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.

[Michelle982]

Dear Sheila

Do you have a conscience at all? You are "proud" that you took money from a hard working host - just another human being trying to feed their families and pay their mortgage, even though you already had received a full refund through your insurance?

If this is the case, and I'm not mistaken, this is one of the scummiest things I've heard so far. And then for you to have the gaul to post it? You should be ashamed not proud. 

People like you will make some hosts feel they have no other option but to take their own lives, you are a big reason for their going bankrupt. Will you still be proud then? Probably - and then you will post about it.

If I have totally misunderstood your post - my sincerest apologies, but I've read it a few times and can't seem to get another angle from it.

[Sheila22]

Sorry for the confusion.  I was just 'putting on the voice' of a scoundrel Guest who is doing this double dipping. It's just what I'm imagining those Guest are thinking as they pull this stunt -- which many are doing.

[Jason-And-Krista0]

You scoundrel.  You should be ashamed of yourself.  You’re screwing hard working hosts who rely on their income and just cashing in on the vulnerable position Airbnb three them into.

[Krystal16]

@Sheila22 

ARE YOU SERIOUSLY A HOST WHO IS BRAGGING ABOUT GETTING $ BACK FROM YOUR INSURANCE TRAVEL COMPANY & ALSO GETTING IT BACK FROM AIRBNB.

COME ON YOU'RE A HOST YOU KNOW IT ISN'T AIRBNB YOU ARE GETTING THAT MONEY FROM YOU ARE GETTING IT FROM THE HOST WHO WAS GOING TO HOST YOU.  THEN YOU COME TO A BOARD TO BRAG ABOUT IT.

[Karen2410]

Which exactly email "blast" are you referring to? We (Hosts) only got an email saying they'd changed extenuating policy to include reservations up to April 1.

Glad about this because we'd already offered March Guests a chance to cancel (no penalty) or rebook in Summer. And didn't want AirBnB to rip them off with cancellation fees.

We are mostly concerned with additional cleaning/janitorial work required after guests arrive because there is no way to know who is carrying and who is healthy. And we need to protect what's left of our own family health.

That said, we are anticipating another popular Summer/Fall season and don't want guests to feel alienated permanently.

[Jeanni--and-Brent0]

The terms listed in 1.2-9.7 make Airbnb's Extenuating circumstances refund unenforceable. they literally are stealing your money.... read and be ready to discuss this and request your money be returned per your original policy. Also, Airbnb considers us, third party independent contractors as Hosts, they consider Guests members of their Travel business, however by them canceling your calendar and full refunding is an illegal act and they have stolen our money. their extenuating circumstance policy has no authority behind it ... the terms of their own agreement make it unenforceable read it and demand your money. please copy and paste to other Hosts you read are going through the same.

You can click on terms at the bottom of most pages and read for yourself.

[Vania-Leif-Lena0]

We have as superhosts also other apartmetns under another account. We agree that 50/50 is fair but 100% on the hosts are really a extremely bad treatment of all hosts that strive to make this be a living or part of living. This forced new policy by airbnb change our life conditions but to lose half payment of our expected income is really more fair situation. Do airbnb want us to sell our apartments...?  Show respect for us hosts that put so much hard work into this.

[Susan329]

New to this community posting I just have known about Airbnb policy have read but knew it would come 1 day.

AirBnB are unfair they have always considered the guest as their customer when the owners are the customer to them. No other company is doing this the host & guest should share this situation. The Airbnb policy suits guests and I hope the rest can now see this as Abnb are. We have known this but have had to use Abnb due to everyone else. The owners have more to loose than spread over the many guests who stay.

So Ghandhi used people power it worked for India. So as a community due to Airbnb giving full refunds when the owners or hosts have set the conditions and advised guests to take out insurance when they book. PEOPLE power just do not use Abnb and use the other quality sites that have been around for years before Abnb. Like Homeaway which has mny sites under their umbrella as in USA VRBO or Australia Stayz/homeaway. If we ALL use any other site other than Abnb then that is PEOPLE POWER eith abnb willhave to change their policy to be fair for the host and guest.

My point is we can do it together as no point commenting any further on Airbnb policy and corvo 19

[Marina1031]

Absolutely none!! They took 11 days to reopen my calendar after a guest “claimed” his flight was cancelled due to CoronaVirus. He took 3 days, that’s 2 nights I sat up waiting for him, he asked that I cancel the booking and give him a full refund.  Airbnb finally contacted me days later and asked me to refund his money. 
I said no. They said they had to wait for information from the guest but my calendar was reopened. It wasn’t. It was closed until they put a credit on my account for the full amount.  It’s such rubbish. Why should I pay for their bungling. 

[Theresa418]

Same. Well close to same. My guest never even left home to travel. I offered her DAYS ahead told her I needed to know if she wasn’t coming in. She said over and over she was. ABnB left me on hold for a 15 min wait time. The guest said she should get her money back from me, and now I’m in limbo. My days were not able to be unblocked so I will absolutely do this smithed way of ABnB does not stand up for me the host once again !!! I’m so mad right now. My guest for the upcoming weekend I contacted said “we will wait and see” I cannot “wait and see” and pay my rent. I cannot. So if I cancel them I will be penalized and lose 100.00, the weekend rental AND my status??? Should I go Gesd and cancel the guest? Advice???

[ONERüF0]

https://www.facebook.com/groups/146452959952167/  

Time to create a political force in the hosting world to combat local jurisdictions as well as hosting platforms from taking Hosts lightly...join us if you think it is time for a change.

[Dennis567]

AirBnb says they are our “Partners” but partners don’t hurt each other, they are supposed to help each other. By giving a full refund they are denying their partner any income at all. There are, in effect, asking hosts to take the entire loss by making travelers whole. Your hosts aren’t the cause of the coronavirus, yet they are causing them extreme financial hardship — many of whom will end up in bankruptcy.  That’s not what partners should do to each other.

I cannot host travelers under those conditions so I have delisted my rooms and guest houses with them. 

[Susan329]

AirBnB are unfair they have always considered the guest as their customer when the owners are the customer to them. No other company is doing this the host & guest should share this situation. The Airbnb policy suits guests and I hope the rest can now see this as Abnb are. We have known this but have had to use Abnb due to everyone else. The owners have more to loose than spread over the many guests who stay.

So Ghandhi used people power it worked for India. So as a community due to Airbnb giving full refunds when the owners or hosts have set the conditions and advised guests to take out insurance when they book. PEOPLE power just do not use Abnb and use the other quality sites that have been around for years before Abnb. Like Homeaway which has mny sites under their umbrella as in USA VRBO or Australia Stayz/homeaway. If we ALL use any other site other than Abnb then that is PEOPLE POWER eith abnb willhave to change their policy to be fair for the host and guest.

My point is we can do it together as no point commenting any further on Airbnb policy and corvo 19

[Keys-2-Joy0]

This last letter from airbnb about doing what is best for US is only putting salt on our wounds and insulting the intelligence of travelers. They are acting like big brother to a small child and it is so upsetting.

It feels like the majority of the decision has to do with public relations to your travelers. It will make airbnb look good in the eyes of travelers and  will get a short term boost of confidence from travelers.

Why not refund 50 or 60 or 70% of monies and let the host decide if they want to refund more?

It would have given the host a chance to do the right thing and make the traveler/host relationship stronger! Instead, they are creating a division among the two.

This total refund decision is pulling us apart and NOT together.

A small payout to the host would have gone to paying cleaners and others who rely on this income.  

[ONERüF0]

Anyone interested in building a "community" of hosts off of this Airbnb managed platform?  A place where we can discuss openly?    I couldn't agree more and some recent experiences where Airbnb flatly denied a claim of 150.00 due to a guest putting firewood in a gas fireplace - then refused to pay the cost of cleaning up the mess...and several others including vomit they refused to pay for...then this Covid 19 handling.  We need a voice...