Air BnB fails to release payments. False information provided by Support teams. Hosts beware!

[Chalet-Olympia0]

Hey @Airbnb 

Your support model is a failure. Are you aware how your hosts are being treated by your support teams? I am for months trying to get payouts, which you have failed to release. You have a very serious customer support issue and I'm warning all hosts to watch out since your support service has been beyond terrible. You are holding back payments without an explanation, without updates on the underlying issue or resolution time and without support. Your support teams are providing false information and closing my support cases on the false information provided. Your support teams are refusing to escalate the issues further, claiming "they cannot do that", which means I meet a dead end each time I talk to one of your automated chatbots or unhelpful support personnel.

@Airbnb Your support teams have been asking me to forward identification to Payoneer, which is a company I have never heard of and do not have an account with. My issues were for weeks being closed without my consent, leaving me completely unable to question the advice that I have no relation to Payoneer and they are not the reason for the issues you have. Your support teams refused on multiple counts to escalate this issue further and kept closing my cases, leaving me completely unable to respond in any way other than to try and log them again and go over the whole process with a new chatbot or a new analyst again.As it turns out after weeks of delays and me talking to Payoneer, this was a complete nonsense and the reasons now seem to be technical issues at your end. I have now sent a 3rd party company my personal details because of your advice and with no reason whatsoever.

I'm sharing this to warn all hosts, which are pending or missing payouts from Air BnB and I am uploading a very small part of my communication during the terrible handling of my issues.

I want to demonstrate and highlight the complete lack of support and provision of false information leading to week long delays in providing payouts. My payments are still unprocessed and I have no update when that might happen or what I have to do. This is my most current update after one and a half months.

Attached below are:

- the false information from Air BnB asking me to contact Payoneer and provide them with my personal information and ID. A company I have never heard of and which I DID send my ID to, only to find out subsequently that the problem is not with them.

- a confirmation of a technical issue preventing payments and a confirmation that no update or resolution time is possible. In a way telling me that I may not get my money for an unknown period of time

- another email with the same copy/paste response from a different person(or bot), at this point I have no idea. The responses from the Air BnB support "analysts" appear to be useless automated responses for most of the time.

I am a host with 100% positive rating and I am taking my property down until these issues are resolved. I advice all hosts with the same issues to do the same. @Airbnb  is beginning to feel like a scam.

**

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[Chalet-Olympia0]

@Airbnb  Do I need to get a lawyer?

[Helen427]

@Chalet-Olympia0 

Did ABB sort out your Payments?

I agree ABB Tech Team, CS and the likes of Fintechs must rectify there rear end systems because there are simply far too many complaints here in CC and in other forums online that have gone on for far too long and in a very unprofessional manner.

It doesn't help one bit that basic Templates are being used here there and everywhere in Businesses today without any lateral thinking - some of this goes back to Behavioural Insights / Psychologists lurking in the background who have screwed up systems to push 'Machine Learning'. 

When we first joined ABB there were none of these issues arising in the manner they are today, some of which have possibly come about because of the upheaval people have been through the last couple of years and lack of collegial support in Customer Service roles.

[Chalet-Olympia0]

Hi @Helen427 

Unfortunately nothing new since. The below is the latest I have received since two weeks. This type of response is beyond belief after more than two months since the issues began. How can this be their official position is for me incomprehensible.

I find it very hard to believe that there are wider issues, which Air BnB are not fixing and which are impacting multiple clients of theirs.

Regarding the semi-automated support model coupled with the even less autonomous support staff, it is a complete failure, which has forever ruined Air BnB's reputation for me.

As soon as I get my payments I am switching to another platform. This is not worth my nerves and health.

I am now trying to legally escalate this case since all I hear from Air BnB are nothing less than lies as can be clearly  seen in their communication.

** 

**[Content removed in line with the Community Center Guidelines- Please note that it is not allowed to share Airbnb investigations]

 

[Helen3]

You can take them to small claims court @Chalet-Olympia0 

you can snooze your listing so you don't get further bookings to make it easier for you to leave the platform . 

[Chalet-Olympia0]

Dear @Helen3 

Would you know if the small claims court option is available if you are based outside the US?

[Helen427]

@Chalet-Olympia0 

That's unfortunate to hear there's still no resolution.

Fact of the matter is none of us should be having to go down the avenue of having to consult with and bring these matters to other Governing Bodies.

We pay our Service Fees, we have our own Jurisdictions which ABB acknowledge and refer to in their Policies.

Having spent a large part of my career in Customer Service based industries including for some very reputable names I am appalled at the constant reference by some in here to take matters to Arbitration, especially when we have already done our bit.

Whatever has happened to good old fashioned Traditional Service of ensuring people are paid for services rendered in a Timely manner?

Note that ABB whilst they may be able to request Government ID documents, for whatever reason which is often not advised to us prior to such disruptions to our monies owed, ABB are not a Government Department so have no lawful way of Verifying if indeed those documents belong to the person presenting them as a Selfie confirms nothing as has been established in known Legal systems.

You may like to make submissions in Switzerland in relation to any AI proposed and related Legislation to ensure there's a proper Human Element with International Businesses like Home Share.

All the Best

[Helen3]

It would depend on the country you'd have to check @Chalet-Olympia0 

It certainly is in the UK.

[Helen427]

Make sure you also request your Data Information files and cross reference all information.

@Chalet-Olympia0