New EC- full refund for ANY reason if voucher is OK

[Inna22]

I just revived clarification from customer service. Any guest who booked before March 14 will have an option to get full refund via voucher at any time regardless of hosts cancellation policy. This applies to all stays into the future and reason for cancellation is not asked. Hosts will not get a pay out. Guests will not need to contact customer service. This is one of the options on line. We can all assume that we do not have a cancellation policy in effect for any reservation booked before March 14

[Nick]

Hi everyone,

Thanks for your questions regarding vouchers and guest documentation. I have the following information that should help bring clarity.

If the reservation is cancelled under the Extenuating Circumstances Policy for COVID-19 related reasons, the guest is required to provide documentation if they want a cash refund. If a guest decides to take their refund in the form of a travel credit instead, they are required to attest that they cannot complete their trip due to COVID-19 within the Trip cancellation flow. For guests who do opt to pursue a cash refund, there are currently four cancellation reasons to choose from. The documentation requirements will depend on the cancellation reason they select within the product.

Let me know if you have any questions.

Many thanks,
Nick

[Ian-And-Anne-Marie0]

@Nick 

Under what circumstances do Airbnb refund their service fees of $800 to a guest when a cancellation hasn't been made and there is no Covid-19 EC policy in place for the date of the trip?

And why can a guest just say, 'attest'  "Covid-19" and be eligible for a travel credit, and the host be entitled to nothing, despite there being no travel restrictions in place to prevent the guests from travelling?

[Nick]

Thanks @Ian-And-Anne-Marie0 for the question. Each case will have variables that mean specific documentation is required, so it is impossible to pin down to a post.

However, you can review the Resource Center for the Extenuating Circumstances guidelines.

Thanks
Nick

[Ian-And-Anne-Marie0]

@Nick 

Non-answer, laughing emoji: 😂

[Inna22]

@Nick what are the variables? Is it a policy or is it a free for all? Because if it is a policy, there should be a list. You are avoiding the answer because you do not have one. You know very well anything goes. Or nothing goes as well. Meaning if you do not have any documents but click a box, that is fine as well. Because we are all a community, @Nick , right? We all trust each other. So if a guest says they can not travel, surely they are not making it up to get a refund. You asked us if we had questions, @Ian-And-Anne-Marie0 had a very specific one so you posted a link to the resource center?

[Sarah977]

@Nick  Posting links to the Resource Center and EC guidelines, when experienced hosts have asked a legitimate question, is really quite insulting. It's exactly like when a long-time host messages CS about an issue and they just cut and paste a link to some Help page. As if we would waste our time messaging them if the answer could be found there. It's something that totally infuriates hosts.

At this point, it seems that Airbnb should just put out a statement admitting that there is no such thing as cancellation policies anymore- that guests can just cancel whenever they want, for any or no reason, and the host will receive nothing. Because that is essentially what is happening.

[Inna22]

@Sarah977 going forward I am just going to message you my thoughts and you are going to put them together into one very well written post. I usually start rambling and then you come and make it into something that makes sense

[Sarah977]

@Inna22  No! I love your posts. Besides, I'm more of a responder- I seldom start topics and you're really good at it. But you are most certainly welcome to message me anytime 💖

[Marcy10]

I have a question Nick.  I'm a host and a guest.  I have a reservation that falls under the Covid cancellation policy due to recent changes.  With those changes my host started pressuring me to cancel.  She won't confirm she'll release my deposit and she won't cancel herself.  I've reached out to resolutions but no response.  How can hosts get away with this behaviour?  I would never treat a guest this way.

[Sarah977]

@Marcy10  Is this a reservation you want to cancel, or the host wants to cancel? If it's the host, then she should cancel from her end. But if your dates fall under the current refund for COVID policy, then you could just go ahead and cancel- if your dates are covered, the host doesn't need to release the deposit- Airbnb will do that. I guess you could wait to see what Airbnb advises.

[Inna22]

@Nick I have MULTIPLE guests that just don't feel like travelling. What does that mean they can not complete due to covid?  Is not feeling like travelling a good enough reason to override a host policy? Does feeling like putting down Covid to get a refund count? Because that is what they are all doing and that is what you are accepting. Do you really think they will honestly put down the reason when they are trying to get several thousand dollars back? They say whatever gets them the money. In other words, you are just giving away vouchers to anyone who clicks a box, no verification. And do you know whose money it is, @Nick ? It is the money that feeds my family, pays my bills. Airbnb on the other hand keeps the money these people paid months ago, continues to earn interest and will not have to pay until these people finally decide to travel, if they decide to travel. And if they forget about the voucher airbnb keeps the money. The money I earned by attracting these people with my good reviews, pictures and customer service. The money I counted on to pay my bills and support my family. So please @Nick do not recite the terms and conditions I have read already. At minimum have the guts to admit that your policy is a free for all so us hosts have a fair chance to prepare for what is to come. Some of us naively thought that at least at some point the cancellation policy will be upheld but it is now clear it would not

[Ian-And-Anne-Marie0]

@Inna22 

It is "Incited Collusion" - Where one party convinces another it's OK to lie to obtain benefit over another party, for the first party's benefit.

- Airbnb keep ALL the money (because they need it more than anybody else (!) ).

- The guest gets an easy refund by the promise of a voucher against another accommodation, for which they need to "attest" (lie and just state the 'secret' words) about their situation.

- A harder option (where proof needs to be provided for cash is offered).

- Hosts get NOTHING.

@Nick Tell me I'm wrong and then show me the evidence.

[Stephanie]

@Ian-And-Anne-Marie0 @Inna22 

@Nick had the last 3 days off for personal reasons so was unable to get back to you immediately.

I appreciate the answer was not what you wanted to hear but please be more considerate with your addressing of the team - as we don't except rudeness from one host to another, the same applies when addressing the OCM staff. 

With that in mind, we've gone back to the internal team with your questions and concerns and hope to get you some feedback soon. 

Thanks

[Ian-And-Anne-Marie0]

@Stephanie 

I'm sorry that you feel my reply was rude. @Nick did already reply with a non-answer after he specifically asked for questions, then referred back to the policy which was actually being questioned.. Equally rude!

I really was not expecting any answer from last tagging @Nick , in the last message: https://community.withairbnb.com/t5/Hosting/New-EC-full-refund-for-ANY-reason-if-voucher-is-OK/m-p/1...But an answer will now be awaited. Hopefully an answer will be provided to the original questions too: https://community.withairbnb.com/t5/Hosting/New-EC-full-refund-for-ANY-reason-if-voucher-is-OK/m-p/1... 

Thanks.