Refund and rebooking policy- terrifying!

[Paul1255]

Yikes, anyone else broken out into a cold sweat reading the details of the new refund and rebooking policy….

https://www.airbnb.co.uk/help/article/2868/rebooking-and-refund-policy?src_section=310825&c=.pi80.pk...

[Sarah977]

@Paul1255  Already a thread running on this.

https://community.withairbnb.com/t5/Hosting/Another-update-which-will-increase-guest-refund-requests...

Yeah, we're all just thrilled at Airbnb providing guests with even easier ways to scam hosts out of payments and get a free stay.

[Paul1255]

@Sarah977  It’s frightening. And the host being responsible for the cost of alternative accommodation if the guest is rehoused.

Looks like that was in the previous version of the policy but I clearly didn’t pay it much attention.

[Mark116]

@Paul1255  Was it?  Yikes.  That's pretty insane, putting the host on the hook for the cost of rehousing a guest?  Is that even legal? 

[Paul1255]

@Mark116  indeed! At least airbnb were kind enough to list the previous guest refund policy (dated effective Dec 15th 2019) directly underneath the new version.

[Mark116]

@Paul1255  I can't wrap my mind around this.  A guest comes, makes a travel issue complaint, maybe a dusty refrigerator shelf, or a dead spider.  They happen to come on a busy weekend and the only place they can be rehoused is the Four Seasons.  And I am on the hook for this?

I don't get it.  Why is Airbnb actively, aggressively anti-host?  

[Paul1255]

I’m struggling with it too @Mark116 

I suppose to make us more compliant….perform correctly- these are the things that could happen if you don’t.

[Mark116]

@Paul1255  Would it really be legally enforceable?  What if a host closed the bank account associated with Airbnb and delisted.  Are they going to sue you in small claims court?  Or they wouldn't have to because you already agreed to it, so you'd just have a legal judgement against you?

I can't believe I never saw this before.  I wonder how many hosts have been charged for rehousing and 'associated costs'?

[Paul1255]

Good question @Mark116  !

I really have no idea- I suppose it’s enforceable as we’ve agreed to the T&C to be able to list on the platform, even if we’ve not read through the fine print carefully.

Indeed, I was wondering how many might have been charged for that already- we will never know I suppose and Airbnb are unlikely to tell us.

[Robin1080]

The anti host stuff passed by me and just slammed me in the face...i hate to leave my island manager with less income by taking the listing down but who can tolerate pandering to the scammers.  My recent scammers boldly told my manager of their plan before they executed it.  I am blocking off all days until end of guest listings then figure out how to inactivate the listings...

[Sarah977]

@Mark116  Apparently that has long been a BDC policy.

[Branka-and-Silvia0]

@Sarah977  yes, and this is one of the reasons I delisted from Booking.com very quickly

[Peter3362]

I had a woman stay for 2 weeks from Kentucky duhhhhh and I asked her every day how was your stay is there anything I can get you do you need directions etc. etc. on her last day she still had a wonderful stay it was nice to meet you and your dog and then she hit the review button and the reviews for me were terrible. They took a review down off of my reviews because they realize she spoke about everything else but her experience in my apartment. And there are a lot of scammers out there in this situation which is scary who try to make you pay for their next day and if they get caught doing that I hope they……  Toss them in jail because that is not fair to the host. And I take my hosting very seriously!!

[Peter3362]

I was a super host up until her complaint 

[Mike-And-Jane0]

@Peter3362 I can't see your listing. Has it been suspended?