Payout failed to process

[Chosen-Hosting-Partners0]

We have been struggling for months to receive Airbnb payouts despite numerous calls with 'Airbnb support Ambassadors'

The payout info (bank details) is added (correctly) on the Airbnb platform, (for background, we run a business so we specify the business info), Airbnb verifies it a few days later. Airbnb tries sending funds but a few days later I receive a message saying that the payment could not be processed.

We bank with a South African Bank

[Joan2709 · Accepted solution]

@Chosen-Hosting-Partners0 

Multiple posts from Hosts in South Africa regarding issues with payouts; especially for listings under a business or trust name.

Payout Issues South Africa

https://community.withairbnb.com/t5/Help-with-your-business/Payout-issues-in-South-Africa/td-p/20370...

You'll have to verify your annual Bidvest mandate form is correct and if there are any business/trust details Airbnb stills requires:

Responsible Hosting in South Africa

https://www.airbnb.com/help/article/2495

[Siobhán13]

Hi, 

We are having the exact same issue - it has been months and no fix from AirBnb. We bank with Capitec Business Bank. The money gets stuck with SARB as Airbnb have been sending SARB the wrong details when the pay it out, regardless of the details being correct that we put in. We have spoken with SARB, sign our mandate etc but then they say the details Airbnb are providing do not match (and they do not match what we provide to Airbnb either - so Airbnb is at fault here). 

Have they managed to fix it for you? 

[Joan2709]

@Siobhán13 

In addition to completing the annual Bidvest mandate form, your Airbnb profile name must match the name at Capitec Bank.

If you have an individual name on your Airbnb Host profile, but the bank account is under a business name, there are reports that won't work. 

You'll either need to change payouts to a personal bank account, or change your Airbnb profile to a business name that exactly matches your bank account. Airbnb will require supporting documents to change from an individual name to a business name and will ask about the business structure and who the beneficial owners are. This all relates to requirements for Know Your Customer (KYC) that Airbnb must comply with for anti money laundering regulations.

[Siobhán13]

Hi Joan, 

Thank you for your reply. However, none of that is the issue. Everything we have provided is correct and confirmed across our profile, our bank, SARB and AirBnB. All documentation has been provided to confirm this. It has taken us months of talking every day to nut this out and still, no resolution. 

The issue is AirBnB changes the branch code on payout, and do not use the details we provide. The details they change it to do not match our account. That is the only issue and AirBnb are refusing to rectify it. We have been providing copies of what AirBnB is providing to SARB on payout and it does not match what we have loaded into the AirBnB platform. It is a different branch code and different institution name. When we call, all "support ambassadors" and "specialists" say they cannot see our payment details as it is confidential, so they are unable to see that it is not the same as what is being provided. When we send screenshots, they immediately delete the messages due to privacy restrictions having bank details in the chat. We have asked it to be escalated and keep being told it has reached the highest level, however how is that possible when the "highest" level can't fix or even see the issue on their end due to internal restrictions? It truly is mind blowing. 

SARB used to manually change all the details they were getting from AirBnB because they would always send it wrong, however a change in policy means they cannot amend forms received anymore (which is totally fair - they shouldn't be allowed to amend bank forms, AirBnb should just be sending it correctly). 

Many times we have requested AirBnB get in direct contact with SARB as this is where the issue lies, we cannot continue to be the middle man talking to offshore staff who do not want to help. Not once has AirBnB taken any initiative in contacting them. In fact, whenever we get a "call back" from AirBnB, they will call for one ring and quickly hang up as soon as we answer, send a message saying they missed us and close the case. We answer every single time and they hang up immediately. They do not want to help. 

I can see from this Community Page that this has been an ongoing issue for over a year now. 

Are you able to point me in the direction of someone that can actually assist, who is not a support ambassador or specialist? I have a few emails noted from staff I have found on LinkedIn as well that I am reaching out to today. 

[Joan2709]

@Siobhán13 

Can you verify the following:

Is the bank account under a business or trust name?

Is the Airbnb profile/account under an individual name? 

[Siobhán13]

Thanks for getting back to me Joan.

No, the bank account is in a personal name, as is the profile/account. That being said, the "type" of account being used is a business account - the account holder name is not a business name though, it is our personal name. 

We load the business bank branch code into the payout and then when AirBnB sends it off, they change it to a universal branch code. The universal branch code is not sufficient for SARB, they must use the business branch code that we enter into AirBnB that matches our account. 

SARB and Capitec (our bank) have confirmed all name details, address, codes and numbers etc are correct on our profiles when we enter the payout method. The issue is the change of branch code (and subsequently, institution name from "Capitec Business Bank" to "Capitec Bank") that is the reason the payment is being rejected by SARB. 

Basically, AirBnB either needs to 1. stop changing the branch code before payout or 2. include capitec business account as another option on their drop down menu. When a user is entering a new branch code, the platform is not recognising it and switching it out to the only one it does recognise (capitec bank - not business bank) before payment is made. 

[Joan2709]

@Siobhán13 

Perhaps one of the moderators could forward this case to the appropriate team at Airbnb?

@Paula 

@Rebecca 

@Bhumika

@Siobhán13 have you spoken with Bidvest regarding the issue with Capitec? If not, I would do that to see what they say? I'm not sure how the SA banking system works and the Role that Bidvest plays:

Bidvest

https://www.airbnb.com/help/article/2495

[Siobhán13]

Thank you Joan - hopefully one of the moderators can help. I am not too familiar with the SA banking system either as I live in Australia, just learning the hard way unfortunately! I understand Bidvest is the clearing bank on behalf of Payoneer, who is the payment originator for AirBnB for payouts to South Africa.

AirBnB (receive payment from guest) > Payoneer (send payment to South Africa Clearing Bank) > Clearing Bank i.e. Bidvest (SARB reporting and validation) > Capitec (our bank account). 

Yes, we've been speaking with Stella at Bidvest and her manager. They have also been speaking with Payoneer.  It seems to be that the UI on AirBnB allows a change in branch code but the backend of AirBnB (or Payoneer) is overwriting it with a default / universal branch code - it is definitely an IT issue at AirBnB or Payoneer's end, before reaching Bidvest / SARB who are unable to amend the universal branch code to our business bank branch code and ultimately cannot validate the payment, then reject the payment and the funds are sent back to AirBnB.