Refund request refused with no explanation

[Jane3798]

I requested a refund for my first night as I could not access the property. Airbnb have refused my request with no explanation. Grateful for advice on what I can do next.

[Jane3798]

Thank you - yes. And Airbnb have all this info and inexplicably closed the case. What can I do next?

[Michael5047]

@Jane3798 

What did the host tell you when you asked for a refund because you weren't able to access the unit and he was unresponsive?

Does the host have a time frame for check-in? like 4:00 PM to 9:00 PM or so?

[Jane3798]

He said we didn’t wait for a ‘reasonable amount of time’ and this is set out in a policy somewhere, which I need to find

[Gwen386]

Response deleted because answers to my questions were responded to in earlier posts.

[Jane3798]

sorry I am back at work and catching up. really appreciate you having taken the time to give advice. I am new to this forum (as you can probably tell!) as I've always had positive experiences until now.

[Helen3]

It's difficult to advise as you only reveal information about the situation in parts @Jane3798 

If you contacted the host because you couldn't access the listing at a time you had agreed with the host to be there and the host was unresponsive and you waited a reasonable time say half an hour or so, then the host should refund the first night, IF there was a problem with the lock box or other check in process.

If the host is not refunding you voluntarily (how long did they say you should wait for a response) you need to open a case again with Airbnb.

[Jane3798]

sorry and thanks. This is all correct and what you say is reassuring. It feels like Airbnb closed the case without really looking at it properly. I have reopened the case, but I was hoping there was a way to escalate it within Airbnb - is there a formal route if someone is unhappy with the outcome of a refund request?

[Huma0]

@Jane3798 

Mmm, well I don't know about that. The policy simply states:

1. Check-In Guarantee: If a guest can’t check in to your place and you aren’t able to resolve the issue – for example, if your guest can’t access your property and can’t get in touch with you – we’ll find your guest a similar or better home for the length of their original stay at Airbnb’s expense or we’ll refund them.

Maybe someone else can find more detail on this, but I can't see any links to do so. Also, if the host states that this policy exists, maybe ask him to send you the link to it. It would be easy enough for him to do so and I would have automatically done this if I was him and it was true.

I don't know about how long you were trying to contact the host before you decided to leave or how long it was before the host responded, and offered to check you in the following day. Personally, I think it's less important how long you waited and more important how long he took to respond because you could have been waiting until he did.

Most likely, the host has told Airbnb that the issue was resolved, which it was, in a way, but they are still supposed to refund you for the unspent night. Or, the host has told Airbnb you went to the wrong place, left before giving him a reasonable time to respond, and therefore it's your mistake, and they believed him. Dealing with Airbnb CS is really hit and miss these days...