25% REFUND SCHEME APPEARS SHOCKINGLY CYNICAL AND REWARDS DISHONESTY

[Mark3205]

Let me start by saying that any support for hosts is a fantastic gesture and airbnb should be in no way obliged to do such a thing. Secondly having called them yesterday they loosely implied that the details of the scheme were not yet finalised...however...

as it stands it appears to completely discriminate against pretty much everyone and only really benefits those hosts who have perhaps been misleading and encouraged guests not to cancel on the basis that things will have returned to normal by the time of their visit

like many others all of my bookings have cancelled well in advance due to covid-19, the next 3 months are usually my busiest time and the calendar is empty and this has a serious impact on my income and welfare. 

Guests who have emailed me about the situation have received honest answers and have rightly cancelled accordingly. Living in a tourist hotspot my guests are all international travellers so of course are going to cancel well in advance of the 5 days stated in my moderate policy

So there is no benefit to me at all with this scheme, and as i say, the only true beneficiaries with similar listings are the dishonest ones

of course this is small print to limit the cost of the scheme to airbnb and obviously we can’t expect them to suffer financially, so why don’t they offer a smaller amount and extend it to all cancellations due to covid-19.... to quote the advertising strap line of one of our larger supermarket chains in the UK... ‘EVERY LITTLE HELPS’. 

I only use airbnb and have done for years, because i like the community spirit, so lets see some!

[Linda108]

While I like the Air BNB gesture as well, without specifics regarding implementation, I am skeptical of any actual money.  I have found Air BNB leadership often is lofty but lack in follow through.  No problem for my continued participation however.  

[Mark3205]

Thanks Linda, i just don’t understand why they seem intent on arbitrarily discriminating with this scheme, everyone deserves to benefit from covid cancellations if thats what they are inclined to do, which is a fantastic gesture...but they clearly they are planning on implementing it in such a way that only a few actually will benefit and in many ways the least deserving

DO NOTHING AT ALL OR SOMETHING FOR ALL

even if its a nominal gesture it would be appreciated, i really hope this is just an oversight and they haven’t thought it through but sadly i suspect its a clever little ruse to deprive almost everyone from actually benefitting 

[Julie3420]

Airbnb has sent my guests several confusing emails about their Covid-19 Cancellation Policy and strongly encouraging guests to cancel immediately or be forced to take a travel voucher.  I think that's just dirty.

[Mandrake-And-Karen0]

HOW MANY OF US KNEW AIRBNB WAS GOING TO FIND LOOP-HOLES ON PAYING? THEIR PROBABLY JUST PAYING SUPERHOSTS WHO ARE THE HIGHEST $$$$$ CONTRIBUTORS? PROBABLY THESE ARE THE HOSTS GETTING MONEY FROM THEIR RELIEF GRANT, TOO. 

REMEMBER AIRBNB'S 1 M INSURANCE COVERAGE POLICY FOR HOSTS ON PROPERTY DAMAGES? IT MAKES THEM SOUND AND LOOK GOOD TO THE MEDIA WHEN THEY MAKE THESE CSR-TYPE MARKETING ANNOUNCEMENTS ON THEM DOING THE RIGHT THING.  WE WHO HAVE BEEN AROUND KNOW BETTER THAN TO BELIEVE ANYTHING AIRBNB SAYS.

(SORRY ABOUT THE CAPS- LOCK IS ON, NOT SHOUTING)

[Helen3]

Sorry @Mark3205 

That's simply not true. I have received four payments under the scheme. 

It's pretty nasty to call myself and other hosts who have received payments misleading and dishonest.

I contacted all my guests and said I would agree to penalty free cancellations even outside the EC policy for the virus period  for guests who had bookings in June and July and wanted to cancel, so your statement is factually inaccurate and misleading.

Why take it out on your fellow hosts because you don't like the way that Airbnb operates.

[Mark3205]

@Helen3 

Sorry Helen so it was poorly worded, of course i am not individually accusing every beneficiary under the scheme of being dishonest

what i meant was it is an ill-thought out and heavily flawed scheme with incentivises dishonesty as it encourages hosts to misinform in order to keep bookings within their policies

i’m glad to see you don’t and i’m perfectly happy to accept that no-one else does too, but that doesn’t counter my argument 

bluntly speaking, as i’ve said on countless occasions, the scheme is fundamentally unfair, as we are in a unique situation and none of us can expect any of our cancellations to be re-booked (which is one of the key drivers behind policy decisions here)

airbnb should have showed some fairness and compensated everyone for cancellations NOT RE-BOOKED, even if it a much smaller nominal amount

thats my opinion, i’ve had it shouted down by plenty of strict policy holders for obvious reasons, will silly ‘you made your bed at the start’ arguments... which in my view are completely irrelevant in these circumstances