Airbnbs cancellation policy is clearly stated in my booking YET buyer beware for it is not accurately represented:
1. Full refund within 48 hours less service fee
2. 50% refund prior to X date less service fee
And it goes on to advise when I will not get a refund. All this is a clear, simple statement in my booking.
We made a booking in June 2021 for Feb 2022 with the aforementioned cancellation policy. I put half down ($890) with the balance due about two weeks prior to the trip.
We made the difficult decision to cancel in advance of date X and well before the final payment was due.
I was beyond shocked when my “50% refund” worked out to $57 on an $890 payment.
More curious is my itemized listing from Airbnb of my “fully refundable” amounts which include cleaning fee ($47) and taxes ($260).
Here is the misrepresentation by Airbnb (*this has NOTHING to do with my host and ONLY with Airbnbs grossly misleading policy statement):
My accommodation refund is based on the total amount of my booking, EVEN THE MONEY I NEVER PAID! So that same itemized receipt of my “refund” reads “$644 of $1289 PAID.”
Why is this relevant? Because then Airbnb calculates my “refund” on a total I never paid. Having paid half up front on a stated - not presumed, but clearly stated - 50% refund policy I have a good faith basis to expect a few hundred dollars. Fifty percent of what I paid, less service charges. Keep my service charge! I get it… it’s an embedded cost of business. But to then communicate to me “we’re good because your 50% is already calculated! You don’t owe us anymore money so there’s your refund!” is an insult. It is dishonest. It is misleading. Moreover you are refunding my taxes on money I paid you?? How does that make sense?
That’s not a refund. That’s you keeping my money. Be transparent about it. I do not expect to get $890 back. I do expect honesty and integrity on a stated “50% refund prior to date x”.
Consider this, Airbnb:
- I see a shirt I like in my size for $100. I am asked to put a payment down to hold the shirt, and am told I will get a 50% refund prior to a certain date
- I decide I don’t want this shirt and go back to the retailer to tell them they need no longer hold the shirt
- I respectfully ask for my 50% refund
- The retailer says “no problem! We’re done and you’re all good.”
- They keep my money, because the shirt cost $100 and I gave them $50 which is 50%. So they don’t owe me anything
Airbnb, this is shameful. Your “resolution centre” only directs me back to my trip cancellation policy. Which is 50%. How you can justify this is beyond me. Calculating my refund on money I never paid you is not a refund. It’s a lost deposit. Call it that.
I await your explanation and more importantly I ask that you add transparency to consumer communications. Because now you are being dishonest and opaque at best.
