Should guests carry any burden of the Coronavirus cancellations?

[Inna22]

When my guests booked they knew I had strict policy. This covered anything that happened unless my fault. I promise I did not cause Coronavirus. So this is not my fault. I also took a chance- I am sure I get fewer bookings because of my policy. But this is not casual extra for me, I need to pay mortgage, taxes, college tuition for my child etc etc. I opted for less income but sure one. When guests cancel and get full refund, this is extra money for them. They have already spent in on a trip, not an item. They were never getting anything tangible back that they are not now. So this is sunk cost. All they are not getting is an experience. Why then this should be solely on the hosts? I know airbnb wants to please guests. I just wonder how many of us will not be able to survive this. There are stories on the news about poor guests who did not get to go on this wonderful trip and now need to pay. Where are the stories of hosts who scramble to get their next mortgage paid now?

[Jason409]

We need to all sue them in small claims

[Sheila22]

The short answer to this question: YES! YES!  YES!  GROW UP AND BUY TRAVEL INSURANCE NEXT TIME YOU TRAVEL! Or assume the risk.  It's called adulting -- try it some time.

[Brenda328]

Ok, fellow hosts, I have one potential way we can send a unified message to Airbnb.  If you have Instant Booking on, turn it off.   I turned Instant Booking off on one of my listings several months ago because Airbnb allowed a group of guests to cancel and receive a 100% refund on my ski cabin that had a strict cancellation policy because 'it was snowing at the ski resort or somewhere maybe in the area or somewhere where one of the guests was maybe coming from.'  They were never quite sure about that but they were certain that it was snowing somewhere.

However, when I then turned Instant Book off for that property, Airbnb flipped out!  At the top of my Inbox on my mobile app it now says "Do you have all the facts about Instant Book?  Take this 1 minute quiz and test your savvy.'  I get a barrage of emails about how wonderful Instant Book is.  It constantly pops up on the banners when I am on my laptop trying to get me to turn it back on.

I have five other properties on Airbnb and I just went out to all of them and turned off Instant Book.  Go to Booking Settings to do this.  To turn Instant Book off you have to go through about five levels of menus to make it as difficult to turn off as possible and at the end they still ask you why you don't want to use Instant Book.  I selected Other Reason and put the following text in the comment box:

"Due to Airbnb's extremely unfair Coronavirus Extenuating Circumstances policy of allowing guests to cancel and receive 100% refunds even though I have a strict cancellation policy, I will only be accepting guests that I am certain will not be abusing that policy."

I know a lot of you already don't use Instant Book, but turning off Instant Book appears to be one thing that captures Airbnb's attention.  Maybe because of the risk that while the guest is waiting for a host to respond to their booking request the guest might go onto another booking platform and book that same property (since many of us are on multiple platforms) or a similar property and then just come back to Airbnb and cancel their booking request (which they absolutely can do at any time before the host accepts it) and Airbnb loses the guest to another platform.

Your thoughts please.

[Taryn3]

I couldn't agree with you more. I have so many properties that have EVERYONE cancel. how am I supposed to survive? I have savings, but not to float 12 properties mortgages and bills for however long this lasts. NOW they have extended it to April 14th. its killing my business. and who knows for how long after this ends. I don't even know what to do. I've called airbnb 300 times and they don't care. they just say, "we've opened up your calendar for future bookings"- I don't need my calendar opened for booking, I need the money I already had booked.  I have properties that are solely on Homeaway and solely on airbnb, and I couldn't hate AIRBNB more.  Homeaway treats their hosts way better. the app and website is harder to maneuver, but they stand behind their hosts and hosts cancelation policy. if I could put them all on another website I would, booking.com is an option, and I am listing all my properties on there now. 

why are the hosts not covered by the extenuating circumstance policy? how could they not at least offer the host something? without hosts these companies wouldn't have a business. the hosts make them money over and over again, while the guest might stay once a year. 

[Bob39]

This is a breach of contract between AirBnB and the hosts. AirBnB violated the contract by allowing guests to cancel without penalties, despite the hosts' cancellation policy. There needs to be a class action suit brought by the hosts against AirBnB.

[Marie6153]

yes but with this type of international business they would have to be taken on in every country - this current situation is decimating my and AIRBNB will continue to give our money away - god I hate them

[Sheila22]

Someone on one of these posts was suggesting we set up a page elsewhere.  A forum just for Hosts that is NOT on the Airbnb platform.  I have just set up a FB page for this purpose.  I has private settings so you only join if you prove you are an Airbnb Host and can prove you are who you say you are.  You can try it out and see how it goes.  There will be no "levels"  --do you even care? https://www.facebook.com/groups/861430217655400/

[Richard529]

Airbnb is screwing us over!   

1.  They are actively advertising to guests that the reservation is 100% cancel and refundable.

2. Then, they are cancelling and actually responding in messaging as if they are the guest that they are sorry to cancel. 

3.  THEN...they are telling guests during the refund process:  

"Due to continuing coronavirus impact, we'll give back the $(xx.xx) service fee as a coupon for your next trip."

So, they are proactively pushing guests to cancel so that they can still make money off of our assets and hard work and not compensating us one cent!   And the messaging part...how do we know in the future that we are not talking to an airbnb rep disguising themselves as the guests.

No ethics, no transparency, NO TRUST!  I am so angry!

[Thomas977]

Please sign http://chng.it/Sj9nRW7VDn

[Dylan-and-Lizette0]

Please sign petition. http://chng.it/srWH2sKY9P (AirBNB's UNFAIR treatment of HOSTS amid COVID-19)

[Dylan-and-Lizette0]

Please sign petition. http://chng.it/srWH2sKY9P (AirBNB's UNFAIR treatment of HOSTS amid COVID-19)

[Gerhard4]

the corona virus is a burden for everyone, but the decision from Airbnb to invoke the extenuating circumstances policy is a not fair policy. The AirBnB CEO like to write a nice piece that we are all in this together!
and that AirBnB is not receiving any funds with the cancelation is off course not in the same degree!

Most Hosts are on the platform , not because of a hobby, but as a business.
We all have set up our specific terms and conditions to protect our business, AirBnB is handling as if they are the ones doing the actual work, but as they told a judge when being sued, they  are only a platform..

 
when people make travel arrangements they are making a financial commitment, and that is why people who travel (unless they have enough money to burn) get a travel insurance in case something happens, and they will not loose all their money . the insurance will payout when they are not able to travel for a legitimate reason.

when the book, they are confronted with our strict 30 days cancelation policy, so it is not a surprise!
Now what airbnb is doing, making the travelers problem, the problem for the hosts who rely on the income from the hosting platform. 
the travelers (again) are protected already!!

hosts can not insure themselves if guests are not able to arrive.

Airbnb should leave it up to the host incase the host do want to refund more than is required. now AirBnB is just being the boss over all of us...

In my opinion AirBnB is overstepping their authority, although we all signed up for their terms and conditions, even if they were not in line with your own. and they are are changing their conditions frequently (is there anyone who kept track on this???)

I have a cancelation which was paid out in full, yesterday, but with the new conditions of today (received an e-mail about this this afternoon) , this reservation would not be covered under the full refund!!

...

this is not the first time AirBnB is acting selfishly, during hurricanes in florida , they like to advertise that they are the ones (get even in the news) to provide free stays for evacuees.

but in reality the hosts are the ones who will cary this burden..

I have opened the last few hurricanes some of our homes open specifically for evacuees who are traveling with pets since they have the hardest time to find a place. AirBnB still likes to take credit for that!! NOT GOOD.

I still have issues with a previous decision AirBnB made in my disadvantage, and they promised some one from legal would get back to me, never happened...

The corona virus is effecting all of us, but with the " so called help" of airbnb the scales are unfairly tipping over!!!

leaving the hosts becoming victims !!!..
My other platform bookings, leave the legal stuff and decisions  over to the host, just on Air bookings alone I had 9 cancelations averaging 700-1900 usd per booking

[Thomas977]

https://eu.usatoday.com/story/travel/hotels/2020/03/16/coronavirus-airbnb-refunds-sore-spot-hosts-lo...

[Sheila22]

We started private HOST ONLY FB page, and primarily Hosts who've just been massively screwed by Airbnb.   This is so we can have this conversation privately, not on this forum which belongs to Airbnb.  Yes, we are venting, but hopefully also we can share suggestions and come up with solutions by banding together.  "Airnb Hosts United"

[Thomas977]

https://youtu.be/sknmg7iBOEw

[Thomas977]

Please sign petition http://chng.it/Sj9nRW7VDn (AirBNB's UNFAIR treatment of HOSTS amid COVID-19)