During COVID-19 Fellow Hosts are an embarrassment!!

[Ginny30]

I am embarrassed by the entitlement some of my fellow hosts are having during COVID-19 epidemic.  The world does not revolve around your rental property or mine!  Airbnb has my full support in issuing 100% refunds during this time. 
This entitlement to thinking Airbnb should pay you according to your cancellation policy is absurd.  All of us are “self employed” with Airbnb, we pay them a small percentage to advertise, showcase and handle our bookings.

There is nothing more important to me then my health, the health of others in my community and the health of my guests!  Welcoming guests to my property right now could potentially expose them, myself and my community to this daily growing virus.  We don’t know if they have been exposed to the virus and they don’t know if I have!  
I have a feeling you would still be complaining even if they would go with your cancellation policy.  This is a global problem and their are people out there financially suffering much more than you are!  Airbnb or any other rental company should never be considered your main source of income period!  There...rant over

[Juan63]

@Barbara2157 Very narrow minded if you think hosts are making a profit right now. You should introduce me since you know so much about hosts. Simply, put there was a much better way of sorting this out, and demonizing hosts for trying just to squeak by, is gross.

[Hadrian1]

@Ginny30 Everyone's situation is different. There are many guests that truly affected and many that took advantage of the whole situation. Every case should be reviewed individually based on various factors. I think many people that have different opinions than yours do not necessarily mean that the world revolves around their listings. Your message is full of hatred and ignorance.

[Ame5150]

Thank you to all the hosts who are considering their guest's circumstances when receiving cancellation requests. It's not an easy time for anyone and we're all in this together! I am nurse who had my request for refund (mid April booking) denied. My leave was cancelled by my employer as I am understandably required to work. It is disappointing that this has happened as I have no way of knowing who the trustworthy hosts are and will be taking my vacation accomodation bookings in future back to hotels/serviced apartments. 

[Lawrene0]

@Ame5150 , I completely understand you wanting to leave the platform, but just before you go, consider that there may be an answer for you, moving forward, within the platform.

Now, you are equating "trustworthy" with getting a full refund, is that right? I would argue that hosts with a strict cancellation policy are trustworthy enough. They are holding to the terms to which you agreed when you booked. Those who are refunding past April 14 are not necessarily more trustworthy than those who are not. More able to, perhaps.

But that aside, you could just book in future with hosts with a flexible cancellation policy. Those of us with flexible cancellation policies are refunding right and left. Guests are happy. We're sad, of course, but not angry. 

We all choose the policy that works best for us, and guests can choose hosts with the policy that works best for them. 

And now all that aside, thank you for your work. Stay safe. 

[Susan17]

Let's talk about embarrassing, shall we? What's toe-curlingly embarrassing is a multi-billion dollar corporation trying to convince potential investors of their "trustworthiness", by way of a rigged, skewed survey, that a 5 year old would see through. Not a very wise strategy, attempting to mug off the very people you're desperately needing to bankroll your firm's survival.

Note the dates of the survey - 13 - 16 March. True to form, Airbnb conducted their sham of a "survey" - ostensibly, designed to demonstrate the "trust" and confidence users have in their brand - on the very same weekend they circulated their global press release, blasting out all over the world's media the exciting news of their super-generous 100% No-Questions-Asked Full Refund Policy, For Every Guest, On Every Booking. The optimal timing for the company's generosity to be fresh and foremost in guests' consciousness, when answering Airbnb's loaded questions. Jaw-droppingly cynical behaviour, and not exactly a stunt one should pull with seasoned moneymen.

Here's What Airbnb Is Confidentially Telling Investors About A New Survey

https://skift.com/2020/03/24/heres-what-airbnb-is-confidentially-telling-potential-investors-about-a...

[Ute42]

.

Hi @Susan17  , 

I just read the article. Interesting question airbnb asked potential guests for the survey :):)

If I had to travel,

• I would feel more comfortable staying at a hotel where there
  are lots of other people (26 percent agreed).

• I would feel more comfortable staying at an Airbnb where it’s
  just me and my family (74 percent).

Let's do another survey. Here we go:

In times of COVID-19, what would you prefer to be Your main source of income

• being a host on airbnb

• working for the federal government

[Susan17]

 Hi @Ute!

Lol! Yeah, farcical, isn't it? But you'll still have all the evangelists marching to the beat of the Airbnb drum, no matter what low-life, *cute hoor behaviour the company engages in. They need  to take a long hard look in the mirror before lecturing to the rest of us plebs on what we should and shouldn't be embarrassed about ;))

*cute hoor - a new phrase for your collection. You can find several accurately descriptive meanings on Urban Dictionary ;))

[Susan17]

@Ute42 

Sorry, didn't tag you properly there!

[Manasui0]

no body is not effected by this pandemic.. some people is ignorant cause they think they are helping people by renting their place for a really cheap rent, by saying they are stuck or have no money.. 

no refugee ever try to find a place by paying really small amount of money in Private villas.. a private villa can be provided more to a useful act toward this pandemic .. 

there many other safe place that cost lower in upkeep, to reduce your cost.. 

we are in emergency people.. is not a holiday.. let's make it useful. for each other

[Andrew883]

"This entitlement to thinking Airbnb should pay you according to your cancellation policy is absurd"

(from the original post)

It also screws over those with flexible policies.

If there is ANY compensation to be given out, it should be a set % of what would have been earned.

I have a flexible policy, and Airbnb is about to reward those with the policy the exact OPPOSITE of what they want.

[Shash44]

You see, everyone says this but the reality is, when you as a host issue a refund, there are two issues that arise.  Reality, which is hosts do not have privileges to refund taxes and airbnb fees.  So really you go and you click to refund, why?  Because you haven't even been paid.  Why would a user interface be designed, to force the host, to do the work of customer service, and deny us the privilege of returning taxes and fees.  That my fellow hosts can cost you a week or more in hand holding and babysitting the guest getting their money back and you get nothing.  Then, when they request their money back, under COVID19 policy, it asks you, during that refund.  Can you host?  If you say yes, it tells the guest, you are declining their refund.  If you say no, and you can host, why would accept that or even tolerate for one second on Airbnb?  

[Kia272]

@Ginny30  I'm SO glad you posted this! I have been thinking the same thing since the pandemic started. When you run an AirBnB, you are running a business. There are no guarantees in life. Just as the corner cafe suffered its business loss, many other businesses are doing the same, AirBnB hosts being some of them. Get a grip, people! Are you really going to take money from a person who had to cancel through no fault of their own? It's a pandemic! Lives are at stake. Get over your selfish entitlement and get a grip. And jeez....AirBnB did some righteous stuff, by paying what they could to hosts. That's above and beyond. Just sayin'.......

[Emilia42]

I stumbled across this review the other day. A guest who understands that hosts are struggling too. I suppose this guest showed her true colors to a stranger and not just her "entitlement" to a full refund. Karma will come her way, that's for sure. 

[Ian-And-Anne-Marie0]

@Ginny30 

Don't be embarrassed by other hosts actions, be embarrassed by your own selfishness.

@Ginny30 

There is a separate entrance (I use this entry also)

Just because you share the entrance to your airbnb and would be exposed to any guests visiting, many other hosts don't and are quite easy and able to provide a fair guest centric accommodation whilst assessing the rules at the site rather than those made in an office thousands of miles away.

And you know? In the situation where such an agreement cannot be made, then let the booking agent sort it out - like they are obliged to - to earn their fees. Thats why fees have been paid on every booking and cancellation and will still now be being charged on new bookings.

Airbnb Hosts are grown ups, and can make decisions for themselves without being railroaded down a solution which doesn't fit. Their decision was subject to them overriding and changing the Terms in Airbnb's User Agreement and overriding a Guest/Host Legal Contract on the basis of a fallacy.

Just because you're happy with a decision which suits your circumstances, doesn't make it right. Many other Hosts don't agree with you and you are an embarrassment by being so selfish.