Coronavirus and Extenuating Circumstances - A Host Perspective

[Tom-And-Rene0]

We have properties in Bali.  Just a quick paraphrase of the many conversations that we are having with guests and AirBnB right now.

From Guest:

Dear Host,
We want to cancel our stay next week because of Coronavirus because we don't want to travel from Australia (70+ cases) / Germany (670 Cases) / France (653 cases) etc. etc.  to Bali (no cases at all).  We await our 100% refund.

Yours truly

Your Guest

From AirBnB:

Dear Host,
Your guest has contacted us and is unable to travel due to the Coronavirus. We have therefore given them a 100% refund under our Extenuating Circumstances Policy. I am sure you as a host are happy with this policy as if a host has to cancel a booking due to Coronavirus, we also give 100% back to the guests.  Either way the host receives no payment at all and so AirBnB is being entirely even handed and fair. 

 
We realise that it is now far too late for anyone else to book your property, but that is not our concern.  Our only concern is to make sure guests book through us again, and by over-riding the cancellation policy the guests agreed to and refusing to consider any travel insurance the guest may have, making the host give a 100% refund is the best way for us to do that.

We wish you all the best of luck in somehow magically finding a way to keep paying the salaries for your staff (we understand you are a fully serviced villa) and covering your villa bills and running costs and lastly finding a bit of cash for yourselves as we understand your properties your only source of income. If you don't then don't worry that is not any concern of AirBnB.

AirBnB values your business

Yours Truly

A Very Junior Person in AirBnB

[Will283]

AirBnB has that 'host guarantee' thing that should cover this.  

Why doesn't AirBnB's Host promis guarantee thing cover these cancellations?  Why should we as hosts cover cancellations that are outside the policy that we agreed on?

Or if guests don't have travel insurance they should be responsible.  I didn't agree to this.  I still have to pay my rents, property taxes and mortgages so will lose a lot or I will go under as a business.  I will likely close some of my airbnb

Airbnb should cover these cancelations with their own cash reserves, loans or the guests should.

I can't believe Airbnb thinks they have the right to just refund it without any input.

I am going to have to shut down two of my airbnbs now.  They refunded my money last minute.  It wasn't theres to refund.  The people didn't even show reasons except they felt fear of something negative happening.  Not actual reasons. 

Airbnb should pay if they're allowing a 100% refund

[Rose123]

I'm so sorry this is happening to you. I'm in the same boat. Not sure whether to pull the plug after over 10 years of hosting, but if I can't meet my overheads and this plunges me into instant debt, I don't have the choice. This policy change has taken away our rights and our dignity.

[Sally696]

Totally agree, hosts are being unfairly penalised and a 50% refund would be a better compromise.
Air B and B are being so shortsighted here, they are going to loose a lot of hosts by having this policy , we will be forced to use other providers, or long term let outside of the holiday market, or get out houses repossessed if we can’t pay our mortgages! Then air B and B will collapse with no hosts! 

[Melodie-And-John0]

Ive had the most liberal cancellation policy, guests can cancel up to 24 hours out and still get my share of the booking back.  Thats happened a bunch of times in the last 3 years but Im also sure that Ive gotten far more bookings because of that policy than Ive lost because of a cancellation.  Were also less resort vacation stay and more short 1 or 2 night lodging bookings so no one cancellation has really cost us that much.   

That said, Ive had 10 cancellations in the last four days that were anywhere from 48 hours out to 2 weeks away and that has hit us in the bank account a bit hard.  Luckily this isnt the most expensive or highest booked season of the year, Im just hoping warmer weather and community immunity kicks in sooner than later...

[Anna8703]

I feel and hope that this will backfire on Airbnb. So many hosts rely on their rentals as their sole income to automatically give 100% refunds to guests hurts the host more. As a guest may lose a few hundred dollars,  hosts stand to lose thousands. Offering a 50% refund or allowing the host to mange their own policies would be fair. I think a lot of people will switch to a different OTA after this. 

[Miriam271]

Does Airbnb read these or comment?  We just had 3 cancelations to our place in La Jolla.  We are a super host.  The travelers should buy insurance, that is how this should work.  I called Airbnb and they tried to tell me that "Trump passed a law" that says they have to do this.  The call was recorded by Airbnb if you don't believe me.  When I pushed and said that there have been no laws passed he then said "Trump said so".  This is completely insane that hosts should bare all the costs if they have a strict no cancelation policy.  It also means we can pay our employees who are also dependent on the costs.  Class action?

[Sheila22]

I have made it very clear that if you do not buy travel insurance you are assuming all risk.  This is part of my House Rules which they agree to when the book.    This should be binding.  Everything in Hose Rules should be a binding contract because Guests agree to it when they book.  Why does Airbnb have the right to refund guest who did agreed to this contract?

[Laura-and-Val0]

So Airbnb's response to this crisis for hosts is to offer us tools to;

Refund hosts ourselves - instead of referring to a policy, they make it personal and we will appear to be punishing & profiting off the situation if we try to retain anything for ourselves.  I assume they just don't want to have to pay staff to handle the refund claims any more.  

Penalise those of us who have a strict cancellation policy by prioritising listings with a flexible policy - which isn't worth the 'toilet paper it's written on anyway (pun intended), because they will override it in favour of the guests.

The have also offered to automatically release our dates in the case of a cancellation and not charge us fees on money we didn't get.

Wow, I feel so valued & supported!  Thanks Airbnb!

How many here are looking at other hosting options?  I know I will be...

[Will283]

Airbnb doesn't care about hosts

[Sheila22]

Airbnb is changing goal posts.  Airbnb is refunding guests who cancelled by choice prior to the new policy today.  A guest who was travelling domestically cancelled last week by her own choice.  Today Airbnb included domestic guests in extenuating circumstances policy, even if the guest's travel is not restricted.  BUT I SAW TODAY THAT AIRBNB REFUNDED THAT GUEST today.  This is ridiuclous.  Their policy made today is retroactive!!!!!!?  Where else in what industry is such a thing legal?  Airbnb is so AWFUL TO HOSTS!

[Sheila22]

I for one know that Airbnb is assisting Guests to violate the terms of agreement set out in my House Rules.  Here are my House Rules:

"READ MY HOUSE RULES AND MY WHOLE LISTING -- ALL DETAILS -- THOROUGHLY BEFORE BOOKING. When you book, you are agreeing to the House Rules and acknowledge that you have thoroughly read through the listing and are aware of everything that I have honestly stated. Please ask questions before booking for any clarity about my listing.

*****IMPORTANT: Please carefully review my cancellation policy. Airbnb does not have this Host's permission to override this Host's cancellation policy for any reason. I highly encourage you to obtain travel insurance to cover any unforeseen reasons you may need to cancel this booking. You are acknowledging that this booking is a binding contract with the Host, and you are adhering to the Host's cancellation policy solely when you secure your booking of this space. You have read, understood and are agreeing to this rule and all house rules when you secure your booking of this space.***** "

[Monica1627]

Did it stop Airbnb from overwriting it and issue full refund in favor of your cancelled guest?

[Sheila22]

NO!!  As I understand it the House Rules are Terms of Agreement that Airbnb is supposed to honor.  Who holds Airbnb accountable for anything?  Airbnb certainly doesn't hold Guests accountable for anything.    Obviously we know we assume all the risk in these transactions.  I can file with small claims as this counts as an in writing contract.

[Logan48]

Airbnb doesn't let house rules override their own rules. Some other competitors do.

[Vad254]

A little explainer why Airbnb made this policy. 

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2020-03-11/airbnb-refuses-guests-refunds-amid-virus-cancella...