HOST INVOICES FROM AIRBNB AFTER GUESTS' CANCELLATION

[Stelios41]

Hello,

can anyone help me understand how does airbnb issue invoices after a cancellation?

At first , when the reservation was made from the guest, airbnb issue to me an invoice with the fee. After 2 months the guest cancelled for free his reservation and while i was expecting to see a second invoice issued at the day of cancellation, with the same fee credited, what i get is the same invoice that was issued 2 months before (same number and date) but with a zero fee. That means that airbnb changed the first issued invoice by changing the fee to zero. 

I also had another case of free cancellation from the guest, where airbnb also changed the first invoice to zero fee, but also issued a second invoice at the day of cancellation, also with a zero fee.

I don't get it! Shoudn't airbnb just issue an invoice at the time of reservation with its fee and then at the time of cancellation a second invoice as a credit note, with the same fee? I am facing an accounting problem because of this kind of invoicing from Airbnb.

Any help?

Thank you,

Stelios

[Mike-And-Jane0]

@Stelios41 this is weird and I wonder if these invoices are Greece specific. We only get a booking confirmation from Airbnb and no invoices. The money then comes through after the guest stays (or doesn't if they cancel).

For tax we cash account so the only thing that matters to us is when the cash hits the bank account. For the other accounting method I would think the first invoice also generates some sort of 'debt' (probably wrong word) until the stay actually happens and the money is actually earned. 

[Stelios41]

Thank you very much for your answer. It is probably a greek issue. According to greek tax system , a list of transactions and payouts can't take the place of an invoice. There should be issued invoices. And that is something i get from airbnb but with wrong amounts and dates. That is also a problem at the declaration of the transactions between Greece and EU, that we have to send every month to our tax authorities (vies transactions)

Thank you for taking time to help!

[Fred13]

Never heard of this invoice system, like @Mike-And-Jane0 said, maybe it is Greece specific. Normally one follows under Transaction History > Upcoming Payouts what is going on, which shows the status of existing reservations and future payouts. Anything in there about these two reservations?

[Stelios41]

Thank you very much Fred for your answer. Yes, it is probably a greek issue. According to greek tax system , a list of transactions and payouts can't take the place of an invoice.

So the transaction history doesn't help.

There should be issued invoices. And that is something i get from airbnb but with wrong amounts and dates. That is also a problem at the declaration of the transactions between Greece and EU, that we have to send every month to our tax authorities (vies transactions)

Thank you for taking time to help!

[Lorna170 · Accepted solution]

@Stelios41  Other than the annoyance of a cancellation, as you do not get paid by AirBnB until AFTER the guest has arrived, why is a cancellation a problem?

You should not report income until you have earned it and it has been paid to you, so I am not sure why you would need to supply to anyone an invoice showing a booking AND an invoice showing the cancellation.  

I pay my taxes and report my income each month to various agencies.  I do not report income until it has been earned and deposited into my bank account.  So a guest can book AND cancel, and the tax authority does not need to know UNLESS I was paid and I refunded money that has passed through my bank.

You should speak with an accountant or a tax professional that is versed in the rules of your country. AirBnB is not going to change their programming, so the zero fee notice is all that you are going to get.