy covers for hosts? If the roof of my house caves in 2 hours before check-in or I go in to clean after guests and find a huge plumbing emergency, can I cancel penalty-free under the new January EC policy?

Lizzie
Former Community Manager
Former Community Manager
London, United Kingdom

Hello @Emilia42 and @Mike-And-Jane0,

 

Thanks for providing more information on this and it's great feedback. You are completely right, it's not mentioned in the Help Center article. Catherine has mentioned about it in her video, so it is an important area for her and the team.

 

I'm feeding this back to Catherine and the team (Catherine will also spot it from reading this thread) and we'll come back to you. I imagine though as the policy doesn't come into force until mid-late January, clarity around things like this will be updated before then. 

 

Thanks again, speak to you soon.

 

Lizzie


--------------------


Thank you for the last 7 years, find out more in my Personal Update.


Looking to contact our Support Team, for details...take a look at the Community Help Guides.

Cathy820
Level 2
Doolin, Ireland

I have just had a cancellation on my property, 3 days before the arrival date and full refund given to the guest.  AIRBNB do not stand by their own policies that are clearly listed on their website.  I am now down the income of this booking with no possibility of filling the vacant dates. I experienced the worst customer service while trying to solve this issue. Take note hosts, your cancellation policies mean nothing if AIRBNB decide this. 

Ian-And-Anne-Marie0
Level 10
Kendal, United Kingdom

Late to the party, but I read the headline. It doesn't bode well especially as Hosts have a written cancellation policy and Guests already have a travel insurance option.

 

...will give hosts discretion over whether to refund guests who can’t travel due to unexpected personal circumstances. The policy will continue to cover natural disasters and similar large-scale events.

 

Discretion to cancel has already been covered in the Hosts cancellation policy. So what's new? This is like saying - you have a cancellation policy but you can override it. That has always been the case.

 

Will Airbnb retain their service fees under such emotionally evocative cancellation situations?

 

Maybe these answers are covered in the video? I'll watch it given time.

 

 

Emilia42
Level 10
Orono, ME

@Ian-And-Anne-Marie0 The two policies are drastically different. Under the current EC policy, guests can get a complete refund because they have a common cold. If the guest is savvy enough they can basically get a full refund every time they cancel. The new policy is going to make that extremely difficult and give hosts back control over their chosen cancelation policy. There are now far fewer reasons for Airbnb to override it. At least that is how I read it, but we will see. 

To make it worse guests are now cancelling under the Covid policy reservations made last year at booked prices and re-booking the same dates with another host who is offering a discounted price due to the high vacancy created by Airbnb. Airbnb is not policing the abuse and allowing guests to abuse the policy and take advantage of the situation which is again placing the entire burden of an unfair cancellation policy on the host.

Debra300
Level 10
Gros Islet, Saint Lucia

This is just my speculation that I have about the lead time.

 

Personally, I think it would be great if the new EC policy could be implemented sooner than January 2021, but I believe that the lead time for enacting the new policy is needed to work on the systematic updates required to support the self-service capabilities that Catherine mentioned.  Most tech companies in the US usually have system freezes that begin at the latter part of November during Thanksgiving week and end the first week of January.  They may continue to do some development work and internal testing of new systems, but the only changes made in the production environment will be fixes to existing systems.  Another reason for the long lead time could be the availability of resources (many employees take time off during this period), and the time to obtain hardware or networking from vendors (e.g., it can take up 120 days to receive servers or have circuits set up).

 

 

Cathy820
Level 2
Doolin, Ireland

Hopefully Airbnb will actually implement and enforce the new policy. I do not have much faith in this as they are not sticking to their own policies at the moment. I just had a booking cancelled and refunded to a guest 3 days before arrival,  with absolutely no consultation with me. Booking.com have already informed guests and hosts that the final decision regarding cancellation of bookings made after April 2020 will be made by the host. AIRBNB hosts will now have uncertainty with all bookings from now until Christmas.  

Catherine-Powell
Global Head of Hosting
Global Head of Hosting
Malibu, CA

Hi @Debra300 ,

 

Thanks for your comments here--you are very insightful.

 

Yes, these are some of the main factors which prevent us from being able to make this change overnight. We also wanted to provide some lead time to better inform both hosts and guests about this update ahead of making the change.

 

Thanks,

Catherine

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