Refund discussion - no venting

[Brandon-And-Robert0]

Hello community!

Many of us are feeling the burden of Airbnbs extenuating circumstances policy and at this time, there is not much more any of us can add to the conversation. So let's use this community to help us come together and share ideas. Let's keep the anger and disdain on the other conversation feeds, please.

I am starting to receive requests for full refunds for stays outside of the COVID window, and I am wrestling with how to handle these requests. I want to give everything back to everyone knowing that we can help lessen the spread but that is not possible. I have mortgages and bills to pay as well.

I would love to hear what others have been doing/saying to help maintain their business, help stop the spread AND be empathetic to the guest's situation.

Here are my thoughts and I would love to hear your constructive feedback:

1. Ask the guest if they purchased travel insurance;

2. Ask them to review my calendar and find dates further in the future they would like to change to (I worry they will realize if they move dates far enough, that they can cancel with a much lower penalty);

3. Maybe offer a 50/50 refund if they don't want to find other dates?

My understanding is that the airlines are NOT giving full refunds, but allowing guests to change their dates at no cost. I feel that as the travel industry, we should all be following a similar process for consistency. 

In reality, the Airlines and AIRBNB are the ones that will receive a bailout NOT us, so I feel like this would be a fair option to us little guys.

Lets please keep this constructive and helpful so we can get through this. 

Thank you all!

[Kristin108]

Go off platform...

[Mark3170]

I'm still waiting for a response for the 3 emails i sent regarding my deposit. Maybe a class-action lawsuit might get a response. 

[Naz-and-Andy0]

Hi Guys,

I'm just wondering if anyone is having to give automatic full refunds for guests cancelling outside of the covid-19 refunds window. I've got bookings after april 14th and even in May which cancelled and airbnb gave them full refunds without even asking. Yet there are some in which they're sending requests. I don't get it?! I wouldn't mind the full refunds but we have just shut the doors on our main business on Friday, laying off all our staff with no income ourselves and the worry of how we're going to pay our own mortgage let alone the rental properties because we could have survived on 50% refund but we can't on full refunds when we have no other income coming in. 

Just wondered if anyone else had random automatic full refunds for arrivals after April 14th? 

Thank you

[Richard1907]

Like many other Hosts,  and in agreement with @Ann72 we are now experiencing cancellation requests outside of the extenuating circumstances dates. I am clearly stating this on my responses, offering date changes ,my strict cancellation policy (50/50 which should still stand at this moment in time) or to wait until their dates are covered under the EC.

It is with such disappointment that the emails that guests and hosts receive by airbnb clearly lean towards full refunds to guests in the manner that they are written and when you decline the full refund, it almost makes it look like you've not taken anything into consideration. There is no option to offer your current alternatives even though you may have discussed these by conversation.

I would like to see these communications to be on a more even keel and to give us half a chance at fairness. After all, the after effects of this experience for everyone in the travel business will be devastating. At this rate, there will be many out of the rental business for good. 

[Michael4865]

More like SCAM BNB!

All they care about is there upcoming IPO. 
They could care less about the host. 
The decision should be left up to the hosts to refund, not refund, or provide a credit for different dates. They caved because a news article came out about an angry guest who had already agreed to the cancellation policy. We also need to contact the media and let them know how SCAM BNB is screwing the hosts as well. 
Only when there IPO will be affected will they change their selfish policies. 

[Daiana43]

As a guest that booked my trip in December for April 18 for Madrid. I find the current cancellation window of only up to April 14 ridiculous. I would be travelling from Canada to Spain. It's not possible to just choose other dates. It's a huge trip. We planned for months and months. It's expensive. Our host refuses to accept the mutual cancellation offered by Airbnb. Airbnb refuses to do anything about this. I don't know what else to do

[Mark3170]

I'm going through the same thing

[Coralie89]

It is scary when people booking in May are starting to ask for refunds too. I think im going to start offering the option of a 75% refund, wait for airbnb policy to change or have them call airbnb and see what they offer them. 

[Dunc-and-Dee0]

Great post @Brandon-And-Robert0 

Rather than a full cancellation refund, they should consider paying the host the 50% cancellation fee in cash and issuing the guest vouchers/credit note for the same amount that can be used as a discount for a future booking with the host.

Many guests are uncomfortable moving their booking as they don't know when travel will open. We have started implementing the above rule, promising guests who cancel outwith Airbnbs's Extenuating Circumstances Policy that we will guarantee them a discount (covering the cancellation fee) for any future booking with us.  The majority have been very understanding, but it’s not an official process & doesn't cover Airbnb's fees so some are understandably unsure.

I appreciate that Airbnb is wrestling with this issue too, but they need to strike a balance between supporting guests and the survival of their hosts & they need to do it really soon!

[Brad580]

I see complaints that AirBnB should cover the hosts loses, or guests should lose 50% (or more) of their money, because host believe that's the way a "true partnership" works.  The problem with that is, your (Hosts) perceived "Partnership" is with AirBnB.  You provide a service, a place to stay; AirBnB provides the medium in which your 'Service' is advertised to the "customer"/Guests.  Where in ANY argument is it fair to the customer to pay any fraction of a service they did NOT receive?  Plans HAVE to be cancelled for the safety of everyone, and they HAVE to be cancelled due to borders closing in Countries they are traveling to, or flights cancelled with short notice... You think that is "FAIR" to the Guest?  It's not their "Choice" to cancel.  It's like saying, "Hey I'm going to McDonald's to buy lunch, but you get in an accident on the way.  Do you think they still require you to pay for the meal?"  The biggest problem is when it comes to Money, People stop being human, they lose all empathy and selflessness.  Bottom line, the Guests WILL NOT use your services in the future IF you don't take care of them.  Then there is NO partnership, no AirBnB.  You start from scratch somewhere else. Additionally, where are the hosts complaints when they are over-charging during "peak-seasons"?  You can afford lower rates parts of the year, clearly that covers expenses; so when you're profiting beyond your needs in peak times, where are you saying, "I shouldn't over-charge because that's now how a true Partnership works"? So in turn, your lack of planning for "hard times" (when this scenario fits) does not warrant you getting a free hand out of others' hard earned money when the unforeseeable occurs.

[Ame5150]

So very true. I am a nurse who has had my annual leave cancelled and can't travel anyway due to restrictions. I had my request for refund refused. Meanwhile my non-refundable hotel reservation in another city was refunded in full to me. I understand that a corporation is in a different position financially, but as the paying guest, where am I going to take my custom after this is all over?

[Steve2542]

@Ame5150 

I think hosts are waiting for air B and B to come up with a better policy for guests after April 14, some sort of fair solution. Unfortunately they are on a listening tour when all the issues and solutions are in these pages, they should implement a % refund combination with voucher for future travel. Or air B and B can cover the losses now and apply for the $500 billion dollar rescue funds, that way they are getting bailed out, not putting all the loss to hosts and providing guests with a fair resolution. 

[Steve2542]

@Brad580 

1. Travel insurance, guests can and maybe should protect themselves ...I know it’s a novel idea or  maybe it shouldn’t exist if everyone just magically expects 100% refunds when something bad happens... even when that spans months of reservations ..

2. air B and B are a large multi million dollar company, hosts are saying they should share some of the pain...is that bad? most hosts I’ve read have agreed with refunds for the month of March to April . But Going forward  in your 3 way scenario ... your solution is only with 1 party., the hosts ... what business scenario folllows such a model? None, as it’s impossible to operate and you know it...Not very constructive.

3. Glad you didn’t bring up anything about a big multi million dollar company having no “interruption of service” or catastrophe type insurance... ye let’s leave that to the hosts ...as the guests nor air B and B are going to have any responsibility ... zero. 

4 have you not read any of the posts from hosts offering refunds beyond their refund policy? You say it’s unfair for guests not to get 100% and basically hosts are being  greedy... are the guests not similar ... looking for full refunds , are guests not requesting money, all of it too , wow that’s being considerate, without any willingness to be fair?

5 vouchers or credits for future stays with some refund combination going back to hosts would be fair to all sides. A high % of hosts have offered this as a solution or maybe I’m reading the wrong threads.

6  air B and B can line up for their portion of the $500 billion dollar bailout to corporations ... stop refunding in full  and share the pain once these funds are collected for free from the US taxpayers.

 If they continue to  issue full refunds how will they be in line to get any rescue package ... they haven’t lost out except their service fee which as a relatively small % of the overall losses.

7 the bailout/rescue package  wants businesses to keep their employees on the books rather than layoff everyone ..air B and B are basically laying off all hosts with 0 income from that... they should implement a more rational , fair policy that gets guests their refund without destroying hosts . 

8 I take offense to your insinuations that hosts are just after the money ... really that’s like  having lost your job , then being denied any  assistance and then insulting them when they are struggling to recover from the lost income for months to come, with bills to pay and sometimes others such as cleaners who were also relying on that income. And at the same time not mentioning the responsibility of the big employer in the situation. 

[Kristin108]

Thank you for this responce!

[Kristin108]

I have been traveling most of my life, usually to extreme and interesting places, so I know... SH$% happens! That is why I always take out CFAR insurance if I can't afford to lose the money I spend for travel.

@Brad580 , you don't seem to be aware of how much time, money and energy goes into providing a fabulous vacation rental experience for guests. These expenses don't go away for those of us who are owner/managers...

Your statement: "does not warrant you getting a free hand out of others' hard earned money when the unforeseeable occurs". is naivete and ill informed. The travel industry has always had cancelling policies in place... 

Lesson! Get CFAR travel insurance if you don't want to take the hit!