covid case and cancelation rate

[Sylenka0]

Hi,

I have a flat which I am renting out while I am leaving. There are two rooms.
And so, some time ago I had the situation as follow: one room is rented bu a tenant not from airbnb, the second is occupied via arbnb guest. In the midtime the not-airbnb guest gets covid.
Non-airbnb guest was supposed to leave already but because of covid he had to stay longer to keep all the covid-related rules, the second guest also was about to finish booking but when that happened he had to stay longer to fulfill quarantine. 

I had already other confirmed reservation when that happened so straight away I contaced the guest who was supposed to come in a couple of days and WE cancelled the reservation.
I informed also airbnb wanting to know what is the airbnb procedure in such a sistuation. No helpfull answer regarding such a case came  (only that ppl must be in quarantine etc. - just what was obvious, but nothing about internal airbnb rules). And then I noticed that my offers have disappeared from listenings - I did not received any information on it in advance although I asked about the procedures. Also my cancellation rate get down a huge number.

It was already some time agobut I had not time to discuss it. Anyway I concider it as unfair activity.

What steps shoul I take now to make the situation clear and fair for me?

[Huma0]

@Sylenka0 

Did you manage to find any resolution in the end?

That's a very tricky situation. I don't know what else you could have done except cancelled the upcoming booking. Of course, there are a lot of penalties for hosts who cancel, but you had little choice.

The extenuating circumstances policy only covers COVID related cancellations if either the guest or host contracts the virus. However, you are right it doesn't make sense that the host gets penalised for having to cancel a booking because someone else at the listing has tested positive. Even if your Airbnb guest had checked out in time, you couldn't expect the new guest to share with your tenant in that situation.

I am not sure what you mean by your offers have disappeared from your listings. I have heard here on the CC that some listings are being temporarily suspended (and upcoming bookings cancelled) when Airbnb is informed that someone who stayed there has tested positive, but I am not sure if that is true or not. I haven't seen anything official about it.

Probably why you are not getting any answers from Airbnb CS is because they don't even know themselves. 

[Helen744]

@Helen744 something similar happened to me . We had a potential booking from a group of doctors needing to isolate because someone arriving at the clinic needed to isolate. I was not aware that I could not accept this booking . Luckily they cancelled. because regulations changed and they did not need to isolate because they were not close contacts .It is up to us to make sure no one with covid stays at our house for any reason so the person at your house with covid would attract a possible  suspension of your business without a notification from airbnb . Pretty rude and arbitrary. Never cancel Ask the guest to do so and explain to them why . this way you can refund the guest and protect your cancellation rate. I live in fear of someone developing covid  in the house and taking away my income . Good luck

[Jackie237]

@Sylenka0 

It is true that listings are being suspended because of Covid. I had Covid I live in UK, I had guests booked so I told Airbnb I have Covid, showed them proof and they cancelled my guests under extenuating circumstances and I wasn't penalised. My 3 listings were all suspended as it's in the my home where I live. I isolated for 10 days (UK government guidance) and did the enhanced cleaning on my property and after 13 days I was ready to take guests again. Airbnb have told me that even after enhanced cleaning my listing still needs to be deactivated for a further 7 days! They say it's mandatory but I've asked to see this mandatory information on the Airbnb website and I haven't been guided to it as yet. If it's mandatory information, all hosts should be made aware of it, it should be clearly written on the website.