Advice on refund as guest - horrible customer support experience

[Hannah849]

Hi,
Just wondering if you have any tips for me with a big problem I had being a guest at a condo in Cabo.

I am a superhost but went to Cabo on a 1 week vacation ($1070 USD luxury condo booking). My family (3 adults, 3 small kids) did an instant book at 8pm and arrived 15 minutes later to automated check-in. The place was not ready for us, towel racks falling off the walls, no hand soap anywhere, construction vacuum cleaner still in the kitchen, etc (all photos sent in Airbnb messages to the host). I called the host and told him about the problems, he said he was sorry and that the condo wasn't fully prepared, he couldn't fix the issues right then so eventually on the phone he offered a full refund if we left right then. We didn't have any proof that he said he would refund, so we messaged him on Airbnb right when leaving and thanked him for offering the refund.

Next morning comes and no refund yet and now he says he will not be issuing a refund and says that we decided to leave on our own and that we cannot come back. We call Airbnb support first thing (morning after check-in) and they basically say they need to contact the host and review everything and we just need to wait. Now, after being passed off to at least 5 different support agents the latest agent says all they can do is offer $100 credit. I replied and asked for a supervisor because I cannot understand how I would not be allowed to come back to the condo and use it if I am paying for it (there is proof in the messages that the host would not let us come back).

Please help with any tips you have or let me know if you think I am out the full $1070 with no hope. Thank you

[Mike-And-Jane0]

@Hannah849 call Airbnb again or approach via Twitter. A new agent will likely give a better random answer to your predicament. Twitter means Airbnb washing their dirty laundry in public which may also get results. if neither works then I suggest a small claims court if there is one in your jurisdiction.

I do hope you are being honest in your post - If so then you deserve and should get a full refund. Mind you booking a place 15 mins before arrival is likely to cause some issues.

[Colleen253]

@Hannah849  Here is the guest refund policy,

https://www.airbnb.ca/help/article/2868/airbnb-guest-refund-policy

Airbnb outsources it's CS and more often than not, the reps are not familiar with Airbnb or it's policies. Your case seems pretty clear cut for a refund, so you just had bad luck with the 5 (wow) reps. You may need to keep trying until you luck out with one who is knowledgeable. Miracles do happen. 

On a side note, as you vacated the premises due to the 'travel issue', you didn't really have the option to go back and reoccupy the space, although I realize it was only once you found out you weren't getting the refund you wanted to go back. But you left in the first place due to it being uninhabitable. How bad could it be if you were willing to go back? Not sure if that's a complicating factor or not.

[Sarah977]

@Hannah849  As a host yourself, I am surprised that you didn't follow proper Airbnb procedure. When you arrived to find the place not ready for guests, indeed you should first notify the host, but why did you phone him? You should have used the Airbnb messaging system, so there was a record of the exchange.

When he indicated that he couldn't remedy the issue for you, you should then have immediately called Airbnb to cancel, stating why. Not just left it to the following day with a promise from the host to refund. Had you followed proper protocol, you probably would have been issued a refund by Airbnb, no problem.

At this point, having not followed the correct steps, I guess you are just going to have to keep dialoging with Airbnb to see what can be done. If the reservation hasn't been cancelled, you aren't due a refund. It is still an active reservation, and as such, you have the right to stay there, but I can't imagine why you would want to.

What were you thinking, IBing and showing up 15 minutes later? How would a host have time to prepare for a booking that quickly? Why would you do that without bothering to communicate with the host to make sure he could accommodate you that quickly? 

I'm really quite bamboozled that someone who is a host herself would act like she was booking a hotel room with 24 hour reception and maids around all the time.

[Anonymous]

@Hannah849  I think if I were in your position, I'd want to confirm everything that was discussed with the host in the Airbnb messaging thread, to create a paper trail for customer service.

Admittedly, I'm not sure I'd have put myself in your position in the first place, because Instant Booking an Airbnb 15 minutes before arrival seems like a very risky way to organize a family holiday. 

Were you in this situation as a result of a previously booked Airbnb host cancelling on you at the last minute? If this is the case, I think I can see a path toward you getting some compensation (at least if you had travel insurance). 

[Hannah849]

Yes, this reservation only happened because of a last minute problem with our first reservation.

I had already messaged the host prior to instant booking and confirmed that the community pool was open and there were no issues. After the host replied, I instant booked and received the keypad code and directions. And I did send photos of all of the problems to the host thru messages on Airbnb but do realize that I should not have left without having the refund offer in writing. 

I'm still confused why Airbnb hasn't issued a refund even though the host admitted that he would not allow us to return after the problems were corrected.

[Sarah977]

@Hannah849  Thanks for clarifying. It all makes more sense now. 

You are asking why you haven't been refunded, but has the booking actually been cancelled? There can't be a refund for an active booking, or am I missing something here? 

The host is probably disputing that your version of things is true, so for Airbnb, it's not clear-cut, in spite of your photos. For instance, the host could be saying that you messed the place up and put the vacuum cleaner in the middle of the room.

Or it could simply be a case of Airbnb's abyssmally slow response time to issues. Things that used to be dealt with in a few hours now take weeks.

Sounds like a super irresponsible host you encountered. Bordering on a scammer. Why say the place is ready, when it clearly wasn't? Hope you get refunded.