cancellation policies

[Puneet17]

Hey everyone!

Does anyone know what you can do if a host does not respond to a refund request aside from escalating the issue?

[M199]

@Puneet17 

Really ??  You are in Ontario's Covid Hotspot where a "Stay-At-Home" order is in effect.  Why are you travelling across Canada and potentially spreading the virus?? How so self-centered.

When you booked you agreed to the terms of contract and are legally bound by that contract.  Please do not expect hosts to break the law to be accomplices to your actions.  Hosts are individuals who make a living by sharing  their  homes. 

[Puneet17]

I completely understand. This was not something I was expecting to do during a pandemic with travel restrictions arising. I am obviously upset but I walked into the situation knowing this could happen and it is not fair to the host either. I am just looking for a middle ground solution. I am not looking to start arguments or fights

[Colleen253]

@Puneet17 "I am just looking for a middle ground solution."

You are only entitled to whatever refund (if any) is to be paid out according to the cancellation policy you agreed to when you booked. Any such refund is automatically paid out by Airbnb, not the host. Do you think you are entitled to more than that?

[Puneet17]

Absolutely not. Whatever refund has been given is already in the process of being given to me as per cancellation policies.

[Colleen253]

@Puneet17 Well then, you're done. Case closed.

[Anonymous]

@Puneet17   Your situation does not appear to fit the current description of "extenuating circumstance" that would be eligible for an exception to the host's cancellation policy. It's not a fact, but rather an opinion, that you deserve an exemption from the policy that you voluntarily agreed to when you placed this booking well into a pandemic that every adult on earth knew full well could thwart their plans. I don't think you'll get much mileage out of acting entitled to something that you rationally know you aren't.

The best way to approach your host about this would be to acknowledge that you understand the terms of the agreement you entered into, but that you hope they will consider refunding you for any dates they are able to re-book. What I do not recommend doing is asking that someone else take a loss because you miscalculated the amount of risk you were willing to absorb. Hosts tend to find that attitude rather offensive.

FYI, the Airbnb search tool contains a "flexible cancellation policy" filter so that you can narrow your search down to listings that will grant you a refund if your travel dates don't work out. It's not your host's fault that you chose not to use this.

[Puneet17]

Absolutely you are right about this. I can acknowledge that I made a choice and do not think it is the host's fault and I absolutely do not feel entitled to get a refund. I am just trying to find a way to find a solution that works for everyone, and I was not being hostile or rude to the host in any manner. I am just asking for a simple response from the host and that would be more than enough.

[Anonymous]

@Puneet17   As long as you have an active reservation, the host is obliged to stay in contact with you and provide any information that you'd need to access the property.

Once the booking is cancelled, the host no longer has any obligations to you and is perfectly free to ignore your messages. 

I don't see how the status quo is not "a solution that works for everyone," because what is happening is precisely what you agreed to when you made the booking. That is the very definition of a solution that works for everyone, even though of course nobody likes losing money.

[Puneet17]

Makes sense, I totally get that. I just wasn't sure how to go about this, that's all.

[Sarah977]

@Puneet17  But what response are you looking for from the host.? On the one hand you say you understand that you are only owed whatever is in line with the cancellation policy, then you say you are looking for a solution that is middle ground. This is double-speak.

Sure it would be nice if the host responded, but if you are trying to get her to refund more than the cancellation policy you agreed to by booking, which you seem to say you aren't, but it seems you are, then I can understand why the host doesn't find it necessary or a good idea to respond.

[Puneet17]

@Sarah977 At this point, if the host does not respond I will take that as my answer and will take the refund that was initially being given to me. I don't think there is any need for me to fight for a refund and ask for more money if it is not possible. Of course it would be nice but I can't blame the host for following her cancellation policies, I was being hopeful earlier. If the host simply responded saying she won't be able to refund me then that would be fine, I was just looking for a response instead of being ignored, but again she is not obligated to do so, it just would have been nice. I don't want to be hostile towards her and that is not my intention either. I simply explained my situation to her and she empathized with me. I can't ask for much else anymore.

[Sarah977]

@Puneet17  Well, that's a good attitude. If you had just asked her in the first place if she would consider refunding more for any nights she was able to rebook, that would have been a better approach than just asking if she would refund. 

What many guests don't realize is that hosts don't actually get paid for a booking until 24 hours after the check-in time. Until then, Airbnb holds the funds. So when guests ask for refunds, they are asking for money the host doesn't even have yet.

I still don't really understand why you thought it was a good idea to book a trip across Canada when the federal govt, and the health officials in every province have been begging people to stay put. To your credit, you did say you know that was selfish, but actions count, not words. It's precisely because people ignore the directives and continue to travel and gather that this pandemic is not only still with us, but is getting even worse in many areas. Please do your part to be responsible about this, urge your friends to as well, so we can all get back to normal life. There are younger and younger people, who were otherwise perfectly healthy, getting really sick and even dying from Covid now. 

[M199]

@Lawrene0 

Your thoughts?

[Lawrene0]

Mine, @M199 ? I have a flexible cancellation policy. It's what works for me. @Puneet17 's host has a policy that works for her. 

Thanks for bringing me in, though, because I'm delighted at the way this thread unfolds.

 @Puneet17 , I think I like you a lot. Your host isn't responding, but she doesn't have to at this point. She may find it avoids drama. So you turned to the community and the community is telling you that you have to abide by what you agreed to when you booked. And you're saying you understand. You're not complaining; you're not shouting about being scammed; you're not arguing. You're just sad, like M and like me, in gloomy Ontario where, like many places in the world, things are dismal right now. 

Thanks for listening to everyone. It's possible you have no idea how rare that is.