Payout delayed going on 2months

[Lizanne7]

I have been a host for a bit over 3 years now, and have never experienced an issue with a delayed payout of this nature.  

Wonderful guests stayed at my place, Cape Town, South Africa.  I had updated my payout method after a notification was received that I need to update it, which I had then done.  Airbnb approved and verified the new payout method, but no payout received for this booking. 

After weekly phone calls, I have spoken to at least 17 different Airbnb ambassadors who all sound like they are reading from a script on what to say, and no one is allowed/able to put me in contact with Airbnb’s Finance department.  ZERO HELP after the query has been supposedly escalated to a more senior/finance department…

Are there any other (particularly South Africans) who have experienced a similar issue?

[Annelize5]

Hi Lizanne. I'm so glad I saw your post. I have the same situation, didn't receive my last to payments and been phoning Airbnb everday......

Did you receive yours yet and what was the solution?

Regards 

Annelize

South Africa

[Lizanne7]

Hi Annelize, thanks for your message - it somehow makes me feel better knowing that I’m not alone on this one.

I am at my wits end I’ll have you know. Still no resolution, just came off the phone yet again. Promises of escalating it to various departments… previous ambassadors escalating the issue to incorrect departments…promises being made that said departments will get back to me, only to have never, not once, being contacted.  
This is daylight robbery!

Any luck your side? 

[Rebecca]

Hi there @Lizanne7 & @Annelize5, 

One possibility  could be that you need to sign a reporting form for the South African Reserve Bank (SARB) in order to receive funds locally.  The form must be completed once a year when the host receives a payout (ex: for their first payout of the year for existing hosts). Hosts should receive an email from Exchange4Free with the reporting form.

I also found an article in the Help Center: Do I need to complete the Exchange4free form that’s sent to hosts in South Africa? 

Would you be able to confirm that you have filled in this form please? 

Hope this helps,

Rebecca 🌟

[Lizanne7]

Hi Rebecca,

Thank you for your message. 

I am aware of the annual Mandate Reporting form.  That was not the problem. Cutting a long story short - just as I was due for said payout, I noticed a red text prompt below my payout method stating “Can’t process payouts. Remove and try adding again”. Which I then updated, but in the interim of Airbnb verifying my new updated payout method, Airbnb sent the payment again, this time to the default account, which also stayed the red text “Can’t process payouts….” About a week later, I received an email from Airbnb, stating that my updated banking details have now been approved and verified and is now ready to receive payouts.  

But after this, no payout has been re-released since. I have been in touch with the Mandates Reporting office, and they only send the Exchange4free form once a payment is released from Airbnb. Their instruction to me was, and I quote “tell Airbnb to rebook the payment” 

And this is where we are at. 

Hundreds of phone calls later, stacked up bills and tears of frustration, yet NO ONE HAS BEEN ABLE TO ASSIST.

As a host I am seriously worried about the future of Airbnb in South Africa.  

I appreciate your feedback on this further

[Rebecca]

Hi @Lizanne7, 

Thank you for taking the time to explain the situation for me and great news you've done they yearly reporting form. I'm going to pop you a direct message 😊

[Shela47]

Hi, I have the same issue. For me it's 18 reservations' worth accumulated over 2 months. Same thing, I keep asking representatives to just send me a document to prove the transactions which have supposedly been sent, but are long overdue. 

No one seems to be able to help and provide the right documents so I can check with the bank.  

Getting incredibly frustrated as it's no small amount of money and I need to pay bills.

[Rebecca]

Hi there @Shela47,

Have you also filled in your reporting form for the South African Reserve Bank (SARB) in order to receive funds locally? If so, what is the exact issue you're facing?

Please let me know. 

Rebecca 🌟

[Will36]

I'm in the US and my last two payouts have not been received.  I've been hosting on the platform for nearly 7 years now and have been rated as a Superhost since I was first eligible.  I've been messaging and calling for a week now and keep getting a response of "We've escalated this to another team" from the direct support team.  It is getting frustrating because this is a slow time of the year for me and any extra $$$ helps the bottom line.

I'm disheartened to come to the forums and see that other hosts are having similar troubles and hope this gets resolved sooner rather than later.

[Lodge102]

@Lizanne7 

Dealing with Airbnb Payout Delays in South Africa: A Streamlined Guide

1. Ensure Compliance with Exchange4free: To receive your funds in ZAR without fees, complete the annual reporting form required by South African regulations through Exchange4free. Timely submission is key to preventing payout delays.

2. Directly Contact Payment Processors: Facing delays? Reach out to Payoneer or Exchange4free directly. They can offer specific assistance and potentially speed up the resolution process.

   • Payoneer Contact: globalbanktransfers@payoneer.com or +1-646-666-4020
   • Exchange4Free Contact: reporting@exchange4free.co.za or +27-11-453-7818

3. Leverage Fintech Platforms for Better Exchange Rates: Utilize fintech solutions like Wise, Revolut, or Skrill to manage your Airbnb payouts more efficiently. By providing Airbnb with a US dollar account from these platforms, you can collect payments in USD, bypassing initial currency conversion fees. This strategy allows you to convert USD to South African Rand at more favorable rates, either through the fintech platform itself or by choosing the optimal time to exchange the currency. It's a smart way to maximize your earnings from international payments.

4. Persistently Follow Up with Airbnb: Continue advocating for a resolution with Airbnb, using all communication channels available. Highlight the proactive steps you've taken and the financial impact of any delays.

5. Document All Interactions: Keep detailed records of your communications with Airbnb, Payoneer, Exchange4free, and any fintech platforms you use. This documentation is vital for any necessary follow-up or dispute resolution.

Pro Tip: Regularly check the email associated with your payout method for any communications from Payoneer or Exchange4free to avoid missing critical updates or requests that could lead to further delays.

[Lizanne7]

Hi, thanks for your detailed mail.  Yes, except the annual reporting form that I need to sign is only sent once the first payout of the year has been released from Airbnb.    So still waiting for this payout…

[Rebecca]

Hey there @Lizanne7, 👋

I wondered if you had an update at all? 

Looking forward to hearing from you,

Rebecca 🌟

[Glen846]

@Rebecca 

Hi, Lizanne. Did you ever resolve this issue? 

I am in a similar boat. Reporting mandate signed back in January like I do every year.

I get a message from Airbnb about KYC verification, which only came through on the app, not email, and which I didn't see until a month later when a follow up message came through. That message had a link for doing my KYC verification which I then completed.

Support then followed up saying they note my business is a trust and they need business registration docs for it. I explain that's not how trusts work in SA, but I can send my SARS IT registration..? 

I get a link to upload this supporting doc, which I then do. A week goes by and I get no response. Check the message with the link again and notice they actually specified they wanted the Letter of Authority (LoA). 

Try the link again, it's dead. 

Spend the next two weeks following up with Airbnb support. Get escalated every time, but no response from that department. Have gotten as far as getting one of the support drones to email me and to which I could respond with the LoA document. Still nothing.

They owe me 3 weeks turnover on 2 listings and at this point I'm about to cancel all my long term peak season stays and use a different, local platform instead. Can't risk not getting paid, possibly forever.

Any assistance would be appreciated. 

[Jakes2]

Hi Glen

I have the same issue. Did you get yours resolved? I have de-listed my property for now, and I am now contemplating asking my existing bookings to cancel and rebook through another website.