Final straw! ECP extended to June - NO support from $250 million fund!

[Andrew1928]

I got an email saying 3 of my June reservations (I only have 2) will fall under the extenuating circumstances policy. Full refund to guests and NO support for hosts from $250 million fund!

I called Airbnb to discuss and a case manager just sent me the link to the $250 million fund info which does not even apply to June reservations!

Anyone else get this email?

[Lizzie]

Hello @Dianne79,

My name is Lizzie and I am Community Manager here. I'm sorry your first message here didn't go through, sometimes if you are on the page over a certain amount of time, you need to refresh the page before you can post. You have to love technology sometimes! 

I can completely understand your concern here, but I also think it's important to highlight that for the full refund your guests will need to eligible to be covered by the EC policy, so for example if you have any bookings made after March 14, this doesn't apply to them. If your guests are still able to travel and you are able to host them per your local regulations, then I'm sure they are in need of a nice break and hopefully they won't cancel. Maybe you can message them and if they have to cancel, perhaps they would be willing to reschedule instead–your listings look incredible, so I'm sure they won't want to miss out. 

Regarding the $250m fund, as you may have seen in my response below, payment notifications regarding eligible cancellations are still being sent out to hosts (as you can imagine there are quite a few) and so hopefully you will receive something soon. 

I know this is a really hard time at the moment and I'm sure non of my response here will help this, but I just wanted to try and help a little and wish you well over the next few months. 

Thanks,

Lizzie

[Adam-and-Ike-0]

@Lizzie -- could you please clarify something for me? It says in today's June email:  "If [guests] need to cancel, they will receive a full refund or travel credit, and you won’t receive a payout."

I've read that AirBnb is making it tough for guests to actually receive a refund, as they need to PROVE to AirBnb that they can't travel due to COVID, as opposed to they just don't WANT to out of an abundance of caution... Is that the case?

If so, then doesn't that just mean that AirBnb is keeping the guests' paid bookings in the bank while the hosts "won't receive a payout"? 

Any clarification and guidance would be very helpful to understand the larger picture of how we're all being impacted. Thank you!

[Susan17]

@Adam-and-Ike-0

"If so, then doesn't that just mean that AirBnb is keeping the guests' paid bookings in the bank while the hosts "won't receive a payout"?"

That's exactly what it means. 

[Sheila22]

The relief payment are a joke!!  Fraction of a fraction of a fraction...Also, Airbnb appears to be pocketing the fees as well from what I can tell (though who can figure out their math with these ridiculous relief payments).   Airbnb continues to be insulting and offensive.

[Sheila22]

Dude!  You are in Georgia!  You are absolutely going to be having a  fairly normal June there -- I would place money on that.  Please tell me your are listed on other platforms besides Aribnb.  If not, do it now.

P.S.  I also asked Guests to purchase travel insurance or assume the risk and they agreed to this...Airbnb did NOT honor this agreement.  Other platforms do.

[William1280]

I was beginning to think my devices were hacked due to the support staff and  case manager (Amir) lack of common sense  rational. I feel relieve only on the level that my devices may not be hacked. 

My concern is Air BnB not fully adhering to the policies. Actually, I wonder if Brain Chesky is aware of the staff attitude and mishandling of the policies. 

I have a strict cancellation policy so I am OK with the 25% which is not being honored. It is actually 23%. I had a guest cancel on March 11, due to COVID-19. Her stay was March 14 - 19. She agreed to me keeping $600 of the $1544 to which I agreed. I was entitle to keep the entire amount. However, I believe we each should take a loss which is why I have a strict policy (for control). I received the entire amount. I presumed the difference would be deducted from the 25% payouts. To my surprise the entire $1,544 was deduct. I received $289.  I was OK with that considering the agreement. The problem I am having is getting the 25% payout on the $1,544. I am being told it is not eligible because the guest canceled before March 14. My point on the staff's and Amir's lack of logic. The date of cancellation is irrelevant. Brain stated reservations from March 14 - May 31 are entitled. If the date of cancellation is used against me it's only fair to apply it to the guest. A different set of rules were applied to me. The guest cancelled due to COVID-19, but before the extenuating circumstance policy was enacted. If she was entitled to a full refund, I am entitled to the 25% payoff. Amir manipulated the system by entering her cancellation date as April 2 on April 2 which was after the checkout date. At this junction, I want Amir fired and all staff that do not follow proper protocol.

The extenuating circumstance policy has been extended to June 15. The $250 M only covers March 14 - May 31. I feel after May, we all should take 50% losses. I do not believe there is a $10 M super host fund. If so, that's only 2000 invites. What are the odds of receiving an invite. I see it all as a ploy giving hosts false hope. 

Has anyone applied for the PPP loan?

[Anne-And-Cameron0]

I never got paid for my original cancellations despite being eligible so I guess this isn't surprising

[Lizzie]

Hey @Anne-And-Cameron0,

Great to meet you. Just to mention, payment notifications regarding the $250M fund are still in the process of being sent out, so if you are eligible there is still time to receive it. I hope you receive word soon. If you haven't seen this already, more details can be found in this Airbnb article, here. 

Thanks,

Lizzie

[Simon2553]

It states

"If travel continues to be disrupted, the Extenuating Circumstances policy may cover your June reservations that were booked before March 15th."

Emphasis added.

[Sarah3274]

But there is still a hard deadline of our ability as hosts to cancel penalty-free by 4/30, so the message is as a host cancel all your bookings now, and therefore your new guest reservations will all be committed to YOUR cancellation policy. 

[Dianne243]

Hi yes I did receive this email at 2 o’clock in the morning New York time that’s some bull**bleep**! Excuse my language but I’m pissed off they canceled five reservations already and I still haven’t received not one penny.

 I also have to Reservations and June not  receive no money but my other reservations are with the Competition Home*** and I’m receiving every dime. They are staying out of it it’s between the host and the traveler. 

[Sheila22]

@Diane243 Exactly.  Through Home Away/VRBO I got actual real paid bookings from travelling nurses in April, May, and one will extend through June-July -- this happened while Airbnb had my calendar blocked up with reservation that were inevitably going to cancel.   I have a woman who is going to come in to NY to visit her daughter who had a baby... real life stuff is still happening in June, so make sure your calendars on other platforms are open to accept those bookings -- forget about Airbnb for that.
For the US Hosts, they should NOT cancel the Airbnb June dates, they should just list on other platforms and take bookings there, otherwise  they'll just be sucked back into the Airbnb madness -- don't forget so easily how much Airbnb didn't give a crap about Hosts when chips were down.
States will start opening up (NY not so quickly -- but people need to come to NY for a whole variety of reasons -- it's just overseas Guest who will not be booking for a while), but Florida, Georgia, South Carolina...already beaches are opening as we speak, and Governors are lifting regulations.  I don't expect travel regulations from other countries to be lifted any time soon, but travel between states is going to be happening in June -- I'd bet money on it.  Schools are still closed, gas is cheap, people are sick of be stuck in their houses...they will travel to US vacation locations in June.

[Ryan-and-Darnie0]

I'm sure Airbnb is terrified of bad PR, that's why they're doing this. Airbnb is just a (very popular) centralized listing service like craigslist. They don't own nor manage your properties. If you're upset by this, why give them so much control over your business? Just create your own website and let tenants find your properties through google instead.

[Gordon0]

Who chips in for the millions needed for advertising, @Ryan-and-Darnie0? 

[Sheila22]

Remember Craigslist...that model?  It's going to be like that, just more technologically slick.  No corporate level advertising, just word of mouth (which is even easier these days with social media). When all the inventory moves to an app like that, where you just list your properties, then all the travelers will shop there.   It's grass roots.