Can we PLEASE open our eyes for one minute.

[Clara116]

PLEASE stop blaming for a minute.

Take a look at how you and I got where we are right now

Right - we didn't start or make this virus and all the craziness that's part of being locked down or closed in, not able to do exactly what we want when we want to

We are mostly hosts out here some with one property some with many

Some do this as a hobby, but think they are running a business and others running a business but doing it like its a hobby.

Business people read, learn and understand what they are taking part in when beginning a business venture, and care for, nuture and fine tune that business if it is to thrive. 

Hobby folks fly by the seat of their pants - and wing it as we say - "what ever happens happens"

Many have been doing just great with their hobby or their business and suddenly both are brought to a big fat pause-- stop ----you have zero control - it was so easy to start up, set up and get running with minimal effort or great effort and time taken to understand and learn the platform we are all part of.

AND now that money is not being deposited into accounts - guests are not able to come - seems many are crying unfair and they are not to blame

Before we blame someone else let us please look at how we have been doing our business or hobby - please 

If a business, surely we have thought of some kind of backup plan?  Even just an emergency fund??

Put away some monies just in case? Surely not totally over leveraged-  with 5 plus mortgages that were paying for themselves and then some? What about 20 properties, or 100 properties - and now going nuts because there was NO plan that anything could ever stop the monies from the bank account just rolling in and so let's sell it to other naive people - "you don't have to use one penny of your own money". 

If a hobby, have we even bothered to read what we signed up for? Overextended and become dependent on our hobby as if it is a business with no

true plan - no back up or emergency plan? 

I read that so many are up in arms, enraged, angry and many show such hostility for blunders they/ we have allowed to happen to our business, hobby, our selves.....We are foolish to blame......Blaming probably only does one real thing and that's to raise our blood pressure and age us some more.

You see, we all might want to take a serious look at how we have found ourselves in this position at this very moment. 

Blaming Airbnb, blaming a business partner, blaming anyone is not going to help the situation. If folks took all the anger, rage, hostility and directed it in an effort to think outside the box of blame wow....I think many good things could transpire, occur and be developed and possible created. 

You feel like you have no control......you have forgotten that one most important thing you have control over

We get to pick and choose how we respond to things that happen to us

I'm getting busy with ways to make the most of my world - if stuff doesn't happen like I wish

I'll NOT blame anyone but ME! 

@Lizzie I trust you will not allow folks to get all ugly on this post

....I write this from my heart as many have forgotten there are those out there much worse off than we are

I'm hopeful they will be the recipients of the relief funds and monies being offered up. 

[Mike-And-Jane0]

@Clara116 

Very well said

[Simon2553]

Condescending.

[David3267]

no, common sense

[Jessica-and-Henry0]

@Clara116 

Agree~!!!

[Norene1]

I did not bumble into this business. I thought long and hard about getting involved with Airbnb. I had rented out my place for years through realtors. I rely on my two family house for extra income and that's the reason I chose less privacy over making money. I'm NOT blaming anyone about anything. What I am waiting patiently for is a clear way forward to clear my entire 2020 calendar that I want to cancel. My first guests arrive the end of June through October. I read there are 100% refunds given to people with reservations through the end of May and if I understand correctly hosts are paid by Airbnb 25% of those refunds. There is no mention abut reservations for the rest of the season. There is no information about how to offer guests a refund even though i have a non-refundable policy. I am more than willing to offer my guests a refund. I NEED to know what EXACTLY to say to them that is correct and equitable. Is it within my rights to refund guests a percentage of the reservation? Why should I be charged $100 per reservation if I choose to cancel as a host. I don't want to cancel as a host. It makes more sense to me to have my guests cancel. They have one mark on their record. If I have to cancel multiple reservations I'm basically calling quits to Airbnb for next year. Will this be the case? I have also read that there may well be a class action suit and that if I were to apply for a grant of "up to $5000 it will negate my part of that action. But in the short term WHAT is the course I should take for the 2020 season?

[Clara116]

@Norene1  well, obviously I was not referring to YOU - if you aren't crying blame - you are in a unique situation for certain. I don't have answers but do see that many are so charged up they are not looking, thinking  with a wide angle lens as you obviously are. 

Since your reservations begin in June that is very different than most. And I think in reality we have to all agree - NO ONE knows what our world, country will look like in 2 months. I think alot of things are being done, tried out as things develop and that's really the tricky and difficult part. Of course, we all want answers to our questions - but, how can we get those when the real outcome is totally unknown and all very fragile and cloaked in fear. 

I am just guessing but where I live, if you are named on a legal class action lawsuit you will surely be putting a red flag on yourself. And If I was giving monies to people in need and you were part of a group fighting against me - what do you think? - from what I know most of those are hosts with many, multiple rentals/ arbitrage and sounds like you are not really one of those folks?? 

I do wish you well, it was truly my intent to say to hosts we can look around and perhaps we are missing some opportunities or chances to shift the rage/anger/frustration and take charge of our emotions and make the day better for us each personally. 

I wish that for you truly! peace Norene, Clara

[Rodney11]

@Norene1 , you can contact your guests and request that they cancel the reservation from their end, and indicate it is for COVID-19 reasons. This will allow for a penalty free cancellation for both guest and host, and a full refund for the guest. I reached out to all my guests, no matter their check in date, around Mar 15 and did this. All my guests, save for two, took me up on the offer. I maintained by Superhost status and was not financially penalized for any cancellations, and all of the guests who cancelled got a full refund. Some guests were not able to find the COVID-19 reason for cancellation, but a quick message to AirBnB customer support got everything straightened out. I have informed the 2 guests who did not choose to cancel that my Strict cancellation policy will apply if travel restrictions are still in place when their check in date comes around. 

I hope this information helps you resolve your cancellation issue. 

[Vida16]

I am a relatively new superhost and will be at one year in July of this year. I found Airbnb to be astonishingly productive tool in building my business. I bought my property May of last year. It took hard work to open it with brand new things in it and get it running. Now there are some cancellations. I need the money of course. But it is a side business. I have faith business will bounce back eventually. I think it is important to live your life one day at a time and realize that all of us can die of this pandemic at some point. I am diabetic and older at age 54 living in Mexico without a retirement income. I have an eight year old boy whom I take care of. I have a husband who is trapped in the USA without the ability of crossing the border. He is working two jobs and has a heart condition and high blood pressure and is sixty years old. 

We have an older adopted son who is in a high pandemic state--Michigan studying at a university. These are uncertain times. I don't quality for the 17 million dollar bailout. But? I am grateful for my beautiful little house. Since no one is there and the house is clean...and unoccupied some workers are going to go and work on the roof and do some improvements during the down time. I keep my faith and love the Airbnb platform. In fact, is things get bad in Merida with the Covid 19? I plan to help with first responders. If some Europeans get stuck here and can't go back? I will put them up and help them out. It is time to support people in need now. Forget about trying to make money only. It is time for supporting people in need. Til the end. Greed and being materialistic when innocent people are dying by the hundreds of thousands is not what a good person should do. Period. 

I moved to Mexico because I love this city and love this culture. If you love something? You don't abandon it in its time of need. That is all I wanted to say. 

[Fred13]

Good post sister @Clara116. I always looked upon Airbnb as another one of those internet tech phenomenon like Facebook, Twitter, et al. No different than the Microsoft & Apple founding nerds that came well before them. College kids inventing tech programs that made them billionaires, but in the new 'social tech networking' world; they are not some Nobel Prize winners that found the cure for some rare disease or some other pursuits which require true brilliance and/or social benevolence. When one considers their age (Chesky is a kid a mere 38 years old, started Airbnb at 26), their backgrounds including their education (or lack of), their lack of life experiences & wisdom, I never took the 'Airbnb Ride' to last forever or really for real.

For that reason I always took Airbnb as a fortunate temporary option, with NO guarantees at all. Meantime, I always been grateful for what Airbnb has done for me and millions of others; expose our places to millions of people throughout the world without having to personally advertise, charge us a mere 3%-5%, getting us the 'customers' and even take care of payments. 

The risk? The one to be found when dealing with any company that is a bit flaky, whose policies are all over the place, and whose 'value' is supposedly $35 billion (now only $18 billion), yet has lost money the last two years, is in debt for $5.3 billion,  just had to borrow another $1 billion at 10% ,. etc etc. Talking about the world of business heart attacks, American style. 

It all reminds me of the saga of wealth accumulation & incessant greed of Joseph Armagh  ('Captains & Kings' by Taylor Caldwell) and at the end of the movie he asked his lifelong business partner 'Harry' (equally super wealthy) if he was happy; he said if he had to do it all over again he rather would have been a bum, a fishing bum. 😉😉

[Clara116]

@Fred13 thanks for your most clever mind. There are only a few that can look from a different angle or perspective....how refreshing for your words and encouraging response. You gave me a bit of fresh air and it's most needed during this time. May grace and peace be surrounding us and giving us freedom of spirit. Blessings 

[Manasui0]

Stuff will not happen like we wish.. it will not happen like it does in the movie.. 

it will hurt.. and hurt a lot.. it will test us in every aspect.. specially for us who is earning money by sharing space..  and travels..

is it worth it.. it probably is.. if we are open enough absorb the experience..

when we arrive to our= destination.. it will be different.. it will be like .. a... "whistle" with a good wind blowing forward, and a feeling deep in your bone.. that convince you this is it!! 

survival is not easy, but is not impossible

there will be time where we flourish again.. but now we must go underground and be patience.. be strong, calm and aware.. until it is time to make a.move.. until then ..

[Denise249]

I totally agree what has Happened is beyond our and our Guests Control. I don't feel the guests should be penalized unless they booked after all of this happened and borders closed...I had cancellations and yes it was sad but I understood. However I have one guest coming at the end of June who can't afford the penalty and I don't know if I can cancel them so they don't have to pay...I would rather clear my calendar till at least the middle of July in the hopes that guests will be allowed to travel by then( although I am not hopefully)...Does anyone have any suggestions?

[Clara116]

@Denise249 I think that the dates for cancellations will be extended further - as I understand it is in May now. ?? I cleared my calendar until June - and will probably have to push that even further - I would hope you can have guest cancel and it will not be a problem if done early enough. Perhaps someone else can recommend. I think when guest cancels outside the dates you get a request from airbnb to offer 100% refund and you can do that then. Pretty sure, but check it. good luck and stay safe.

[Branka-and-Silvia0]

@Denise249   it is simple, contact your guest and offer him MUTUAL CANCELLATION. If he agrees he should contact Airbnb and they will cancel for you. You will not be penalized, your guest will be fully refunded but Airbnb will keep a service fee.

That's what we did. Keep in mind Airbnb is overwhelmed with cancellations so it may take a few days until it's done.