Airbnb completely threw their hosts under a bus regarding Covid-19

[James207]

Why exactly are we being told to bear 100% of the financial burden of this? Oh, right, because Airbnb doesn't actually care about the hosts or their financial well being.

And we aren't Marriott, or United or Airbnb that will probably get bail outs from the government.  We just get slammed with the fall out.

The costs for cancellation should be split 50/50. If the guest took out travel insurance then it won't be an issue for them. It always, always seems to fall on the hosts to eat the costs if there's adverse weather or events and guests want to cancel. It's incredibly frustrating.

[Reyume0]

As devastating as this whole ordeal has been, I am comforted reading all these messages and outrage because finally we must do something. I’m my 5 years of hosting, I have never felt more violated, used and disposable because of Airbnb’s one sided treatment. They had the audacity to release an email saying how they are striving for equal treatment. What the hell is equal about this? We have no way to pay bills! The simplest thing to do is to give the guest credit for the half of the money not refunded. Let’s face it, we are the backbone of this despicable site and yet we are treated like trash. I am more than willing to join any legal action and any community forum not hosted by Airbnb. If there is any for hosts, please someone respond.

[Jake4]

We need to take actions as hosts. 

[Zivka1]

Ok, fellow hosts, I have one potential way we can send a unified message to Airbnb.  If you have Instant Booking on, turn it off.   I turned Instant Booking off on one of my listings several months ago because Airbnb allowed a group of guests to cancel and receive a 100% refund on my ski cabin that had a strict cancellation policy because 'it was snowing at the ski resort or somewhere maybe in the area or somewhere where one of the guests was maybe coming from.'  They were never quite sure about that but they were certain that it was snowing somewhere.

However, when I then turned Instant Book off for that property, Airbnb flipped out!  At the top of my Inbox on my mobile app it now says "Do you have all the facts about Instant Book?  Take this 1 minute quiz and test your savvy.'  I get a barrage of emails about how wonderful Instant Book is.  It constantly pops up on the banners when I am on my laptop trying to get me to turn it back on.

I have five other properties on Airbnb and I just went out to all of them and turned off Instant Book.  Go to Booking Settings to do this.  To turn Instant Book off you have to go through about five levels of menus to make it as difficult to turn off as possible and at the end they still ask you why you don't want to use Instant Book.  I selected Other Reason and put the following text in the comment box:

"Due to Airbnb's extremely unfair Coronavirus Extenuating Circumstances policy of allowing guests to cancel and receive 100% refunds even though I have a strict cancellation policy, I will only be accepting guests that I am certain will not be abusing that policy."

I know a lot of you already don't use Instant Book, but turning off Instant Book appears to be one thing that captures Airbnb's attention.  Maybe because of the risk that while the guest is waiting for a host to respond to their booking request the guest might go onto another booking platform and book that same property (since many of us are on multiple platforms) or a similar property and then just come back to Airbnb and cancel their booking request (which they absolutely can do at any time before the host accepts it) and Airbnb loses the guest to another platform.

[Kristin108]

Thank you for this insight...

I am going to try it. Nothing to lose, right?

Hope you don't mind, I am copying and pasting your well worded comment as to why I am canceling....

[Brenda328]

@Zivka1  This is actually my original posting.  Feel free to copy and share but include my username please.

Thanks!

[Zivka1]

This is original post by Brenda328 

My apologies to Brenda328   

[Jeff-and-Pam0]

I understand that VRBO is not forcing its hosts to give refunds; it's up to the host. Does VRBO traditionally supports its hosts better than Airbnb?

We were offering the Strict Cancellation Policy's 50% nonrefundable amount as a credit toward a future stay. Some guests appreciated it; one opened a dispute. Guests who book under the Strict Cancellation Policy should be held to it. Otherwise, why have the cancellation policies at all? In a situation like this, both hosts and guests must work together. 

[Jennifer-and-Daniel0]

I completely agree! I think Airbnb knows that hosts won't leave their platform even after they throw us under the bus like this. Seams all they care about is appeasing the guests so that they will book more stays in the future therefor creating more revenue through the fees Airbnb collects.  Plus, as Airbnb looks to IPO, it would look bad if, by pitching in themselves, they show losses on the balance sheet.  God forbid they take the high road and contribute as a company. After all we as hosts provide half the marketplace they have, and will continue, to profit so highly from.  If Airbnb won't step up financially, then they should at the very least split it 50/50.  Give us the option to give back what we can, and keep what we need.

[Jake4]

Without hosts, Airbnb will have nothing to offer. 
I say we stage a massive boycott. That’s the only way they will listen to us!!

[Bob39]

This is a breach of contract between AirBnB and the hosts. AirBnB violated the contract by allowing guests to cancel without penalties, despite the hosts' cancellation policy. There needs to be a class action suit brought by the hosts against AirBnB.

[Kristin108]

I'm down with that Bob. Sign me up...

[Zivka1]

Sharing the pain between hosts and guests is the most fair thing to do. 
both parties made a commitment in the face of uncertainty (which exists under all circumstances) so why should hosts bear the full financial burden of an “act of god,” which is neither party’s fault?

[Kristin108]

This is not an act of god, its a virus. 

[Sheila22]

Anything can happen.  Buy CFAR travel insurance or suck it up like an adult-- whiners!  I don't like how the Airbnb execs are all over the news-waves declaring that they are such nobel and selfless good samaritans returning refunds to all Guests  (neglecting to mention that it is on the backs of their trusting Hosts!)  Sick and evil!

[Rachel1549]

Absolutely, I would never have entered into this Airbnb world if I ever thought I would be refunding 100%. No business would do this.