Reservation and Cancellation

[Brianna143]

Hello, so im a guest and I have a problem. So, I booked a trip back in February (the 10th) and it was group trip for me and some friends graduation. Well, recently, a lot has happened. First, my grandmother is elderly and keeps falling (recently had knee surgery) so she has to get the other knee done. She plans to get it done the week after the graduation, the week of the trip  (she's waiting as long as she can until I graduate because its a big deal for everyone, FIRST GEN YAYY!!!) so, I will be the one to care for her. My grandfather passed and her two sons (my dad and uncle) stay further away so I am always her care taker. So, I will be caring for her after surgery. She is literally like my mom anyways so I don't mind. But, that has happened as well losing my job. So anyways, I tried to cancel last week (March 11) and they told me they have strict policy and I could only get 50%. I was understanding and went to process my refund but it was only trying to give me $2 back. So, after re contacting the host they told me that Airbnb would explain it. So, I contacted Airbnb and they told me that they would try to talk to the man about getting my money back. After some time, they told me he refused and that the 50% only covers if I paid the entire cost and I only paid half ($1,100). For me, that is a lot of money. I was already being understanding to take half but I refuse to take $2 out of $1100 that I paid. So, I tried to move the dates back to at least accommodate my situation and try to get a job to save money and get my grandma situated. They have now told me they recently changed their policy to having to book for at least 31 nights so im not allowed to change the reservation either unless I pick 31 nights when I originally only had 3. I keep contacting Airbnb and they are no help and my host does not try to help me at all. I feel like I have to beg for a reply and when I do get one its a scripted paragraph. I just dk what to do. Should I take it to small claims court? Even I just will take my half back. Im trying to be understanding but my host is also rude and unhelpful. Please help me. Honestly even after this mishap, if things changed and I was able to stay I wouldn't simply because of how unhelpful the host has been.

[Emiel1]

@Brianna143 

The strict cancellation policy refunds 50% of total price. You paid half of the total price, which means there is no further refund. The "refund" is: you don't have to pay the second payment.That's how it works technically. But the host can decide to give extra refund, but is not obliged to it. Also the host is not willing to change the dates (also not obliged to it).  Sorry you booked with a host not willing to help you in any way, but there is not much you or Airbnb can do about it. Maybe consider a travel inssurance  when booking another trip in future.

[Brianna143]

Yeah thats what I was confused about on the cancellation policy but now understand what it means! Thanks for the advice! 😊

[Sarah977]

@Brianna143  Personal circumstances are not grounds for cancellation refunds. Hosts aren't responsible for whatever life circumstances might befall a guest- it's a business deal, not a friendship.

The host has no obligation to waive their cancellation policy- they aren't doing anything wrong, they aren't being rude by not refunding you more. You agreed to the cancellation policy when you booked. That you didn't understand it is unfortunate, but doesn't mean you are being cheated or have a leg to stand on to take them to court- it's you who is being unreasonable, not the host.

Cancellation policies are based on the full price of a booking, not on what you paid upfront. This is clearly stated in the cancellation policy information if you bother to read it.

If Susie books Happy Home on the Hill for 3 nights for $150 and pays in full at the time of booking, and then has to cancel, Susie gets $75 back.

If you book the same listing for the same price, but only pay half up front, why should you get half of the $75 you paid back? 

In both cases, you and Susie are both out of pocket $75 of the total booking cost, which is as it should be. Why should Susie be penalized more for cancelling than you are?

The option to pay half up-front is simply a payment convenience offered to guests- it is completely unrelated to the cancellation policy and the % of refund owed.

Sometimes hosts will offer to refund more if they are able to rebook the dates you cancelled, and you could ask the host if they would be willing to do this, but honestly, as you have incorrectly faulted the host for your own misunderstanding of how refunds for cancellations work, I doubt they would be willing to work with you any further.

[Dale711]

@Brianna143 

Thank you for sharing your life experience in the Community Center.

If I am the  host,  I’ll definitely made a full refund to you.

My listings cancellation are all in strictly term policy.Yet, I did frequently made a full refund to my guest [ especially to students]  by cancellation for a true reason “ for something is a fact or situation which explains why it happens or what causes it to happen for the cancellation”.

Well! @Brianna143 never, never  give up!
Represent all your related documents to Airbnb Support Help Center, insist the case manager to assist you and seriously look in to your case, and till you get back your full refund! 

Do shared your stories via Airbnb social media, Twitter, Instagram, Facebook for fast attention. 
I wish Airbnb will fully support to you and persuade your host for the full refund!  

Good Luck 👍🏻  

Hope your grandma “ Get well soon !” 🌼🌺🌸🌻. 

[Sarah977]

@Dale711  Whether you or I might choose to refund a guest in contravention of our cancellation policies is immaterial. The point is that there is nothing about the OP's reason for cancelling that falls under Airbnb's policy for receiving a full refund and this guest doesn't understand that what she paid up-front is unrelated to the % of the refund due.

The host has done nothing dishonest or rude by refusing to violate their own cancellation policy, and the guest is not entitled to more of a refund than she was given, regardless of whether you want to portray yourself as a good guy.

[Brianna143]

Firstly, please don't be rude to others under my post. Secondly, as stated before I did not fully understand the policy and I stated that to the Airbnb consultant. My host however was being rude by not trying to at least explain the policy to me after I stated my confusion on the refund process. And you are right, I am not entitled to more than a refund than I gave. I paid $1k and only asked for 50% back, but $2, no. 

[Sarah977]

@Brianna143  You still don't understand the cancellation policy. 50% refund means 50% of the total cost of the booking, not 50%of what you chose to pay upfront.

You got the 50% refund you were owed, because you never paid the balance of the total booking fee, you only paid for half the reservation.

You now say you fault the host for not explaining how refunds work, but I explained it to you in my first response, and you still refuse to understand it. I wasn't rude to Dale- he has given you faulty advice and if you follow it, you will just waste your time trying to get a larger refund, because you are wrong about being entitled to one.

[Mike-And-Jane0]

@Brianna143 Your host was not being rude. Hosts do not know how much Airbnb charge a guest (50%or 100%). They do not get paid until check in so it is somewhat difficult for them to help guests who do not understand the cancellation policies they signed up for.

[Dale711]

I accept your compliment humbly! 
@Sarah977 

As a matter of fact, @Brianna143 is here to ask for “ Help” 

Please help me. Honestly even after this mishap, if things changed and I was able to stay I wouldn't simply because of how unhelpful the host has been.

How could you not see ? 

[Sarah977]

@Dale711  For goodness sakes, I did try to help her- I explained to her, without judgement, why her understanding of what she should receive as a refund was incorrect, that it isn't based on what she paid, but on the total cost of he booking.

Educating someone about what they misunderstand is called Help. Telling them to pursue a refund when there is nothing that warrants that isn't help, it's bad advice.

I once had to explain the exact same thing about refunds to another guest. It took 3 messages back and forth for him to finally understand, at which point he said something like "Oh! Okay, I finally get it now. Thanks for explaining and sorry I was so dense."

[Brianna143]

Thankyou for your help and kind words! I will continue to contact airbnb for support! Glad to see its still some understanding people in this world! 😊

[Colleen253]

@Brianna143 If your goal is to receive more of your money back, then your best bet is to do as suggested here and ask the host if he will refund you if he is able to rebook the dates. Your best chance of success doing that is to be polite, apologize for not understanding the terms of the contract you entered into, and for taking up his time with this.

If you go to Airbnb and fight this, your chance of success with that is very slim. As mentioned by others here, you signed a contract, have been refunded accordingly, and the host is not in any way obligated to give you any more than that back. Airbnb is not going to over ride that. It's a losing battle.

[Ute42]

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@Dale711 

I believe You think that You're doing something positiv trying to help @Brianna143  to get $1100 back. If this is successful, the host will be out these exact $1100.

So while Brianna may get $1100, the host is losing $1100. What's positive about that? You're just moving the loss of $1100 from one person to another

Do You know anything about the personal circumstances of said host? Maybe this host is fighting to financially survive this 12 month Covid cancellation desaster, no income, maybe this host has a real hard time to pay the mortage, maybe he's right now in a process losing his house?

Also Brianna said:

• I booked a trip back in February (the 10th) and it was a
  group trip for me and some friends graduation

We must assume that these students are splitting the cost of this stay amongst each other, maybe 8 people? So Brianna isn't losing $1100 but each of them may lose $137?

Pls think twice before posting instructions as You have posted upthread.

cc:  @Emiel1 @Sarah977 

[Brianna143]

I paid for majority of it so no I may not lose $137. And I understand hardships but these are hards times for everyone. I have bills, I go to school, I am not asking for a handout here just 50% of my money back.