Guest Requesting Additional Payment from Host due to cancellation

[Paul6343]

Hello,

I am also a newby to hosting and find the policies and procedures very confusing.  I have a guest who cancelled due to the virus.  Apparently AirBNB gave them a 10% refund, which I am unable to verify.  Obviously I feel they are owed a full refund since they are cancelling about a week out.  However, the guest is asking me for an additional payment.

How do I know for certain that AirBNB will not offer them a full refund, and then the guest will receive another refund if I agree to the additional payment?

Thanks,

Paul

[Ben-and-Sam0]

Just making sure you meant 10% and not 100%? Possible typo?

[Paul6343]

No, Airbnb only gave them 10%.

[Gordon0]

All guest such enquires should be referred to Airbnb C/S. You shouldn't get involved in the transactional side of things, @Paul6343 

[Diane982]

There is no email address to contact them. They do not answer phone calls, just leave you on hold forever. The only resolution I could see was if there was damage to a hosts home. That's it. Everything they provide in resolution leads back to the host on every single issue, resolution, help section. All provide links to 'contact host' and no links lead to AirBnB. Illusive and slickery.

[Linda108]

@Paul6343   The extenuating circumstance cancellation policy is administered by Air BNB not by you.  If the guest did not make direct contact with Air BNB via phone or email, and only did a regular cancellation, your cancellation policy will be automatically used.  Tell your guest to go back to AirBNB directly.  Give appropriate phone number if you can to assist.

[Diane982]

I received no refund from coronavirus cancellation. I phoned AirBnB, was on hold 44 minutes then they disconnected me. I phoned back and it was busy. How can it be busy? No email response either. I believe many people are being scammed.

[Sandra856]

@Diane982 Airbnb CS are incredible busy right now. I need them to cancel 5 upcoming reservations and thousands of hosts are probably in the same situation. All because of the Corona Virus. You can write Airbnb via the reservation - find the help link. And like everyone else right now have to wait as the whole world is going crazy - my country is locked down - borders will be closed tomorrow I'm sure you can understand why Airbnb CS are a tiny bit busy at the moment? 

[Goda-and-Paulius0]

Direct them all to airbnb call center. They created this refund policy they can deal with it. Your guests received 100% refund (not 10%) they should not be asking anything from

you. 

[Kath9]

@Paul6343, no, do not give your guest anything - if you do, they may well receive a double refund. Airbnb will refund them according to your cancellation policy or the extenuating circumstances policy if they contact Airbnb. This is not your problem and it is not your responsibility to refund the guest. If it is still a week out, you won't even have received any money yet.

[Robin4]

@Paul6343 

Paul, sorry to hear this! It's hard enough having to forego all these bookings without being 'stiffed' by Airbnb over money which you have not had any part of!

Throw this entirely back at Airbnb, tell the guest, you, as the host have nothing to do with the financial aspects of a reservation, and do not in fact see any payment until it is released by Airbnb after the guest arrives. Tell him you can can't refund money you have never received, the refund is Airbnb's responsibility not yours.

Good luck with it mate.

Cheers......Rob

[Mark116]

@Paul6343  Do NOT do anything on your end.  If you process your own refund, there is a very good chance that airbnb will also give them a refund and so they will be paid 2x.  

I very much doubt airbnb gave them a 10% refund, since their policy is to refund now 100% of all cancellations due to the virus, so either that was a mistake on airbnb's part, or your guests are scamming you.

[Felicia-And-Jim0]

Hi Paul,

You should've received an email from Airbnb stating the guest cancelled and the amount refunded to the guest and money that is due to you if their cancellation was not due to extenuating events surrounding Covid 19. That fee is usually sent ti host 24 hours after the original check in date.

Cheers,

Felicia 

[Michael4841]

Airbnb needs to handle refunds and should pay you dependent on your terms of cancellation policy. Hosts are no more responsible for Covid than the guests who booked reservations. If it is “strict” cancellation then is only fair guests split the unexpected hardship 50/50.. If Airbnb corporate wishes to make a PR statement by refunding guests fully they can do so from their own corporate pockets - not from hosts . Next time Airbnb should offer guests travel insurance like other sites. Airbnb should still deposit the 50% payout funds in your account.