I can't find anyone at Airbnb Uk to email or talk to? Why?

[Matt3688]

Why can't you discuss or email Airbnb Uk with an issue? Host is greedy and inflexible and is hiding behind Airbnb policy which doesn't suit or fit our situation.

[Emiel1]

@Matt3688 

To contact Airbnb:

Contact Airbnb - Community Guide [Updated]

You can also ask this community for general advise regarding your issue.

Which policy are you referring to ?

[Matt3688]

My host has told me that my party of 11 can't attend her house due to new Welsh/Uk Covid rules on only have 6 people attend. She also said she won't give money back but then won't allow me to re-book my 3 nights again because of her 7 day booking policy although thats the first I heard of it and she did take my original booking for 3 nights. Double standards.

But it is not clear how to cancel on the site. I tried to ask for my money back but it won't let me as I haven't paid the full amount and only the deposit. The host. is not helpful in explaining the process and just keeps saying your agreement is with Airbnb and not her..

[Anonymous]

@Matt3688  Would reducing your group size to 6 be an option for you?

[Matt3688]

LOL of yeah easy, which 5 guests shall I tell can't come!!! No, thats not an option.

[Anonymous]

@Matt3688   Is the host violating an Airbnb policy?  Or are they merely upholding the terms of your agreement when you'd prefer that they didn't?

[Matt3688]

Is there a policy for this???? If so I'd love to see it.

She is the one telling me a can't go and have no serious options for transferring because of her undocumented rules (not Airbnb rules). Not sure there is, but common sense should apply rather than screwing people and greed.

[Helen3]

I would use the contact information you have been linked to above @Matt3688  and give Airbnb a call.

I believe in your situation you should be able to cancel under extenuating circumstances and receive a refund.

you may have to hold on the line a while to get through- the legislation is coming in tomorrow so customer services may not be familiar 

[Sandra544]

Hi Matt.

I am an Airbnb host with two properties sleeping 12 and 15 people respectively.

when the new rule of 6 was announced, all of our bookings totalling over 50k for the remainder of 2020 were rendered illegal , both for us to host and for the guests to take up.

As a host, we could not cancel the bookings as, as a ‘host penalty’ for cancelling Airbnb were keepIng the Cancelled dates blocked on our calendars preventing us from even having a chance at taking a new booking.

I contacted each of our guests and urged them to cancel their bookings themselves assuring them that we would agree to a full refund, as we didn’t want them to be penalised for something totally out of their control.

When they tried to do this they were only being offered the refund due to them under standard booking cancellation rules, which doesn’t take an actual change in the law into account.
After many hours of both sides trying to contact Airbnb support, we got Airbnb to issue each guest a full refund and  remove any host penalties to us.

I was doing this on Thursday, just after the new laws were announced, so Airbnb Weren’t really yet aware of the law change...I believe by now they should be fully aware and so it should make getting in touch easier. You’ll need to start via the ‘help’ chat bot and keep saying ‘other’ when it asked what your issue is, otherwise you will just get preprogrammed advise to standard cancellation questions which are not applicable to this new law change.
For us as hosts however this situation is devastating and so, if it is an option to reschedule your booking,  that would be the best option for the host, but if this is not possible for you, as was the case for many of our guests, then Airbnb support will help if you persevere.

[Mike-And-Jane0]

@Anonymous Whilst the host may not realise it they are indeed violating an Airbnb policy in that the Ts&Cs make it clear that the law in any jurisdiction takes precedence over the other terms.

If it is illegal to continue with the booking then the guest has every right to their money back. 

[Helen350]

@Matt3688 

The UK hosts in this discussion report Airbnb staff were helpful in processing full refunds, when  the new 6 person law has resulted in a frustrated contract:

https://community.withairbnb.com/t5/Help/New-Rule-of-6-in-England/m-p/1348270 

[Mike-And-Jane0]

@Matt3688 Legally its almost certain you deserve a full refund (see Which reports). Airbnb seem to recognise this so your host is being dumb not helping you reschedule. It is fair that the host won't cancel s this would block the home to others but Airbnb should be able to cancel for you.

Good luck and let us know how you get on.

[Matt3688]

also, how do I cancel,  do I cancel through 'extenuating circumstances' who do I contact, there is no policy or process or contact numbers or emails to agree with someone how to do it. 

[Helen3]

Please read the replies already given here - as I mentioned in my earlier post @Emiel1 has already given you a link to a post with all the ways of contacting Airbnb . Use this to find the UK number and call Airbnb @Matt3688 

[Sarah977]

@Matt3688  A simple Google search yields pages of phone numbers for Airbnb, and there is a large pinned post on the first page of this Help forum, which I'm not sure how you have managed to overlook, "Contact Airbnb", which also gives you all the ways to contact Airbnb.