AirBnB makes host responsible for payment deposits of guests.

[Jantina0]

This is the letter I got from AirBnB after hosting a guest for 3 weeks.

We hope this message finds you well.

We regret to inform you that we have reached out to your guest, **, for reservation HM2HCX5DMR because we haven't been able to successfully process their payment. In the event that we are unable to collect payment from your guest, we will need to cancel this reservation for lack of payment. Please note that if this reservation is cancelled, we will not be able to reinstate and your guest will need to rebook to continue this stay.  

It is possible that your guest is unaware of the payment problem and may need to simply call their bank. Airbnb has provided your guest with additional information and instructions to pay the balance due. With the cooperation of your guest, we can work to collect the payment so everything can go as scheduled. 

Unfortunately,  if we are unable to collect the payment for this booking by 12th Jan 2022, we will have to cancel the reservation for lack of payment. If the reservation is cancelled, your calendar will be unblocked, , and you will be free to book with new guests.

As a friendly reminder, do not use the Resolution Center to send or request payment for the cost of  your reservation as these agreements may be canceled. Additionally, all payments must be made to Airbnb per our Terms of Service. Offline payment is not considered safe practice and violates our Terms of Service. 

We apologize for any inconvenience this issue may cause you. If you have any questions or concerns, please let us know and we will be happy to assist. Thank you for being an outstanding host on Airbnb.

Best,
** Finance Specialist

**[Name hidden due to privacy concerns - Community Center Guidelines]

[Anonymous]

@Jantina0 Was it a long - term booking (29 days or more)? This happens frequently with those, because Airbnb only collects the first month upfront.

[Jantina0]

Yes they booked for 31 days but there had to go back to the Netherlands after 17 days. They made the change 5 days in advance so they should get money back not been asked to pay extra 

[Emiel1]

@Jantina0 

The orignal stay (31 nights) was "long term", having the "long term stay" cancellation policy attached (always attached to stays of 28 nights and more).

Shorten it to a "short stay" (17 nights) will not result in a refund.

BTW Airbnb is testing a new "long term stay"cancellation policy:

https://www.airbnb.com/resources/hosting-homes/a/help-test-a-new-cancellation-policy-for-longer-stay...

[Jantina0]

I understand all that however we as hosts should NOT be responsible for payments of guests. We have no influence in the payment process this is Airbnbs responsibility not ours. And then telling me I won’t get paid for this stay is so unfair. I was informed of the problem with the payment a couple of days before the guests left. This was today. Do we as hosts disturb the guests by asking for payment????? This is asking for a bad review from the guests. It’s hard enough to keep guests happy without the trouble of not getting paid for it

[Huma0]

@Emiel1 

Thanks for bringing attention to the testing of the new policy. I somehow missed that.

I am not sure that 9% more bookings would be enough to entice me to adopt a more flexible long term policy. When a guest cancels a long term booking, unless it is many months away (i.e. not just 30 days away), it is very hard to rebook those dates with another long term guest, especially these days. 

Instead, I have to reduce the minimum stay in the hope of rebooking any of those dates. Sometimes they get booked, sometimes they don't, but I am then having to host shorter stays, which is exactly what I don't want to do.

If they go ahead with this new policy, I do hope they make it optional and keep the old one in place as an alternative.

[Elaine701]

Well that's unusually explanatory. Has the bot been smoking something? 

[Jantina0]

Not at all they were very nice guests. 

[Jantina0]

I just don’t understand that we as hosts can be put in the position of non payment by Airbnb. I pay the guests fee what comes to 15% for that money we should be assured that we get paid for bookings. Now Airbnb throws it back to me and I am out of 17 days rent. After the horrors of COVID and in our season I can’t afford to loose that much money. But I am even more concerned that this can happen this way

[Sarah977]

@Jantina0  Your posts are quite confusing. You say you aren't getting paid at all for the booking? You didn't get a payment soon after the guest checked in? Then in another place you say the guest should have received a refund, not been asked to pay more. 

[Jantina0]

Precisely it’s crazy. But what I find unbelievable is that Airbnb is putting this problem of non payment on me as host. We should be protected for these type of things. It’s not in our hand to ask for payment this is why we pay Airbnb. 
just to tell me : We are sorry but you are not getting paid is so unsettling. Where’s our host protection????