Cards stacked against Hosts

[Patrik25]

After having suffered major losses in 2020 due to the host-unfriendly COVID cancellation policies in spring of 2020, I am yet again left in the rain with a guest who had to cancel on the very same day of arrival due to a positive COVID test. Their "extenuating-circumstances-policies" rightfully refunded the guest for the fees paid, but would let me stand in the rain with a week that I can't resell due to the short notice. I wonder how Catherine, Global head of Hosting thinks of such one-sided risk policies. Please, note that I am 5-star super host driving massive profits for Airbnb with my properties!

[Mike-And-Jane0]

@Patrik25 The EC policy may well be unfair but as an experienced host you presumably know that it is what it is. If the EC policy is unacceptable then other listing sites are available for whole home listings. Why not just move to one of them?

[Branka-and-Silvia0]

@Patrik25  Everything is explained here https://www.airbnb.com/help/article/1320/extenuating-circumstances-policy

and here

https://www.airbnb.com/help/article/2701/extenuating-circumstances-policy-and-the-coronavirus-covid1...

[Sarah977]

@Branka-and-Silvia0 Reread the policy.

"Reservations for stays and Airbnb Experiences made after March 14, 2020 will not be covered under our extenuating circumstances policy, except where the guest or host is currently sick with COVID-19. 

[Branka-and-Silvia0]

tnx @Sarah977  yes, true, I've changed my comment

[Patrik25]

@Branka-and-Silvia0 
Yep, unfortunately that was the case. One would hope that guests close a travel insurance which would kick in. But AirBnB wouldn't even investigate this, just went ahead and cancelled!

[Mike-And-Jane0]

@Patrik25 All insurances require the insured to mitigate their losses. As a result they would not pay out if Airbnb is willing to cancel through the EC policy.

[Sarah977]

Also:

"Note: If you're sick with COVID-19, you can cancel under the policy regardless of your reservation details by contacting our community support team. You'll be asked to verify this with documentation."

Now, of course hosts have no way of knowing if the guest actually did provide documentation and Airbnb isn't about to share that with hosts.