COVID-19 Hosts penalised

[Zoe78]

I feel very upset and confused that Airbnb have just announced that between 15th March-15th April, any guest from anywhere in the world can cancel and the host faces 100% of the financial burden. I completely understand why guests need to cancel their trips at the moment with health scares and the COVID19 situation but it’s not fair that the host ends up with absolutely nothing. We have mortgages and bills to pay and are reliant on Airbnb as an income. I’m so surprised that Airbnb haven’t offered any help to their hosts in a time of crisis. It’s so disappointing. Remember Airbnb you couldn’t operate without your hosts. Really hope all the hosts out there are ok and to the Airbnbs guests too. Stay safe 

[April161]

Yes I feel the same way. I made a post about this. March 31st was reasonable. Now April 14th thats an entire month no not reasonable. and then changing the policy by the day. so this could go right into June, and then what? I understand that this is severe and that it's no ones fault but some hosts are not going to be able to survive this. So I don't know there is no solution The burden has to sort of be split 50/50 wt this point with hosts and guests.. thats just my opinion..

[Donald194]

Hi

I, too, feel it is grossly unfair, and have written to AirBnB in the following terms:

Good day

I'm afraid I can not continue to do business with an organisation which so totally disregards the interests of its partners. In the morning I will examine the cost implications of this disastrous policy.  Clearly, I can have no confidence in an organisation which treats its partners with such shameful contempt.  I would expose my business to even greater risk if I continue in a relationship knowing that you are likely to make similar policy changes indiscriminately relating to reservations covering a different time frame in the future.

I'd be very surprised if most, if not all, of your host partners do not feel likewise, and choose to cancel all reservations made with Airbnb.   

Will you not stress to the guests affected that you are obliged, both morally and legally, to stand by the agreements you have made with your partner hosts, and offer assistance to these guests to provide evidence to assist them with claims against their travel insurance companies?

Clearly, if you were applying this change of policy when hosts had agreed to it because they were unable to accept guests due to the virus, that would be very different, but to unilaterally and indiscriminately apply this policy, knowing that your hosts will have no resort to an insurance claim, and may well be put out of business, is morally obscene.

Kind Regards

I await a reply.  This unfair revision is, in my view, likely to put many hosts out if business

[Thomas1888]

Good statement. I'm in Germany and will shortly cancel all my bookings and will then leave Airbnb alltogether. My prediction is that Airbnb will no longer be in business at the end of this year (the latest).

All the best and stay safe,

Thomas

[Donald194]

Booking.com, Expedia, HomeAway and all the other agencies we deal with are trying to help their hosts through a difficult time, but AirBnB seem intent on putting us out of business.  

This could happen repeatedly over the coming season.

It will probably be wiser to cancel all AirBnB bookings and rely on other agencies to take up the slack. 

[Rebecca1245]

You have a very good point. Here’s one solution. Airbnb suggests to guests who have to cancel that they “tip” their hosts, say 10 to 20 percent, out of courtesy. In other words, guests accept an 80 or 90 percent refund even though they are entitled to full refund. I have seen this suggestion being made in other industries that are also being effected by the crisis (for example, tip your hairstylist even if you can’t come in for your regular haircut, donate the money from your theater or concert tickets back to the artists whose living depends in ticket sales. )

[Scott222]

I am in agreement as a fellow super host.   This is a devastating situation with massive financial losses to the tourism industry and hosts, ESPECIALLY on the AIRBNB PLATFORM. 

 As hosts, we are ONE family, that has been forced to absorb the costs of multiple families and travelers over multiple weeks.  Our financial loss is multiplied several times over our guests for this fact and strains our ability to make mortgage payments, pay taxes, insurance, and so forth.  Unfortunately, there is no way for hosts to protect against this loss unlike guests who can purchase travel insurance for a minimal fee.   As hosts, we cannot purchase” travel" insurance for unforeseen events other than to require cancellation polices.  To place all the burden on a host is unfortunate and overwhelming.  HOSTS SHOULD HAVE SOME PROTECTION!!!! For example... the ability to..

1. Offer a credit toward future stays   (LIKE MY AIRLINE JUST DID WHEN I HAD TO CHANGE MY PLANS FOR APRIL BREAK , I WAS NOT OFFERED A REFUND)
2. Offer the option to change dates
3. Offer a partial refund
4. Allow guests to purchase Travel Insurance directly on the platform (btw all travelers can buy travel insurance even for AIRBNB thru a 3rd party - I ran a quote online for approximately $125 to protect a $5000 trip for 4).  
5. ALLOW HOSTS TO COLLECT SECURITY DEPOSITS (ANOTHER WAY AIRBNB DOES NOT PROTECT HOSTS-which would prevent party homes, and damage from unruly guests)
6. Allow guests to have longer cancellation periods (AIRBNB charges a 5% fee to hosts for any of their "Super Strict" polices" - VRBO nothing)

On my larger homes, that are booked by 5 families I must now take the brunt of their shared expense as my SOLE loss over multiple weeks. 

VRBO/HOMEAWAY allows hosts to work thru this with the guests, I was able to move one guest, offer a 50% refund to another, AND ONE GUEST DID CANCEL BUT HAD TRAVEL INSURANCE!!!! SO, I was able to keep my rental income!! PHEW!!  I BOOK on average $80,000 a month on AIRBNB and a decent amount on VRBO- I AM NOW MOVING ALL MY BOOKINGS FOR MY LARGER HOMES TO VRBO.  I cannot afford to host on a platform that does not protect its hosts.  

[Geraldine258]

Dear Founders,

Dear Members of the AirBnB Team,

As a Superhost with 2 properties on your platform for more than 5 years now, I must admit that, so far, compared to other platforms such as Homelidays and Booking on which our properties are also « on sale », I considered your platform as being very competitive and responsive to markets needs.

 I am very much afraid that this might not be the case after the Covid crisis during which impulsive and mercenary decisions were made last Saturday the 14th of March, overruling the position, investment commitments and interests of property owners on which your business relies. Should we be partners,  as mentioned in all your messages, why didn’t you act so ?

So far, our loss is estimated to more than 5k€ until mid-April. By chance, this loss has been limited since reservations in March-April were operated mainly through other platforms than Airbnb on which we could manage our cancellations reasonably with our clients. Explaining them that in such exceptional circumstances, it is important to share the risk in order to avoid creating very damaging blocks within some sectors and to continue encouraging the business flow although a minima. All our clients were convinced and accepted our arguments.

In addition to overruling our cancelation rules, how can we accept as partners that your could benefit and naturally fructify the cash of our clients for several months on our backs ? Whereas you do even not suggest sharing these benefits ?

Lastly, as a company which reflects the emerging trend of the “sharing” economy, how can we maintain our trust in your platform in such conditions ?

Looking forward to an appropriate reaction on your side, 

Geraldine, a very active but very shocked Superhost

[Gerhard4]

Realize this !: the corona virus is a burden for everyone, but the decision from Airbnb to invoke the extenuating circumstances policy is a not fair policy. The AirBnB CEO like to write a nice piece that we are all in this together  and that AirBnB is not receiving any funds with the cancelation is off course not in the same level.
Most Hosts are on the platform , not because of a hobby, but as a business. We all have set up our specific terms and conditions to protect our business, AirBnB is handling as if they are the ones doing the actual work, but as they told a judge when being sued, they tell the world they are only a platform.. 
when people make travel arrangements they are making a financial commitment, and that is why people who travel (unless they have enough money to burn) get a travel insurance in case something happens, and they will not loose all their money . the insurance will payout when they are not able to travel for a legitimate reason.
Now what airbnb is doing, making the travelers problem, the problem for the hosts who rely on the income from the hosting platform. 
the travelers (again) are protected already!!

hosts can not insure themselves if guests are not able to arrive.

Airbnb should leave it up to the host incase the host do want to refund more than is required. now AirBnB is just being the boss over all of us...

...

this is not the first time AirBnB is acting selfishly, during hurricanes in florida , they like to advertise that they are the ones (get even in the news) to provide free stays for evacuees.

but in reality the hosts are the ones who will cary this burden..

I have opened the last few hurricanes some of our homes open specifically for evacuees who are traveling with pets since they have the hardest time to find a place. AirBnB still likes to take credit for that!! NOT GOOD.

The corona virus is effecting all of us, but with the " so called help" of airbnb the scales are unfairly tipping over!!!

leaving the hosts becoming victims !!!.. 

[Lyle-and-Vivian0]

We agree!

The CEO's message yesterday was encouraging until we went to apply for the $5000 GRANT. He failed to mention the criteria which makes it unavailable to Superhosts with more that 2properties in spite of our expenses being the highest.
It is of no help to us and it's unfair that Airbnb would 'cherry pick' who they will help and who they won't. Very disappointing, financially & emotionally.

Many hosts will not survive this and if like us, have depended to heavily on Airbnb only to make us be the insurance company for guests who have an option to have a credit card that includes trip cancellation or purchase it when there is no such insurance for hosts.

All platforms should insist on or provide this insurance for guests & hosts. They could make a fortune & we wouldn't even need cancellation policies 

[Thomas977]

https://youtu.be/D4T1k9SJFds

[Julie3376]

I hear you all and I'm in full agreement.  Last year, Airbnb's gross revenue was $4,308,726,681.  The whole thing stinks!

[Alex-and-Vaughan0]

---

@Julie3376 wrote:

Last year, Airbnb's gross revenue was $4,308,726,681. 

---

Revenue isn't profit. According to this article on Vox Airbnb hasn't been doing well, even before the virus hit:

https://www.vox.com/2020/2/12/21134477/airbnb-loss-profit-ipo-safety-tech-marketing

In the first nine months of 2019, the home-sharing company posted a loss of $322 million, according to the Wall Street Journal. In the same period a year earlier it had a profit of $200 million. The company did manage to post a profit in the third quarter of 2019, but it was lower than Q3 2018, as rising expenses outpaced rising revenue.

[Laurel130]

I'm absolutely devastated.  Airbnb is (was) most of my income.  I have two units.  I had a guest in unit A booked from Feb 1 to April 4th.  I had a guest in Unit B from March 1 to May 15.  The guest in A cancelled and left a few days ago.  The guest in Unit B left this morning.  ... looking for a job now, which seems kinda hopeless in this crazy time.

[Linda1633]

I am concerned about exposing myself to the virus while cleaning the apartment after a guest leaves.  Even if I hire a cleaning person, I would feel responsible if they were infected while cleaning after a guest, or if the guest was infected, it is possible that not all viruses on all surfaces would be eradicated, and that the next guest could be infected.  This is an unprecedented situation, and I am fortunate in that I am not dependent on my Airbnb Income to survive.  I feel for those of you who do, and I understand your feeling that Airbnb does not have your back on this one.  Travel insurance is a good possibility.