Owner pays for the service fee

[May1178]

Hello, I am a guest, and considering booking a listing where the service fee is 0, the little question marks explains that the owner pays for it. The cancellation policy says that after certain date I will get full refund minus the service fee. Since I will be paying 0 service fee, this should mean that there is no deduction for service fee.

But the cautious side of me says there is still a service fee, just the owner pays for it at the time of booking. At the time of cancellation, the service may revert back to the guest, and my refund may be reduced by having the service fee deducted.

Anyone has knowledge about this? I have tried to contact airbnb to no avail.

Thank you!

[Sarah977]

@May1178  I think you mean that before a certain date you'd get a full refund, not after. As for the service fee, that's a good question. I don't know how that would work. If the host pays both the guest's and host service fees, presumably they put their price up to cover it, and I'd imagine you would not get back whatever the % of the service fee the host has covered that would normally be the guest's to pay would be withheld.  

Not sure how you've been trying to contact Airbnb, but maybe try another method- if you've been calling, try Twitter or messaging through the Airbnb site.

[May1178]

Thanks Sarah, you are right, it is before certain date, not after. I tried again calling airbnb, this time it went right through, surprise! The CS person doesn't know the answer, after researching for 20 min, we decided that she would do more research and get back to me, I will update when I get an answer.

[Ian-And-Anne-Marie0]

@May1178 

What you explain is an irregular occurrence. It might be something only available to ‘Pro’ hosts or other nomination. I would try enquiring with the host directly to clarify this, since if you are not getting any service fee directly charged from AirBnb, then it would be due indirectly in the event of a cancellation.

Im guessing, but maybe a commercial operator is provided some advantage over the regular ‘Root’ AirBnb host ?

When you do find your resolution, would you please post it back here for reference?

[Mike-And-Jane0]

@Ian-And-Anne-Marie0 Its actually the likes of Sykes Cottages who bizarrely are allowed to advertise on Airbnb as well as having their own websites. Their business model is to charge the hosts approx 20% and nothing to guests so to make their life easier I guess Airbnb allows them to price the same on all websites and then Airbnb presumably charges a higher than 3% hosts fee.

These companies also get the Superstrict 30/60 cancellation policies. I have no idea how they fared with respect to the Extenuating Circumstances rulings.

[Ian-And-Anne-Marie0]

@Mike-And-Jane0   @May1178 
It seems this 'Pro' host type listing was set up last year. Then, the "host-only" fee was set to 14% and connected through a channel manager and an API. Airbnb denied that this setup would provide any advantage to 'Pros' - but at the same time told 'Pro' listers that  it would increase their bookings by 22% !

In respect of the EC rulings - heres an interesting one... A friend of mine booked what must have been one of these Pro listings and as they needed to make a cancellation they contacted the owners direct who insisted that their T&C's were 'separate' to Airbnb and they wouldn't refund. My friends complained to Airbnb who they booked through and eventually were refunded. My bet would be that 'that' host won't be prioritising Airbnb bookings in any way in the future.

When BC says he's taking the company back to its roots, does he include Pro listings in that do you think? The likes of Sykes etc...? Or would they be out?

[Sarah977]

@Ian-And-Anne-Marie0  I remember reading that those "pro" hosts could also take a cash security deposit from guests.

[Ian-And-Anne-Marie0]

@Sarah977 

Certainly on my friends booking there was confusion over what contract applied, so maybe there's variations which are host specific? It does seem that the 'Pro' hosts have more control over their listing and a cash security would be definitely more beneficial, to them as well as it would be to us 'regular' hosts. From @May1178 's perspective booking through Airbnb, all those variations should just be pointed out. If only she could ask?

[May1178]

Hmmm just lost all I typed. Here's again:

This listing is indeed by a commercial operator, it appears just as a regular one aside from owner paying for the service fee, there is no security deposit required. However, the price almost doubled overnight, I removed it from consideration. 

As to T&C, it must follow airbnb's since it is on the platform, I don't believe it would be legal to operate under an undisclosed T&C. As for the "minus service fee", I assume it will be deducted from the refund in the event of cancellation, regardless who pays for it at the booking.

If airbnb CS gets back to me, I will update you.