Is a week enough?

[Inna22]

Why is it somehow every decision Airbnb makes, even a good one has to have a caveat? They are now allowing to cancel the remainder of reservations penalty free to convert to long term but giving us a week to do that. That means in a week I need to make a decision if I am converting and when. This is not enough to secure a tenant for May 1 and most likely even June 1. In Illinois you cannot even show properties right now. Yet, I need to decide right now. For those of you about to say that I should not be hosting anyway and who will even be coming, I do have 10-14 day construction crew and first responder reservations that at least pay my internet bill. I also have plenty of summer reservations so I do not want to make this decision lightly.

[Huma0]

@Inna22 

I wonder why Airbnb are doing this? Apparently - at the same time - they are sending messages to guests whose bookings are after the 31st May deadline for full refunds telling them NOT to cancel now, but to wait for an update on 1st May, when they may announce an extension to this deadline.

So, why are hosts being rushed to make decisions before 30th April, but guests being told to wait until after 1st May? I am sure that can't be a coincidence.

Imagine the money they will save if the host, not the guest cancels? If the host cancels before they extend the deadline, that means the host will not be eligible for the 25% of cancellation fees, but if the deadline for full refunds to guests is extended, and then the guest cancels, Airbnb has to pay hosts with Strict cancellation policies something and it all adds up...

Sorry to be cynical, but I don't know how else to read this.

[Inna22]

@Huma0 this absolutely can not be a coincidence. They have however made an announcement that they have extended teh cancellations through June 14 if they are coronavirus related and are no longer paying 25%. Maybe they are trying to see what they are "left with" after hosts cancel? If I do end up cancelling someone, at this point I can no longer care about any of their penalties, superhost status, etc. 

[Huma0]

Hi @Inna22  do you mean they have extended the full refund to guests under COVID-19 EC until 14th June, the period in which hosts can cancel penalty free, or both?

I am not sure how they can extend the full refund to guests if they do not also extend the period in which the 25% compensation to hosts also applies.

Do you have a link to this update? I'd be very interested to see it...

[Inna22]

@Huma0 extended the EC. I have not been able to find the email. I will try looking for it again tomorrow. It was fairly vague. It had mid-June as time line and the language was that guests may cancel for covid reasons. The only very clear part was that those cancellations would no longer be covered under the 25% promise.

[Huma0]

@Inna22that is really weird. If you go to the article on COVID-19 EC, it has not been updated since 9th April and still says the deadline is for bookings until 31st May. Maybe you somehow got wind of the extension that Airbnb are planning to announce tomorrow, as reps have been telling guests to wait until 1st May before cancelling as they 'might' extend the EC dates.

However, if they extend the EC dates, but not the eligibility for the hosts to claim the 25% compensation, there is going to be an uproar. It's hard to believe that Airbnb would do something like that after all the outrage they caused before and now that a lot more media coverage has come out about it, but I suppose nothing should surprise me by now!

[Inna22]

found it. This was sent on 04/22 @Huma0 

Dear Inna,

The coronavirus continues to disrupt the travel industry, and millions of Airbnb hosts and guests are on lockdown.

We’ve been working with hosts like you to shape our ongoing response to the pandemic through over a hundred listening sessions in more than 30 countries. One thing we’ve heard is that you want advanced notice and options to engage guests directly when things change. Here’s what you need to know.

Guests may need to cancel June reservations due to COVID-19

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

What that would mean for you

• If a guest’s travel plans are impacted by COVID-19, they will have the option to reschedule.
• If they need to cancel, they will receive a full refund or travel credit, and you won’t receive a payout.
• These reservations will not be eligible for any payment under our $250M support initiative, since the program only covers check-in dates through May 31.

Here’s what you can do

• Keep the dialogue going with guests. Some guests may need extra assurance right now—reach out to see if they have any concerns that you can address.
• Cancel penalty-free by April 30. Whether you’re unable to host or you want to open your calendar for longer term stays, you can now cancel any upcoming reservations this year booked before March 15. You won’t pay a fee, have your calendar blocked, or have your Superhost status affected.

Go to reservations

As a reminder, guests will not be refunded if they need to cancel reservations booked after March 14 due to COVID-19.

COVID-19 is the most difficult thing we’ve had to endure as a business, and we know the same is true for many of our hosts. There are no perfect answers right now, but we hope this update gives you clarity. We’ll be in touch on May 1st with an update. In the meantime, you can check Airbnb.com/COVID for realtime information.

Stay safe and stay healthy.

Airbnb, Inc.

888 Brannan St.

San Francisco, CA 94103

[Huma0]

Thanks @Inna22 . This is bad news indeed and no, a week is absolutely not enough. Also, it shouldn't be put on hosts to cajole guests into cancelling within this time frame. My upcoming guests are still debating about rescheduling etc. and usually take several days to respond to messages because they, like most of us, have no idea what the near future holds.

I am sure a lot of other hosts were not aware of this update as there have still been so many questioning whether the EC will be extended.

[Mike-And-Jane0]

@Huma0 

Airbnb has been clear - They will likely extend guests cancellation rights past end May but will not continue the 25% thing. As such they have allowed hosts until end April to cancel all guests for the year if they wish to switch to long term renting.

[Huma0]

@Mike-And-Jane0 

Sorry, but I don't think Airbnb has been clear about this at all. I have had no message nor notification from them about this and I check my messages and notifications frequently. If I wasn't an active member of the CC, and most hosts are not, I would have no idea what was going on.

Quite frankly, this is a nonsense. If Brian Chesky was so regretful and contrite about not consulting hosts in his decisions, as he keeps saying, then why on earth would this decision now be made? How can they extend the 100% refund for guests without extending the compensation for hosts? The compensation for hosts is supposedly there to support us by offering us a fraction of compensation against the losses incurred due to Airbnb's decisions, not ours. So, how is it fair now to put the burden on hosts to sort out the mess, with a few days notice?

I have guests with upcoming bookings in May and June who do not want to make a decision now. They want to wait and see what happens. Yes, I could cancel on them instead, but we have already heard from other hosts that the guarantee of 'no penalties for cancellations' does not always work. Furthermore, the very small amount of money (12.5% or less) that we could expect from Airbnb to go some way towards mitigating sometimes huge losses, would be out the window.

So, why do you think Airbnb is pressuring hosts to cancel by that deadline? It is pretty clear that's because they would then have much less compensation to pay out to hosts. Sorry to be blunt, but anyone who can't see that must have taken too many happy pills in their youth.

[Mike-And-Jane0]

@Inna22 

Most of my information comes from Airbnb.com. If you  click Covid updates learn more  (banner at top).

If you then look in the 16th April update (down the right hand side) that starts Hosts can cancel...

you will find the following paragraph:

Reservations with a check-in date on or after June 1 will not be eligible for support payments from the $250M USD commitment. We know that might be disappointing news for some of you, and we really wish we could do more. The reality is that $250 million USD is a major investment for Airbnb, and COVID-19 has hit our business hard—just like it has for so many of you.

In a later posting you will find that Airbnb have said that for reservations prior to March 14th they will review the ability for guests to cancel regularly as time and the situation progresses.

We may not like what they are doing but it is now clear.

@Tyler320  I don't work for them but it is clear to me what they are doing because I look at Airbnb's communications rather than relying on fake news.

[Huma0]

@Mike-And-Jane0 

"The reality is that $250 million USD is a major investment for Airbnb."

Really? Well sure, it sounds like a lot of money, but when Airbnb obtains $1 billion in new investment and announces they will be spending the majority of it on recruiting NEW hosts, while its existing, often long standing and loyal, hosts are bleeding would suggest that it is actually pittance for them.

The reason this multi billion dollar company was losing money before COVID-19 was due to overspending and continuously investing in failing projects outside of their core business. If you look at that wasteful spending, $250 million is a drop in the ocean.

None of that is fake news. It's well reported in many reputable publications and not refuted by Airbnb.

[Tyler320]

@Mike-And-Jane0 Airbnb and the word clear--SUUUUURE!!!! You must work for them, dude. 

[Susan17]

@Inna22 @Huma0 @Mike-And-Jane0 @Tyler320 

[Susan17]

From @Stephanie, this morning (May 1)

Here's the latest information on bookings up until June 15:

What is happening for June reservations?

As borders continue to be closed and billions are sheltering in place, some people will be unable to travel and we need to allow them to cancel. Eligible reservations with a check-in between June 1 and June 15, that were booked before March 15, can be cancelled under our extenuating circumstances policy—but guests will need to substantiate that they’re sick or unable to travel. Our most recent host update explains the policy and how we’ll apply it moving forward.