Host referral program is not worth it

[Shelly203]

I referred a host whose referral was set to expire in 90 days, on September 11. Her first booking checked in on July 31 and checked out on September 1.  The referral in my host account then said “booking complete you will receive payout in 14 business’s days’. 

I waited the 14 days and then saw the referral changed to “this referral has expired” I began calling weekly to inquire about this and am consistently informed that the referral expired and they do not have a mechanism to pay me, even though the guest checked out 10 days before the referral expired. This was a $3,000 booking and both the host an Airbnb were paid. 

The supervisor assigned to my case informs me that it’s a “glitch” in their system and that his department has no way to communicate with the technical team. I am encouraged to “stop inquiring about this issue” because they will be providing the same information. 

This program is a scam. The policy says you will be paid as long as the booking is completed prior to the referral expiring. Not sure why the host is being penalized for a glitch in the system, as they claim. I am a super host and I will NEVER refer anyone again. 

[Title updated by Community Manager for relevancy]

[Gillian166]

@Shelly203  I'd suggest you keep nagging them about it until it is escalated. or perhaps some mod here can intervene for you 

[Shelly203]

I have! I call at least once a week. I always get the same response which is later followed up by a supervisor who always writes that I need to stop calling about the same issue as there is no resolution. He’s pretty condescending at this point 

[Sudsrung0]

@Shelly203 

Thats naughty from airbnb, 

Also, they were paying guys from America something like $700 but here in Thailand we only get $25 how can that be? I wonder how many people where referred to airbnb over the years...........? 

[Dina-and-Scott0]

Its false advertisement.  I am in America and was told that in my country it was paused???? What?  I am flooding their social media page to see if this can get resolved @Brianchesky 

[Mindy---Tony0]

Yep I was just told that, but then why everytime I leave a review I get that page that says $870 to refer! Total BS! 

[Ingrid767]

I agree Shelly. They also hide information about the requirements. I was a referral and they promised $40 to do the process. The requirements are more than what they say. So they won’t pay me and it’s it fair. This is a scam. I had to talk with Airbnb support to get the right requirements. 

NEVER refer anyone. I want to make sure people know about this.

[Camilla-and-Will0]

I agree Shelly, the host referral programme is a scam. I referred someone recently and was due a referral fee of £442 and my friend was due £30 for joining AirBnb.  Neither of us have been paid despite numerous messages to AirBnb via the help centre.  We have sent proof to Airbnb that the referral was sent and used (and confirmed this on the phone with them at the time) but they claim that their technical team can’t find any record of it.  They have provided no satisfactory answer and have closed the case without paying either of us.  I thought AirBnb was a decent company until this experience. 

[Dina-and-Scott0]

We all need to be on top of this and fight it. Its false advertising @@Brianchesky. As a founder we need to flood his social media page. This is nuts!!!! 

[Blerta3]

OMG! You are so right! My poor sister redid her entire Host Listing just to use the link so we can get the referral payout and now after her first guest checked out and left a 5 star review they’re saying that I never referred her and that I should have asked Air BnB why I didn’t receive a confirmation email. The very fact that she received a link was confirmation enough for me.

I cannot believe that Air BnB would treat their hosts like that. We used to be their priority because let’s face it, WITHOUT us they wouldn’t exist! 

[Helen3]

Do you mean your sister had a listing but created a new one so you could benefit from the host referral bonus @Blerta3 

[Blerta3]

No- it was a brand new listing. She didn’t unlist it and then listed it again to make it look like it was a new listing. She didn’t do that. I hope that’s not what it just sounded like.

She is a brand new host and I have been trying to get her to sign her property up with Air BnB for a while. Until last year I was a super host myself but then lost the status because I sold my house. She wanted to give Air BnB a try and was starting her hosting experience from scratch.  She had to re-do her listing to use the referral link again. It said it worked the second time and that she used the link making her go through the set up process twice without any success of the referral bonus. I hope this makes more sense now :)? 

[Grandolinis0]

This is really bad news 😞

[Julieanna0]

Wow,—this is very bad to hear.  I just referred an acquaintance who said she absolutely WOULD be signing up.  I’ve not seen anything at all in my account regarding a payout.  After reading this, I’m definitely going to reach out to her and ask if she signed up using my link. 

Airbnb definitely doesn’t have a good reputation anymore when it comes to honesty and/or customer service, as it appears there is very little of either.

If anything should change, please let us know!

[Mindy---Tony0]

IT IS A SCAM! I AM FURIOUS. We have been superhosts for 10 years have 6 listings and I have referred 5-6 hosts. One i didn't get paid because of the pandemic. Now I referred another host and we have completed 3 Five star bookings, and yet nothing. I called 5 times and they said "oh your fine you have to wait up to 45 days after the first booking. Nope still nothing.