WARNING - AIrbnb Backdated the new Cancellation COVID19 cancellation policy to a booking that cancelled before it went into effect

[Helen213]

I had guests due to arrive March 30 - April 5th  to rent my entire apartment. In the beginning of March the guest was nervous about travelling and asked his options.  I explained the strict cancellation policy.  I also offered if he cancelled within 3 days I would give him the deposit back if I got another booking.  He choose not to cancel.  He waited until 3/10 and finally cancelled.  I was supposed to keep my deposit.  Airbnb just contacted me and they are giving it back to him.  The  new policy was not in effect when he cancelled.  They were not sick and there was no ban when he cancelled. 

I am now out the $500 which was my lifeline after the new policy went into effect and I lost all the rest of my bookings for 8 weeks.  This is completely unfair and I now I am going to get a bull**bleep** reply from customer service about this too.  So Airbnb looks like a hero and I may end up homeless!

[Ian-And-Anne-Marie0]

@Helen213 

If Airbnb make decisions contrary to policies they have in place, I wouldn't even attempt to phone / email / Twitter / Carrier Pigeon / Smoke signal them.

Arbitration: (Find the relevant regional variation for you)

https://www.airbnb.co.uk/terms#eusec201910_19

In your case, they're wrong, you'll win !

[Ian-And-Anne-Marie0]

@Helen213 

Airbnb are finding in Hosts favour in cases like yours. You will need to spend time waiting on the phone to put your case to Customer Services but Hosts are receiving their due cancellation payments. 
Contrary to my previous post, this might be your preferred option.

[Rose123]

Is this the case? For one of my many cancelled reservations this occured and the message-thread customer agent totally brushed me off. Interesting - did you have success with that?

[Helen213]

I went back and forth too with no help from the online rep who approved the refund.  I think they do not want to admit to an error. I am going to try to call when I can wait on hold for hours.

[Adriano78]

@Helen213  HI,I had a reservation for April 20, the reservation was canceled on April 11, I am in strict condition so I must receive 50%.

Today I received a message from Airbnb telling me that the guest has made a claim and is requesting a full refund.
Guess what? Airbnb fully reimbursed it !!!.

This is the E mail i sent to Airbnb :

HI

- Reservation of "Brianna" ( HMJKXE5ST5 ) : This reservation has been CANCELLED on March 11th, so BEFORE your new (illegal) Extenuating Circumstances regarding Covid-19.

At the date of yesterday, Brianna does not have any reservation with me, as it has been cancelled on March 11th : so this reservation is NOT an EXISTING reservation.

Your new Extenuating Circumstances regarding Covid-19 applies only to EXISTING reservation, as stated on March 14th :

What reservations are covered Reservations made on or before March 14, 2020

Existing reservations for stays and Airbnb Experiences with a check-in date of April 14, 2020, or earlier, and with at least one night occurring between March 14, 2020 and April 14, 2020 are covered. This means that guests who cancel will receive a full refund, hosts will be able to cancel without charge or impact to their Superhost status, and Airbnb will refund all service fees.

Existing reservations for stays and Airbnb Experiences with a check-in date after April 14, 2020 will not be covered under our extenuating circumstances policy except where the guest or host has contracted COVID-19. The host’s cancellation policy will apply as usual."

So YOU CANNOT apply it to an old reservation yet cancelled : the reservation, as an agreement, is closed and you cannot legally make any retroactive change.
You already know that as you change the term of "existing reservation" by only "reservation".

I recall that you new (illegal) Extenuating Circumstances regarding Covid-19 cannot be retroactive.
As published on March 14th, they cannot apply for a cancelled reservation on March 11th.

For this, I ask you to refund me the 86,73 euros corresponding at the 50% of the initial amount, in accordance with my cancellation policy.

If Brianna want a total refund, she has to contact me directly and I can offer her an arrangment.

If YOU want to refund her, please do it with your OWN FUNDS, not with the fund of other people.

I am sure you will able to act as profesionnaly as VRBO or booking.com platforms.

Regards,

Adriano

[Ian-And-Anne-Marie0]

@Rose123 

Another community member reported this.  It took numerous phone calls, insisting to speak with a supervisor, then obtaining a different Customer Services operator who understood the situation and then overridden the refund to a 50% strict policy.

On the Discussion Forums the post was praising the the Customer Services operator.

This was posted within the last two weeks so should still be able to be found.

[Helen213]

Thanks!  The original rep online refused to reverse her decision despite numerous back and forsth messages.  I will try calling them when I know I can wait on hold for hours.

[Rose123]

Now (at least in Oz) they have shut the phone lines!

[Rose123]

Thank you guys! @Ian-And-Anne-Marie0  always great advice 🙂 

I'll be chasing this up via their web link. They have shut the phone lines!

[Rose123]

@Ian-And-Anne-Marie0 ok, so this is what I got. They have shut the phone lines. I'm so angry. 

"Hi Rose,

We are fully aware about the policy and this reservation was eligible for the full refund as per the policy hence, the decision was taken.

We have all the relevant information on the basis this decision was taken.

Hence, we are unable to do anything as of now, I am sorry for this.

We will consider it as our final decision."

They cannot even use grammar.   😕 

[Ian-And-Anne-Marie0]

@Rose123 

@Rose123 

They're so overwhelmed with mail and calls it suits them to be flippant. Open another case. Persist that you are right.. You are! Phone as well.

They hope that you will let it lie. The policy is clearly written. You just need to keep on with it.

[Rose123]

@Ian-And-Anne-Marie0  I just wanted to report back that I found the relevant clause in the ECP which should protect hosts from backdating. @Helen213 this will be useful to you too as well.

It is directly off the Airbnb site under their new ECP. ******Cancellations submitted before 14 March 2020 will be handled according to the extenuating circumstances coverage in effect at the time of submission (not the coverage described here).******

[Ian-And-Anne-Marie0]

@Rose123 

******Cancellations submitted before 14 March 2020 will be handled according to the extenuating circumstances coverage in effect at the time of submission (not the coverage described here).******

Exactly !

[Rose123]

@Ian-And-Anne-Marie0 thank you!! And - I got it refunded!! It involved opening 3 web tickets. First two times I got the wrong rep, and then someone more senior came along who apologized and also reprimanded the previous reps. Wow. Great stuff. The best thing is I think it comes from their pockets! Finally. 

I had a 100% cancel rate, so this is welcome news. Thanks for your encouragement.