Refund discussion - no venting

Refund discussion - no venting

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!

185 Replies 185

I appreciate this solution @Kath9 .  AirBnB could have easily offered travelers' support out of their own pockets, and seek liability insurance or other business insurance reimbursements.  They did not.  They decided to cancel all rules in the middle of the game, and instead their losses are now coming out of the hosts' pockets.  It is now our burden to come pretend we aren't outraged at this violation of trust, and make happy posts about hopeful wishes.  I'd love to see them consider their hosts more during times of crisis, but just look at the nursing industry and the grocery workers.  These on the ground workers get pats on the back and little to no tools to succeed.  In capitalism we trust, my friend.  Looking long term, how can we trust they will have our interests at heart moving forward? 

Time to support a new platform, (aka new business associate that's trustworthy,) and seek some lawyers.  That's a real world, positive solution; not wishful whispers to stop abusing the workforce of IC's that AirBnB has thrived upon...only to be fully betrayed and not paid.    

Ok, @Kathryn440  how do we do it? Count me in.

I really liked your point of view...sleepy one but super saver!

 

The problem is this: If a customer gets their travel cancelled due to something like Covid, ALL OTHER travel companies are offering 100% credits or refunds (which does not comply with their cancellation rules). Most people expect to take a trip if they book it - so travel insurance would be for extenuating circumstances on the CUSTOMERS part (not a global travel shutdown). A good example is: Grandma has cancer and I want to travel but unsure if I can - i.e. buy travel insurance. My airline cancelled the flights to Kona (HI) and while I could find other paths it increased our travel time significantly making a week vacation 3 days due to restrictions/limited flights/HI corona virus testing requirements and restrictions.

 

I think owners need to think ahead a little - in my case, these guys basically stole $4,000 from me (I did sign the contract -- just like with ALL OTHER travel companies that worked with us 100%. I even offered Jeff $1,000 - I get the pain everyone is under). https://www.airbnb.com/rooms/31935599?source_impression_id=p3_1605418055_XG8KkcypDBgLf8wM&guests=1&a...

 

So if Airbnb wants to compete once things open up, they better think ahead a little. I'm going to make sure people know Jeff is a strict 'policy' guru regardless of the situation and there are a LOT of other good options out there that put the customer first. We had rooms at Marriott and Hilton and both were fantastic to work with.

 

At the very least -- work with your customers if you are an owner. There is probably a solution short of  our  contract says so, so screw you.

Amy907
Level 3
New York, United States

So now it's January 2022. We've been at this for nearly two years now: AirBnB's site states this:
Although the COVID-19 pandemic may continue to trigger events like border closures or lockdown requirements, these are no longer considered unforeseen following the March 2020 declaration of COVID-19 as a global pandemic.

 

Meaning, travel now is a known risk. I've just had someone cancel 6 days out (I have a strict cancellation policy) due to the omicron variant and he's asked for a full refund. I'm not doing it. Why? 

  1. He knew the risks of traveling during a global pandemic
  2. He could have canceled earlier when the variant was already known to be rising
  3. That week has been held for him since October (when he booked)
  4. He could have bought insurance
  5. He could have stayed at a hotel

As a host, I'm counting on that income. The traveler must take some responsibility and understand the cancellation policies of the places they book. Otherwise, why even have them? I offered him 100% back if I rebook the week, but he's canceled so close it's unlikely I'll get a booking. And because he was coming for a conference (which is still being held, BTW) I can't offer him to come another time as I have done in the past.

 

I do wish AirBnB would institute some kind of auto-responder that informs guests of their host's policy instead of making us be the bad guys. Instead, they tell them refunds are at the host discretion. Not false, but it absolves them of any responsibility towards what is often a messy situation. It's a bad look, AirBnB.

Helen350
Level 10
Whitehaven, United Kingdom

Why not let rooms to traveling health workers? This week I'm hosting a nurse for 1-2 days, a doctor for 2 days, & 2 carers for 3 & 7 days (unknown to each other.) I'm just hoping that none of them arrive infected!

I like that idea! How did you connect with them?? Maybe they can bring hand sanitizer with them. Haha 😆 

@Brandon-And-Robert0  2 of them booked on Airbnb & 2 of them are old guests who now return privately. - I joked to the nurse who arrived today about he could have grabbed some toilet paper off the ward!  (-Tho stealing would not sit well with me.)

This is a fantastic idea! Our condo in Hawaii is now cancelled and sitting empty 😞 (but for the best and I understand that). I will now funnel my energy into connecting with traveling nurses trying to find accommodations. Thank YOU all on here for your positivity surrounding these times.

Helen350
Level 10
Whitehaven, United Kingdom

.... sadly, I've lost the 7 day booking. She was supposed to be flying in from South Africa, to have 7 days leisure with me, then a period as a live in carer 28 miles away. But the agency grounded her 3 hours before getting on the plane....


Maybe because your situation is situational, and not for everyone. I have a 3 month booking for a nurse that thinks she is going to cancel, but is waiting to the last minute as the situation unfolds with her assignment being cancelled or postponed possibly. That absolutely sucks she's in limbo like that, but tbh, that's in her scope of reality to handle, and I have my own situations and plans I need to pivot on without passing them on to someone else to be fiscally responsible for. Not my program/plans/work/vacation whatever being cancelled, but now my problem for some reason.

So while my (super sweet woman with an adorable dog) traveler has a free pass to just sit and wait until the last minute on her booking with zero penalty or financial consequence to her actions... I'm left to decide if I should just cancel on her & work OT scouring forums in the hopes of recovering another long term booking, or simply sit here with my throat out ready for the "no penalty my arse' cancellation.

 

Either way- waiting till the last minute to cancel, or cancelling 'proactively,' won't leave me time to rebook, nor comparative market demand, to refill a long term booking that matches at this point. What's more, I can't do the 9 hr drive down to my rental every 2-7 days for cleaning between guests. That's not a profitable/viable option for me as it may be set up in your business to do.

 

AirBnB doesn't think small business matters is the plain and simple of it.  When the going got tough they straight threw us all under the bus & truly showed their ruthless self-interest.

 

Anyways....genuinely glad it worked in your favor, & thank you for letting me vent that out. Hopefully your situation provides others helpful solutions rather than further frustration with their own. Many other hosts are just stuck in limbo with traveling (health & other) workers that don't want to cancel their reservation quite yet.  And from what I've been hearing, AirBnB is rather unethically advises travelers to act in their own self-interest at hosts' expense.  The entire burden of risk has befallen the small business owners' shoulders without proper consult; consent; consideration.

Hi Helen, well done on housing health workers, just a quick Q how are you adhering to the cleaning regime set by AIRBNB for Cocid19 for these bookings? 

https://www.airbnb.co.uk/resources/hosting-homes/a/cleaning-guidelines-for-preventing-the-spread-of-...

Hi Helen,

 

I was thinking about doing the same but have some concerns which I can't find answers for:

 

1. Can we cancel at any time if we chose to?

2. What happens if the care taker gets sick and is forced to stay past the period she payed for if you can't ask them to leave? What happens if they don't pay?

3. And what happens if they need to stay past a period that interferes with other reservations while taking into consideration the 3 day in between period which will need to be closed-off before cleaning?

4. Will Airbnb indicate on your page that you have accepted to take-in care takers of covid19 or do you have to mention it for the safety of other guests?

5. How are you able to host them for just 1-2 days when it would take many hours to clean per their specifications and keep the place closed for another 3 days in between bookings?

 

I'm new at this, so any info would be greatly appreciated specially since I can't reach them.

 

Thank you and good luck with your rental. 🙂

 

Kareen

Jenny-And-Victor0
Level 7
Los Angeles, CA

I think a travel credit for guests to be able to use on the Airbnb platform would have been a more balanced, less financially damaging route to go. By doing that, money would have been kept within the platform, guests dont lose money, and ensures they will book on Airbnb again. 

Ann72
Level 10
New York, NY

@Brandon-And-Robert0  Thank you for this positive post.  Your ideas are terrific.

 

I booked a flight for June a few weeks ago and bought travel insurance, and @Kath9 is right - the insurer wrote this morning to say epidemics aren't covered (but they'll waive certain restrictions if you have medical proof of illness).

 

As to the rebooking idea in #2, if guests change their travel dates but keep the booking, the cancellation policy is linked to the original booking date.

 

I had a cancellation this morning from Homeaway, and the guest wrote such a nice and thoughtful note.  I wasn't angry or upset to begin with, but his thoughtfulness was just so welcome. 

 

The person I'm most concerned about is my housekeeper, who cleans vacation rentals in Maine and really needs the money.  Her partner is a lobsterman, and lobstering in Maine has been put on hold for now.  So they're in a tight spot.  I hope the summer brings people who want to get away to an uncrowded place and connect with nature and relax!