So, i am a lawyer in Australia, and the following happened and i cannot make sense of it:
Case 1 - Guest asks for refund due to Covid. Original booking pre-March 2020. Date of stay - Feb 2021. She contacted AirBNB, who told her that her circumstance isnt covered. Guest then abuses me online. I still refuse. Guest now calls back AirBNB, gets a different employee, who hands her the money back, no questions asked. I point out the below Covid Policy which was updated 1-Oct, and AirBNB ignores me. I'm now down $10,000 on that booking.
Case 2 - Guest asks for refund due to Covid. Original booking pre-March 2020. Date of stay - 12 Dec 2020. She contacted AirBNB, who told her that her circumstance isnt covered. Guest then abuses me online. I still refuse. Guest now calls back AirBNB, gets a different employee, who hands her the money back, no questions asked. I tell AirBNB - her booking is NOT covered by the new 1-Oct policy, and the AirBNB employee says "that policy is open to interpretation and you interpreted it wrong. The mention of 'today' in the policy doesnt mean 1-Oct when the policy was created, its the date the guest make a claim for a refund". AirBNB explanation is this - If the guest tries to cancel more than 45 days before the checkin date, they get no refund. If they wait until the stay is less than 45 days, they get a full refund. Sooooo, any guest can now just cancel an booking in less than 45 days and get a refund??? THis makes NO sense. I argued the point, and was told "you have your explanation of the policy, end of story". I am now about $8,500 down.
This is INSANE. AirBNB are just handing money back to guests for any reasons they like. If the first consultant applies the policy correctly, and rejects guest claims, they can just keep calling back till they get someone who will hand the money back.
The policy found at: https://www.airbnb.com.au/help/article/2701/extenuating-circumstances-policy-and-the-coronavirus-cov...
States "Reservations for stays and Airbnb Experiences made on or before 14 March 2020, with a check-in date within the next 45 days from today, are covered by the policy and may be cancelled before check-in." TODAY would mean the start of the AirBNB Policy.. not the date the guest decides is TODAY.
I am at the point of getting my Law firm involved to represent other people whom this has happened with .... Keen to hear from other hosts who have experienced this ...
