Covid-19 crisis & why I feel let down by Airbnb!

[Yossi8]

As most of you out there, all of my bookings got cancelled. I don’t blame guests who have to cancel because they have no way of fulfilling their trips. However, Airbnb kept changing the goal posts on a daily basis re what we should be refunding and I feel almost bullied into refunding trips in the future months when we’re not certain what will actually be happening. No help to hosts, being a super-host counts for nothing, is being offered. None whatsoever! Yet it’s us who are taking the brunt! Guests get refunded! Airbnb makes so much money anyway. And lately Airbnb introduced some super flexible cancellation policy filter to entice guests to book. Now how does this benefit us? It benefits Airbnb & only Airbnb because they get their hands on the guests money to help their cash flow. And when guests cancel it’s the hosts who get screwed! Anyone agrees? 

[Nady0]

You are so nice and it's what all of us mast fellow it! I agree if I was not in need! Situation are different! That's what I posted earlier! 

I am a middle age single parent with 2 small kids also disabled person that not able to work, so I rent out 2 rooms from our  (only living in) place. What we get from Airbnb is our only income. The cancellation and not having guest, made our life like a hell! I can't afford our experience and don't know what to do! Why Airbnb not cover people like us (that was benefited for them for years!). As list they can give us some loan (even with a little interest) untill we pass this days!

Is there anyone that can help us by telling us what kind of help we can get please? (No from banks as I don't have a good credit score). I thank you all that helping us by directing and showing any possibility! 

[Shaun56]

Heads up, Airbnb is not giving back 25%. they are giving back 25% of what we would have got it they had canceled through our policy, which is 50%, so 25% of 50%, or 12.5%

An insult really. 

Oh ands by the way, in some cases, they kept our money (100% of it), did not refund it to the guest, and instead gave the guest a voucher. (which wont be used at our place by the way most likely)

[Gilly17]

Yes, it extraordinary that Airbnb is expecting the host to shoulder the burden. 

We are the sacrificial pig !For every disgruntled and bankrupt host there are at least 100 happy guests.

The oily way that Chesky announced that he was 'helping us' by giving 25% , masked the fact that ,in effect he was taking 25% away, by extending the full refund date to May 31st.  Brutus!!!!

Begging from previous guests to help us.....what? Stop micro dosing and start macro helping us ,instead of pretending to.

[ElenaandNick0]

Let me correct you there if you don't mind, its actually 25% from your 50% (for strict cancellation policies) so what you get is 12.5%. Does this looks like "carrying" for hosts to you?

[Melanie82]

@Gilly17  

I too am very unhappy with the way Airbnb are handling this whole situation . I was especially disheartened to read that they will be going to previous guests for handouts .   I have just had word from Airbnb that we WILL be given an option to opt out of this . What a pity this was not made clear in the announcement or has this been altered since that Monday announcement because of the back lash they have received . This question could not be answered by the customer service rep I spoke to 😂

Anyway , I wish you good luck for future reservations . 

[Wendy1071]

@Maarten10 discussing options that hosts feel would be fair, should be in place, want in place, are available on other platforms and so on are irrelevant. Other than allowing for an airing of emotion and support from other likeminded hosts Airbnb’s E/C policies are on their site and agreed to by everyone who uses the site.   

[Maarten10]

@Wendy1071 From a legal perspective (i.e. what are our rights and obligations) they might be irrelevant like you say, but I think the point of a Community forum is precisely to discuss options to improve the platform we all use. I like to think that Airbnb reads some of the ideas and takes them into account (Apple, for example, is known to do this).

[Yossi8]

@Maarten10 fair point. Do you know what other similar platforms are doing? From personal experience I know that my family had a villa booked in Florida through a travel agent for 2 weeks in April starting 4th April and we were denied a refund/any kind of refund. The family member who did the booking had to claim the cost through their insurance who actually paid out!!!

[Tiff0]

@Maarten10  Your observation is spot on. VRBO’s response to this is much better. VRBO paid me for a cancellation due to COVID 19. The guest asked me for a refund or the potential to come back at a later date. I did not have to honor either request but in the spirit of supporting guests I opted to allow the guest to come back (if I am still hosting by the date he wants to come back). 

I am perplexed at why AirBNB would not offer a travel coupon for future travel. Every guest will travel in the future.

Also many of my cancellations were not due directly to COVID 19 and AirBNB contradicted the Extenuating circumstances policy by not asking for verification for cancellation. 

AirBNB needs to do some soul searching on their treatment of their partners. The CEO’s announcement for giving us pennies on the dollar for the money owed to us is a joke. The idea that they are going to continue abuse by being able to refund future reservations is unsustainable. 

[Miljan3]

Through my years of (super)hosting on AirBnb and also as a guest, AirBnb has demonstrated not to care about the hosts nor about the guests. AirBnb doesn't care about supporting us when things go awry, instead the company is careful to wash their hands from accountability. The company only shows concern for their commission and for avoiding accountability.

It was situation after situation that consistently painted this picture.

I agree with @Yossi9 that there is pressure on hosts to accept more risky hosting practices (instant booking, flexible cancelation policy).

That's all why I was not surprised when AirBnb unilaterally took away from hosts the decision about refunds during this crisis.

Having said all that, I was very much surprised today to read that AirBnb is prepared to take over some of the losses and support the hosts. It's definitely a step in the right direction even beyond this crisis!  The initial announcement is not very heavy on details about this program, so we have to wait and see how this really plays out.

[Gilly17]

That is because they have extended the date  for full refund to the 31st of May.....so ,if you have a strict cancellation policy ,they have TAKEN AWAY , NOT GIVEN 25%

[Maarten10]

The gesture by Airbnb to take part of the losses is really a gesture. I think by now they have realized the mess they made. The excuse of protecting guests' health being the only reason is not valid, since rescheduling and credits are perfectly viable alternatives that are reasonable for ALL parties without endangering anybody's health.

They would pay 25% of the amount the host would be entitled to based on their cancellation policy.

In my case, I had Strict cancellation policy with the guest receiving 50% refund up to 7 days before their stay.

First of all, cancellation is highly unlikely with a 50% forfeiture. With Airbnb's new policy, however, cancellation is guaranteed and the host has zero leverage to try to agree rebooking or a credit. On top of that, Airbnb only pays me 12.5% of the rental amount (25% of 50%) and even less if you are a host with more flexible cancellation policies than Strict.

[Cormac0]

@Layles0 

You sound like a man that drinks at Weatherspoon's.

Quite simply,  while they where holding their apartment available for your use they could have been long term renting it, now do you understand.

[Andrew883]

All of this sounds similar to my experience. I do have a question about the current proposed 25% compensation.

It says 25% of what the host would have received according to their cancellation policy.

Where does this leave people with flexible cancellations, as in the cancellations heavily requested by Airbnb themselves, to give guests a greater peace of mind.

Does this mean they get nothing? For being generous?

[Laurence-and-Jean-Michel0]

Yes, in case of flexible cancellations, you get 25% of 0.

What's even worse is that now that Airbnb is advertising how generous they are with the hosts, travellers will have even less incentives to keep their reservation active