Payout issues resolved in South Africa

[Diane1557]

Hey guys. So I had not received my payouts at all since the beginning of 2024. Four bookings payouts were sent but then there were continuous errors with my payout method and I was told to delete and re-add the account. I was told to check with my bank as the error could be with them. I was advised that the payouts were sent and that I should be patient. (But they were not sent and subsequently returned to airbnb) Any way after a lot of messaging and calls with so many absolutly clueless airbnb ambassadors, I finally worked out that we need to complete a mandate form at the beginning of each year with Exchange4Free. Airbnb only gives you one email and an international number for them. You can contact Exchange4Free locally on +27 10 5007819

They will email the mandate to you. It is quick to complete and you get your payouts. I got all my payouts on the same day when completing the mandate.

Wish you all well

Diane

Cape Town

South Africa

[Rebecca]

Hi there @Diane1557 👋

Thank you so much for sharing this. It'll help lots of Hosts facing the same issues regarding payouts in South Africa. 

Wishing you all the best,

Rebecca 🌟 

[Lizanne7]

Hi @Diane1557 ,

Exchange4free is only able to send the host the mandate form once airbnb has sent/booked the payout.  It is an automatic process, so host would have received the mandates to sign if their payouts were released.

But my situation sounds exactly like yours regarding the payout methods that needed to be re-added etc.

[Gerhard167]

Unfortunately, I have not received payouts for my last 3 books even though AirBnB sent emails saying the payouts were made. FNB cannot help because I have not received proof of payment nor a mandate for funds coming into the country. Still waiting to hear back on receiving our funds. 

[Hendrik-Willem0]

Hi there,

I am battling (for almost 3 months) to get payout from Airbnb, despite assistance from numerous "Payment support ambassadors" along the line. I have not been able to obtain any explanation or reason as to what the problem may be. Every time I am requested to delete the previous payout and reload the information. Every time the new method is verified (takes 5 days) and then I am told to wait 5-7 days for payment. At the end of each cycle I am confronted with the following message on my payout method "Can't process payouts. Remove and try adding again".

I was also advised to complete a Mandate form (with Bidvest), but Bidvest informed me that the form could only be issued once the first payment is made, which mean I'm stuck. Super frustrated regarding the process.

Is it possible for anyone to point me in the right direction?

Regards Willie.

[Elisa]

Hi @Hendrik-Willem0 😊, 

I am truly sorry about this!

Did you try reaching out to the number provided by @Diane1557?

Warm regards🌻,

[Magdel13]

We are experiencing exactly the same payout issue as Hendrik.

We are stuck in a loop, the payout info is added, Airbnb verifies it a few days later. Airbnb tries sending funds. We receive an email from Bidvest and need to verify information. We run a business in South Africa. But (every time) the information Bidvest/SARB receives from Airbnb, it specifies the recipient type as a person instead of a business. The mandate gets rejected by Bidvest, and returns the payout to Airbnb. Then we get the same error, can't process payout and need to load the bank details again. We've done this more than 10 times and have also spoken to sooo many Airbnb support consultants. We are extremely frustrated. We feel your pain. It's been months that we have been stuck in this loop.... They have now said they will escalate my case to a supervisor. I threatened to contact the CEO because I don't know what other options there are. I've created a post about this too. 

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

[Joan2709]

@Magdel13 

Is your Airbnb profile set up as a business or a personal name?

[Joan2709]

@Magdel13 

Here is what I found on Airbnb about Bidvest....apparently there is a form you need to renew every year?

Do I Need to Complete A Bidvest Form Annually

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

Do I need to complete the Bidvest form that’s sent to hosts in South Africa?

South Africa has restrictions on bank transfers from abroad. In order for South African hosts to receive funds in their local currency (ZAR) without fees, account owners are required to complete an annual reporting form for the South African Reserve Bank. 

At the beginning of the calendar year, or after your first payout, Bidvest will email you the request to sign the mandate. Once the form has been completed, Bidvest will process your form and notify the South African Reserve Bank and your payout will continue to process. If your payout is released before the form is completed, the payout will not be processed and the funds will be returned to Airbnb.

We encourage you to complete the form as soon as possible in order to prevent any delays with your Airbnb payouts. The form is valid for one calendar year, so you’ll need to complete a new one each year.

If you have questions about the form, contact Bidvest directly:

• Email address: mandates@bidvestbank.co.za 
• Contact number: 0105007819

[Magdel13]

Hi Joan, thank you for the response. Yes we receive these emails from Bidvest and SARB and complete the information with the relevant information. However the information inputted from Airbnb specifies the recipient type as a person instead of a business. Then it gets rejected by Bidvest and SARB because of this specific detail. We have inputted the business info on Airbnb and specified that it's a business. Bidvest have also emailed me to say that this is the issue (why it gets rejected), the recipient type needs to be changed at Airbnb to a business. I've explained this to the numerous Airbnb consultants I've spoken to, without any success. 

[Joan2709]

@Magdel13 

So at this point, you will either need to open up a personal account with Bidvest/Sarb so the ownership information matches with Airbnb and Bidvest, or work with Airbnb to change the ownership of the Airbnb Listing to a business name to match Bidvest/Sarb.

I'm not familar with banking law in South Africa, but it might be easier to have a personal account with Bidvest, receive the payments from Airbnb in that account, and then transfer the funds to your business account in South Africa. Don't know if that is even allowed/legal?

Not sure what is involved with trying to change an Airbnb listing from personal ownership to a business, but I'm sure that is onerous and may not even be possible? On the Airbnb side they must be sending identification (reservation number and owner name) with the payments?

[Magdel13]

Thanks Diane, I can't get any answer there yet, but will keep trying. Alternative number

**

**[Phone number removed for privacy reasons in line with the Community Center Guidelines]

[Sian628]

I am having the same problem and its driving me to drink. I swear, the bureaucracy is insane. I have tried every possible combination of details and it still won't work. I contacted the "live chat" which is only a form to fill in, in the hope of a response.

I am tearing my hair out. The email address returns as failed. WTF is going on, I am fuming. It is unacceptable, and I feel like a pawn in someone else's ridiculous game. Please, please let me know if you find out anything.

My details are almost identical to yours - person vs business. I really don't know what else they want from me. I am a calm person but this is too much.