AirBnB cancelled incorrect our booking (stay as per August1 !)

[Jurgen31]

In 2021, we booked our stay for August 2023. An advance is paid via PayPal and the final payment done this year via PayPal. So far so good. No problems at all with the house and/or AirBnB.

After receiving a bank statement, we saw that PP used a wrong exchange rate. First we contacted AirBnB who told us that we should take contact with PP.

Unfortunately, impossible to speak with somebody within a call center with some responsibilities. Each time another person and no reactions via email.

Finally we contacted VISA (Worldline) and they made a claim to PP, just for the problem of the rate of course.

Suddenly we received an email from AirBnB to announce the WHOLE cancellation as requested by…. the customer. That is totally NOT correct,  neither VISA neither we were asking that.

We tried to reinstate the booking, but impossible due to the fact that there was already another booking! We just got our advance back.

We made help tickets which were read by different persons…. A lot of (false) promises. We went from A to B to Z.

No reaction at all by email.

It’s high season… the house we booked is also already booked for 2023. The host and the owner are not happy with the ongoing problems. It’s 1 week before departure…. Now we must rent several houses to have a stay…. We invested almost 1000 dollar on top for another stay !!!!

Last Friday we had contact with Worldline again. They are very upset with the illegal actions from AirBnB.   They cancelled unauthorized our booking AND they did no refund of the total amount. 

This is NOT acceptable at all. AirBnB did a BIG mistake.  We are ashamed about the fact that AirBnB made wrong actions. Maybe we should take contact with the presse !

[Jurgen31]

@Quincy @Jenny Found your names in some reactions. What’s your reaction about my situation ? 

[Quincy]

Hi @Jurgen31, thanks for the tag. I'm very sorry to hear that you are experiencing this issue. Sadly, I can't look into any specifics on your account as we are not part of the customer service team, however, I can pass it on to the team so that they can investigate this for you. 

[Jurgen31]

@Quincy  Please pass the message to the ‘dedicated’ persons. We want to receive a ‘properly’ reaction (and no standard answer). 

[Jurgen31]

@Quincy Not a surprise at all… NO FURTHER REACTION … neither from you neither from Airbnb. And this riduculous manner of handling this situation goes on and on…… Viny (escalation team) wrote us back a couple of days ago that the refund was settled. Another colleague closed the conversation without asking if everything was OK…… and guess what ?! 
We worried about the non-refund and re-opened the conversation. First of all : some first line irritating emails 🤮 (please explain the issue, how can we help blablabla).

Finally Viny back…. and he reacted as he did know our file anymore…. A new investigation….. 

I’m not a foul. Today is a deadline. My wife is FURIOUS and will take contact with USA Today if there is no proof of refund. 

[Quincy]

Hello @Jurgen31, I'm once again very sorry that this has happened, however, since the community is not part of the customer service team, all I can do is pass this on to the team who oversees transactions. Usually, they should instruct someone from the customer service team to get in touch with you. 

From what you have shared here, it's clear that your case has not been resolved, so let me try, and chase this up for you again. 

[Jurgen31]

@Quincy  a ‘normal’ helpdesk has not enough authority to do something. A supervisor or manager should be involved. 
AGAIN : neither VISA neither we asked to cancel our booking ! The person who has made this error should be stand up and confirm : yes, I made a mistake and should do the necessary to unblock the refund!

But no : PP says it’s the mistake of AirBNB, AirBnB says : no, take contact with VISA …. Please ! Stop this game !!!

In the mean time, we must invest more and more money and AirBnB does nothing and is holding our money… which VISA confirmed that it’s illegal !!

Apologies and false promises…. that means NOTHING in this case. WE WANT ACTION AND THE FULL REFUND.

We, as a customer, are not responsible for the mess you did !!!

[Gordon0]

This sounds like VISA processed a chargeback via PayPal which - in turn - would have driven the (no-fee?) cancelation with Airbnb. All very messy and hugely inconvenient, @Jurgen31, but I'd be surprised if you can pin it on Airbnb on this occasion.   

[Jurgen31]

Hi Gordon0, thanks for your reply.
Indeed, VISA claimed the wrong calculated amount (+/- 186 euro) …. to PayPal…. but for some (dark) reason AirBnB reacted with the total cancellation of our booking. NO communication to us and …. not understandable at all.

We have the proof that we will get the full amount back (VISA is busy with the 2nd claim) but…. this messy (indeed) situation could be avoided if it was handled in a correct respectful way. Customer service…. hello ?!

Due to the fact that Luxemburg is responsible for the financial problems in Europe, we already contacted high level people (Mrs Kissock - deputy chief Compliance Officer / Mr Belousek - Managing Director EMEA Payments). A complaint is introduced from our side to aplcomplaints@airbnb.com. 
Nevertheless. a SORRY and the confession that they handled it with blinkers on the eyes, is the minimum. 

As VISA told us (and I agree with it) : someone ‘asked’ (and did) a total cancellation of the booking. A mistake in the exchange rate (from USD to EUR) can not result in a cancellation of a booking 3 weeks before departure.  And … the customer can not be blamed. Their action resulted in a very negative impact and I’m sure that everyone understands this….. as a human being.

We tried to solve it - till today - with phone calls and mails. NO reaction at all. If I should handle this like that way at my employer, I got immediately my dismissal. 

Yes, we are VERY angry….. yes, we are VERY disappointed…. yes, we are VERY unhappy. 

[Jurgen31]

Just for keeping alive this subject - actual status.

My wife made several online (forms) complaints. Someone on a higher level responded and there is some progress.

Nevertheless, again, strange things at @Airbnb 

we are since several years a member and are using PP. Also the refund from the advance in this case went through without questions. Now, they are taking the time to control/check our account.

We also got a very clear message from PP:

the seller did not make a refund, the seller still has the money you transferred to him. PayPal does not block the possibility of making a refund.

If the seller is unable to make a refund, let him contact us

Conclusion : it’s indeed @Airbnb  who did all the mess in our file. We are begging the refund of our own money, can you imagine ???

We still can not believe that this can be happening. At this moment, we only want to have our money back that @Airbnb is holding illegally.

[Jurgen31]

UPDATE.

August 10th, we saw in our account a message about the refund *singing halleluja* …. No no no.

Please accept my sincere apologies for the delay in response.

You have a payout of xxxxx waiting to reimburse you for the cancellation, but it can’t be released as there’s no payout method has been set up as default payout method.

When you get a moment, update your details by going to:

Account > Payments & payouts > Payouts > Add payout method

Please note, it can take 5–7 business days for us to verify your bank account.

Once we’ve done so, the payout will be released straightaway, but your bank and payout method will determine how long it will take for the funds to arrive in your account. Check out our Help Center for more info.

That was no longer an issue : Your new payout method has been verified
You recently added PayPal (EUR) as a payout method. Good news, it’s completed verification and is now ready to receive payouts. You can check your upcoming payouts in Transaction History.

Today….. you will not believe it …. a new reaction :

Please accept my sincere apologies for the delay in response.

You have a payout of xxxxx waiting to reimburse you for the cancellation, but it can’t be released as there’s no payout method has been set up as default payout method.

When you get a moment, update your details by going to:

Account > Payments & payouts > Payouts > Add payout method

Please note, it can take 5–7 business days for us to verify your bank account.

Once we’ve done so, the payout will be released straightaway, but your bank and payout method will determine how long it will take for the funds to arrive in your account. Check out our Help Center for more info.

What the hell is that ‘escalating team’ doing ???  I found another message online : Escalating refund request beyond support ==> indeed. 

This is the hell !!!! @Airbnb @Quincy 

[Quincy]

Hi @Jurgen31, just so you know, I did inform the team of your latest update on the 14th. Could you please let me know whether everything has been released?