Please HELP, I booked by mistake for two days for a wrong month

Val39
Level 2
Tel Aviv, Israel

Please HELP, I booked by mistake for two days for a wrong month

Hi everyone,

 

I booked in hurry and by mistakefor April instead of August!

 

The policy of the host is Strict and I cannot cancel. The total cost was $180, and AirBnB only offer to refund me with $60 if I cancel, so in any case I loose the money that I needed for the vacation trip :((

 

The host says that there is no option for them to help me to cancel the reservation. 

 

By the coincidence my father became really Ill the past week and was in the hospital. Of course I can provide this fact backed by the documents etc. Do you think AirBnB will cancel?

 

It's unbelievably hard to get an involved help from AirBnb, which I really need. The website provides only one option: to cancel and get sixty bucks of refund. They don't take into consideration no other facts, like that the apartment is empty and will be empty, or that the minute after I booked I realized the fact, and couldn't cancel it right away.

 

I don't want to get these $60, I rather have the AirBnb to have it. And in the meanwhile I opened the dispute through PayPal.

 

Please help and advise me what should I do? 

9 Replies 9
Gerry-And-Rashid0
Level 10
London, United Kingdom

@Val39

 

You made a mistake and the host can't accommodate your new dates. I think the host is being a bit strict, but then you did agree to his cancellation policy when booking. Just like booking a non-refundable hotel room - you are stuck with the costs. The host could agree to refund you his earnings if he can sell the room again - but you would need to cancel to free up his diary. You will still however be stuck with the AirBnB booking fee.

 

The host is right in saying they cannot cancel as they will be penalised more heavily than you. Can you agree with the host to use the credit at another time completely?

 

As for your Dad being ill and ending up in hospital last week - unlikely, given that your booking is in the future. Unless of course your Dad is going to remain there for the foreseeable future.

 

You can try contact AirBnB and see if they will cancel for you and waive their fees - but I think it is unlikely.

 

Good luck

Hi Gerry,

 

You are right about the rules, they are strict and clear, and I was stupid enough not to read them all. I just read "Fully Refundable" below the host's apartment listing and decided that there shouldn't be any problem. Very stupid from my side, nothing to add here.

 

 

However, the accident with my father has just happened in fact it's a brain damage so I hope AirBnb will take this into consideration, although it seems so humiliating that I need to rely on this rule instead of getting a real help for a real problem, which may occur to arguably, anyone.

 

You said: "The host could agree to refund you his earnings if he can sell the room again - but you would need to cancel to free up his diary. You will still however be stuck with the AirBnB booking fee."

 

What is AirBnB booking fee? How much is it?

 

Regarding the dates of the reservation - ironically, this is tomorrow instead of August - the reservation was made just a few days ago. Currently the host has no reservations and wont have at all I assume in the next month or two - it's not a season now there, nobody needs the apartment at htis time of the year.

 

You said: "You can try contact AirBnB and see if they will cancel for you and waive their fees" 

 

I found the AIRBNB HELL and contacted them. Hopefully they will take it from here.

 

 

Thank you again for trying to help.

Andrea9
Level 10
Amsterdam, Netherlands

@Val39 hi,

 

after @Gerry-And-Rashid0 have kindly given you the best possible advice in your unfortunate situation I won't even try to add anything else, except that the part you said is on the ad -

"Fully Refundable"

Has raised some questions amongst hosts these last days, because Airbnb has simply put it there. We hosts have no say in it at all.

If you haven't already spoken with them, try using that as being misleading to get a better edge on them refunding you.

Sometimes Airbnb gives guests a voucher for booking elsewhere, so if nothing else works, try that.

I understand that part. And thank you for the voucher tip. I have contacted them, but got no answer. I understand they are busy with similar requests..

 

Andrea, I thought about this. If AirBnb is so busy with whatever they are dealing with, I asked my host to accept this deal: instead of me losing the $120 out of $180 or waiting for the AirBnb response, I suggested to make this reservation happen, and make it as if I did stay at the place. Eventually, AirBnb would receive their commission. And the host -  I'd kindly ask them to transfer the money minus AirBnb's part to me via PayPal or else.

 

Since I suggested this to the host, I hear no answer from them. And btw, this is somewhat risky for me, but I would go for that anyway.

 

Do you think you or any honorable host would agree to this?

Thank you.

 

Marit-Anne0
Level 10
Bergen, Norway

@Val39

So the place you booked is unavailable for the dates you really need ? This is not clear from your message.   There is an option to change the dates within the platform parameters.  The host must approve of the change - this is done by your host clicking "accept" on the change request.

Hi Marit Anne,

 

I would gladly change the dates to August 13 - the dates I really needed for two days, that is August 13 & 14th. But it is available from tomorrow (April 13 - and this date was available and was ordered by mistake since April looks similar to August. Additionally the AirBnb search on the mobile device is always reseted, so I probaly didn't notice that when searching again.. At least I learned to use only the website and not the mobile app).

 

Ahh.. the frustration.. :)..

Val39
Level 2
Tel Aviv, Israel

So a quick [UPDATE] -

 

I contacted AirBnb and the representative was very corteous and listened to the problem, and the service was just in a word - great.

 

AirBnb still have these issues to improve like - just do something with the "Fully Refundable" wordings under the listings. And of course - make the mobile app better, by at least - make it remember my previous searches, because when I repeatedly used the search, it forgot my previous search, and suddenly - while briefly looking - April seemed like August...

 

Last word - if you had a similar problem, just google "Airbnb support" or "Airbnb hell" and call them. It took me about 40 minutes until they answered, but from there it was really helpful.

 

Dileep2
Level 1
Kathmandu, Nepal

Hi! I had made the same mistake.  Was supposed to book in April, but mistakenly booked in March.  Based on what I read here, called Airbnb and they showed a lot of empathy and care. I have sent them proof of my travel plans (airline tickets) and awaiting their decision.  Fingers crossed.

 

Thanks to everyone on this thread for your guidance.

Helen3
Level 10
Bristol, United Kingdom

If your booking is more than two weeks ago you can cancel penalty free if you cancel within 48 hours of booking @Dileep2 

 

What is the your hosts cancellation policy if it is flexible you can cancel I think without penalty although Airbnb may charge you their fee.

 

Really the easiest thing for you to do is to simply ask the host to amend the booking to the date when you want to travel. Is the hosts property not available for your new travel dates.