Missing Payouts! KYC

[Lazudi0]

Dear Community, 

I am not sure if anyone in here can assist, but since 11. December 2022 we have had our payouts suspended due to KYC. They now owe us over 100 000 USD, this is truly effecting our company and we also at the stage where it is effecting staff and salaries etc.

We have been host for 7 years, with 70+ properties, we did some changes to KYC and suddenly we got a message from Airbnb, that they needed a passport from a person that is not related to our company at all, so we needed to fill out KYC again, 10 days went, they needed more passports when it is only possible to upload 1 passport, we screenshot and asked where to upload together with our offical company papers and shareholder list. 

Another about 10 days went with no answer, then they asked to fill out again due to a tech error, we did, again hear nothing.

Talk to customer service more or less everyday on phone and trough messages, they say and write the higher department will soon be in contact with us, and even said will call me within the day (many days) ago. 

I have askes for direct e-mail, phone number, asked if we can fly somewhere for a meeting, they provide 0 information..  Where we can send official letters, just get the San Fransisco department. 

We do know they have a office in Singapore so considering if it is worth visiting them there to see we can solve this? 

The service team is probably doing their best, but this is truly effecting our business. We are thinking if this is even legal? 

This has resulted us having to pause our 70+ properties and trying our best to get bookings trough other channels that do pay.. 

If anyone here in this community have any suggestion on how to get in touch with the right people here i would be grateful, as i am sure this is a 10 min fix if someone in Airbnb just reacted.. 

This is very frustrating and we just want it resolved, HELP!

[Sudsrung0]

@Lazudi0 

I live in Phuket, and you are the second person this week I have seen who airbnb owes over $100k and that is a lot of money in Thailand. 

I have to ask you the question: why did you let it get to that stage? I would not be letting another AirBnB guest cross the doorstep. 

Please keep us informed 

[Lazudi0]

Hi Sudsrung,

A couple of reasons it has gone this far, the first is we have 70+ properties, all the bookings (as this include xmas and new year period) was booked long time ago from the guests, so 2 things would have happen if start to cancel this right before xmas (they stopped out payouts 11. December 2022)..

1. We might ruin a dream vacation for families who have planned this for long time since Covid started.. And that would not make us feel very good..

2. As Airbnb says, if we cancel we have to pay penalties to Airbnb even if Airbnb dont pay us.. And they still say that as pr last week as i said we might consider cancelling all future bookings as we dont get paid anyway (And we have alot of them), it was then clearly stated that we would have to pay penalties on each and everyone of the ones we cancel. 

So again, we are stuck, and also if we dont take the Airbnb bookings we are not doing a great job toward the house owners we manage the villas for, and also then even more staff is in danger of loosing their jobs.. 

And we have been a host for 7 years now, and this should be a easy 10 min fix for Airbnb, and if there is something wrong just tell us as we fix it.. It is the lack of communication from their part (or the higher department as they call it) that frustrates that cant even get in touch with them.. Customer service is probably doing as good as they can, and me calling them every second to third day does not seem to help, but i need try..

Will let you know as soon as it is all resolved..  

[Sybe]

Hi @Lazudi0 ! I can imagine this is a stressful situation for you, especially when it's starting to affect your staff as well. I'm so sorry to hear about this. I'll send it over to the team now and check what is still needed for the KYC and hopefully get your payouts paid out to you. They'll be in touch with you but if I hear anything in the meantime, I'll let you know. 🙂

[Johanne434]

Can you please help me? I am desperate because I have spent a month calling and texting the Airbnb Support and now they are saying that my payouts are restricted because of KYC. They can't give me a time frame for when I will be able to get my money. I have my next booking this week, but I don't want to book out my apartment if I am not sure if I will ever get my money. I think I have spent over 20 hours trying to get in touch with you guys and solving the problem but I am still missing my money. Is there anything you can do??? I am reaching a point where I will beg for just an ounce of help...

From a very frustrated AirBnB host

[Johanne434]

@Bhumika or maybe you can help me? I would be ever grateful to you!

[Bhumika]

Hi @Johanne434 ,

I am so sorry that you are still facing this issue. I have reached out to the team again if they can provide any updates.

[Johanne434]

Thank you for your help! I have gotten a message from them, and I hope the problem will be solved soon. 

[Lazudi0]

Dear Sybe,

It is all now in order, it took exactly 2 months to work trough it all, we do understand the KYC process, white laundring etc., but in the start it took over a month for the first reply, then 14 days for next reply, so i guess that department might be very under staffed.. 

This kind of slowness could effect alot of staff with loosing jobs in companies etc, companies might even go bankroupt due to this delay.. 

At the end of the day we got there, but the number of hours used by myself, our staff, and the wasted hours of your service center, i dont see how this also can be smart business practise for Airbnb for something that realy could have been resolved in the matter of maximum 1-2 days as it did at the end when someone acctualy started working on the case.. 

But anyway, all is back to normal now:) 

[Bhumika]

Hi @Lazudi0 ,

I'm sorry to hear that this process has taken so long for you and has caused so much distress to you and your staff.

Thank you so much for coming back and updating us about the progress!

Can’t find what you’re searching for? start a conversation

[Tatat0]

Hi Sybe,

I have the same problem. I have not received my payouts since January 14.

Now I have no choice but to stop accepting guests since I cannot pay my staff anymore. 

Airbnb support advised that my account is waiting for a specialized team to review my kyc verification but could not provide a turn around time. 

Bookings started go up during the holidays after the pandemic crisis but sadly, I am not receiving payouts.

[Bhumika]

Hi @Tatat0 ,

I have forwarded your concern to the related team. I hope you have it resolved soon!

Can’t find what you’re searching for? start a conversation

[Tatat0]

Thank you so much @Bhumika. They have now resolved the problem and released payments. I have also unblocked the dates so I can start receiving guests.

[Dwayne73]

Hi Sybe.... I have also had a similar problem since December 2022 and cannot get a good explanation. Actually, the last time I called, I had to restrain myself as I was being asked the same things repeatedly.

I filled out the form already ... maybe twice! I deleted and readded my payout methods... and still nothing.

Please let me know if you can assist as I'm tired of hearing that it has been "escalated".

DG

[Lazudi0]

Dear Sybe,

Thank you for taking the time to answer, at the moment we still have heard nothing, and as we know you and normal customer service trough the phone or trough normal messages in Airbnb are doing your best to keep a good service rate and are doing great we have to say, we always been happy with Airbnb. 

But when it comes to this department it seems to be lacking any interest at all to assist (or they are extremely busy), but again they should also think about the results of this, as i said we are owed around 100 000 USD, and this is all of xmas period etc, after 2 years of not having to let any staff go under Covid and barely beeing able to keep the staff we had. And now that we are getting back on track we can not seem to get paid, due to KYC that does not answer us at all at the moment.. We are in a country (thailand) where there is no govorment that will take care of the maids so basicly, we can not pay the house owners we are managers for etc etc. 

We get a message about every 14 days where it says please fill out, and we do the same over and over again and nothing.. 

I will out of respect for Airbnb not enclose Screenshots of the conversations here in the forum.. 

So my questions is there any point of contact where it is possible to talk direct with this department.. 

But again thanks for taking the time to reply..