Airbnb - are you embarrassed yet???

[Brenda328]

This, in part, is an AIrbnb message that I just received from a potential 'guest'.  I have removed the guest's name and location to avoid the public humiliation that they are actually due.

Hello! My name is 'First Name' 'Last Name' I’m a teacher in 'State'. My family is flying out tomorrow to Orlando. The resort that we were staying at is offering me is offering me a full refund if I want to cancel. Our other resorts house does not have a private pool. We are checking into our options. We will be staying two weeks and possibly more if there is a quarantine. Is there anyway we can get it a better deal on the price? Please let us know ASAP so that we can plan accordingly. Thank you, 'First Name' 'Last Name'

This was within less than an hour after I reduced my price over 60% to try to recoup some of my losses.  No, entitled guest, I will not offer you a better deal and since I have already fortunately turned off Instant Booking, I will not be accepting your reservation under any circumstances. 

The 'resort that you were staying at' is not offering you a full refund;  Airbnb is offering you a full refund of money that host is rightfully entitled to.  I know some other host right now will take your offer because we all have to eat, but I won't be a willing participant in shafting a host who in good faith allowed you to reserve their home months ago and now will receive $0 from you (when you are scheduled to arrive tomorrow) so that you can upgrade to a nicer home with a private pool for less money.

[Thomas977]

https://www.cnbc.com/2020/03/19/coronavirus-airbnb-hosts-angry-at-refunds.html

[Raymond178]

Thanks @Thomas977 that resonates with me in New Zealand too as I have lost in excess of $10,000 for April 2020 our final month of the tourism season in New Zealand. Airbnb suspended Airbnb Experiences immediately, no compensation, etc.  @Sheila22 this is a great article for you too. Lots of media coverage in New Zealand but nothing about how it affects Airbnb hosts who have lost their livelihoods.  Our Government has a support package for businesses and individuals affected but it won't cover Airbnb hosts.

[Sheila22]

@Raymond178 

I have read and  have shared you know where? Airbnb Hosts United :

  https://www.facebook.com/groups/861430217655400/

Thank you @Thomas977 

[Chimo3]

 We have all our licensing and are an accredited resort, so we qualify for assistance.  

[Sheila22]

@Brenda328   The problem now is, even when this blows over,  it is clear that Airbnb has established their brand decisively.  They have sent a loudmessage far and wide, and all the Guests now know exactly how thing work here at Airbnb:  when you come to Airbnb, contracts don't matter, agreements don't matter the, rules don't matter -- if you are a Guest whatever you want you got it.   Airbnb has established that as their business model, therefore they will attract more and more clients who will feel free to take advantage well after this.   It's difficult to figure out what to do with future bookings, but it's nerve wracking to keep them now, knowing our agreement with Airbnb and Renters are not binding.  Even if Airbnb turns around and tries to promise they will make some kind of agreement with Hosts moving forward to gain trust back from us,  just remember ho much their word is worth.

[Chimo3]

All of our summer rentals cancelled using the 90 day clause. They could have suspending that to appease the hosts. But, that would have angered the guests, and we can't have that! Corporate cowardice. 

[Huma0]

@Raymond178 @Sadly you are right. Yes, I get it too. It is human instinct to try to claw back what you can when you think you are losing money and many guests seem to think we are sitting on a pot of gold.

i so appreciate the sentiments of this guest. Unfortunately, she did not cancel today as she said she would. I fear that she called Airbnb to help her do it (she had never cancelled before so wasn’t sure how to do it) and they talked her out of it, just like they have already done with three other guests already who were not eligible for the extenuating circumstances and expressed that it was fair to pay me something at least and share the losses.

Please Airbnb, stop this. You are not only ruining many hosts financially but you are souring previously good relations between hosts and guests.

On the other hand, maybe she just didn’t have time yet to cancel. I will keep you updated...

[Thomas977]

My guest says that she has received repeated error messages when attempting to cancel a stay with check-in after April 14th. Has Airbnb blocked cancellations with check-in after April 14??

[Lawrene0]

One of my guests cancelled an April 26 reservation last night, @Thomas977 . It didn't come with the usual "the incident affecting" or "because of COVID-19" system-generated message. She just sent her own message that her other plans had been cancelled, so she was cancelling this leg of the trip as well. 

Your guest might try rebooting her device. Hope it is as simple as that.

[Cormac0]

@Huma0 

The issue is probably more prosaic, Airbnb can handle the sudden volume of traffic on there system?

[Huma0]

@Cormac0 

Yes, for sure they are experiencing a high volume of traffic, but the impression that I get from guests is that they are getting almost immediate responses. It's the hosts that are put on hold for days on end.

The guest I mentioned did get back to me. The problem she was having now was a prompt that Airbnb have programmed into the cancellation process that encourages them to apply for a full refund even if they aren't eligible under the extenuating circumstances.

I have had this happen too many times now. I have no doubt that Airbnb are actively encouraging guests in any way that they can to cancel and get full refunds from hosts. They are even encouraging guests not to book with hosts, but to use their Hotel Tonight scheme instead, by blocking the guests from booking with the host.

[Cormac0]

@Brenda328 

Send them an email saying that you're only accepting guests that have had a Covid-19 test done and are not carrying the virus.

These are the sort of people the bring the worst out in me, the filthy scum.

[Huma0]

Ok people. Here's a new one (i.e. new way Airbnb is screwing over hosts):

- I have a guest with an upcoming booking not covered under the current COVID-19 extenuating circumstances.

- Said guest wants to cancel, given that her Summer internship has been cancelled. She has been super nice about the whole thing and has been willing from the startto take a partial refund.

- I have told the guest I will do everything in my power to try to fill the room through some other means, i.e. taking in long-term local lodgers and try to refund as much as I can to her outside the partial refund she is already getting. I am genuine about this. I really appreciate her kind attitude. She said she was grateful for that, but equally understood if I was unable to fill the room.

- Guest tried to cancel but was urged by Airbnb to apply for a full refund. She did not want to do this. She was worried I would be penalised in some way by Airbnb, e.g. losing my Superhost status (see my other posts about this and you will see why she was right to suspect this) if I then declined such request.

- So, she chose another option for cancelling her stay and cancelled it earlier this evening, wishing me the best.

This is the cancellation message I got from Airbnb:

"As we previously notified you, because we were unable to collect payment from the guest, no payout will be issued for this cancelled reservation. "

I have searched, and I have absolutely no previous message nor notification from Airbnb that they were unable to collect payment. Maybe I am being naïve, but I believe the guest has no knowledge of this either.

Airbnb WTF??!!

[Huma0]

This is the email I got:

[Huma0]

This is what the guest told me was the message she received from Airbnb: