Host Cancelled problem

[Susan1156]

Hi all, 

Can someone help please.  I booked and paid for, on January 8th, a 3 night stay in Ibiza - in a small area with very few places to stay - I need to stay in this particular town for a reason.  Was advised to try an Air BNB.   

Last week, however, I received a message from the host to say that there was an overbooking on the last night, and they needed to cancel this one night.  I declined.   Explained nowhere else to stay which was why I booked and paid for their accommodation in January.   

Host said I needed to accept or he would cancel the whole stay.  I refused and declined. 

Next day - in sheer panic (at arriving at this place, to be told to go away) I found a hotel - £200 more than my original Air BNB booking and 5 miles from where I wanted to be in the first place.   Reluctantly booked, as I lost all faith in my host. 

I have written 4 messages, asking him to cancel and refund in full - citing that he said if I didn't accept the last night cancellation, he would cancel the whole booking.  

No response

I have also written to Air BnB support asking for help

No response

Someone is holding on to my £438 and I am not happy.   I refuse to go through the resolution process as it gets to the "cancel" point and it says that the host will only refund me one night.    

This is my first time booking an Air BNB.  And It'll be my last. 

Try as I may, I cannot find an actual telephone number to speak to Air BnB about this - any ideas anyone?? 

Thanks 

[Steve143]

Hello @Susan1156,

You can find they ways to contact support by typing "contact airbnb" in the search box on this forum or in the "Help" search box on logging in to your Airbnb account.

Type "contact airbnb" in the "Search the community" box on these forum pages where you posted your question. Scroll down a little in the list of suggestions that appears and click on the "Contact Airbnb: A Community Help Guide[UPDATED]" one. That lists phone numbers and ways to contact them via Twitter or Facebook.

You can also log in to your account, click on "Help" and type "contact airbnb" and then select "I want to contact airbnb" in the search results.

Scroll to the end of that article and clllick on the "contact page" link in the last paragraph. Then click on the "It's something else" box and you'll see messaging and phone option links.

Steve.

[Jeff158]

@Susan1156 the phone number is on your booking confirmation, good luck

[Lisa723]

@Susan1156 you are in the right. The host does not have your money (Airbnb does) but it is their responsibility to cancel if they cannot honor your booking. They are resisting because Airbnb will penalize them for cancelling. So sorry this has happened to you and put you off of Airbnb but of course your reaction is understandable. If you call Airbnb they should get this straightened out and either return your money or get the host to honor the booking.

[Letti0]

@Susan1156  You are due a full refund. Make sure when you call you state you want the host to be penalized to the full extent. You had a confirmed booking for over 7 months and she refused you at the door and would not cancel the reservation.

Here's the number for the United Kingdom +44 203 318 1111

[Susan1156]

Thank you guys!

Just had a missed call from Air BNB so hopefully this should be sorted fairly soon. 

Was blissfully unaware that Air BNB have my money (and not the host) so this is very good news. 

I shall await the call and report back (if anyone is interested, that is!)

Thanks again for prompt responses 

and @Letitia0 thanks for the phone number 🙂 

[Christine615]

Please explain o Airbnb that the host threatened to cancel you. It is not possible to have an overbooking unless the host is using more than one platform. Airbnb will likely cancel the reservation, refund all your money, and block the host from listing those dates. (or at least that's the way it's supposed to work.)

Good luck!

[Susan1156]

Thank you!

A very helpful and charming representative from Air BNB called this afternoon and it's all sorted. 

Refund is happily sitting in my paypal account. 

Thank you all, you've all been very helpful.  

I am an Air BNB novice, and this wasn't the best introduction to say the least!

I don't want to be put off, so I shall persevere in future.   

I was quite surprised that there was an "overbooking" to be honest.  I did wonder...... 

But anyway - all done, and staying at a hotel now (albeit rather more money than I wanted to spend) 

Sx

[Lisa723]

Overbooking is host error. You had bad luck with your first booking, unfortunately.

[Letti0]

@Susan1156  Glad it worked in your favor. Hopefully she got penalized. You should be able to see a review on her listing host canceled now and her dates blocked out. If she was a super host should be losing that too.