host referral scheme

[Anne-Marie102]

I referred a new host using the link sent to me. The new host is up and running but I didn't get the referral payment which was advertised. I am being fobbed of with excuses such as the link  must not have been used properly. If hte link wasnt working how come my friend was able to use it??? Has anyone else had the same experience? 

[Mike-And-Jane0]

@Anne-Marie102 Yes we had a similar experience. Have you checked that the host had never hosted before or that the property had never been listed before? These didn't apply in our case but life was deemed too short to chase down the payment. If you do succeed I think it is a credit against an Airbnb stay - Don't forget you can use these in Ukraine.

[Anne-Marie102]

Thanks Mike and Jane - yes he was totally new. I wondered if it was due to the time it took him to get his first booking. This would make sense to me. When I asked the help centre they said the link must not have worked - that didnt make sense so it felt like no one was actually looking into the case. 

[Lisa8107]

I have had the same problem having been referred by another host. I have been on the phone/web-chatting/ emailing them for over a month now. I must have been in contact with 10 of their support staff and all give different answers. Airbnb standard reply is referring me to links that explain the rules but they still haven't been able to give me an explanation why my host referral hasn't been granted the fee. In this thread Airbnb refers to ONE successful referral. How do we even know that one is true? I have lost all faith in Airbnb having read numerous stories of hosts being cheated of the promised fee (there are earlier conversations on here about the same issue). I've also come across a website of someone trying to locate anyone who has actually succeeded in their referral as he is suspicious the scheme never honour the hosts. **  Airbnb should really be forced to explain why they cheat their hosts with a fake referral scheme. They've got some explaining to do!!!!

**[Link removed due to safety reasons - Community Center Guidelines ]

[Sharon1893]

I’m now battling with them about their failure to payout. I keep going back and insisting they payout. Every time, the excuse for non-payment is different. That, in and of itself, says a lot. Bottom line, we all brought a new host to them and they found some excuse to avoid paying. I am looking for others who are interested in exploring a class action lawsuit. Message me.

[Dottie9]

My daughter  referred me and never got anything but excuses as well.  Makes a person wonder if there really is a reward for referrals???

[Anne-Marie102]

HI there - thanks for getting in touch - this confirms what I suspected. A bit shabby if they dont honour their side of the offer. 

AM

[Bhumika]

Hi @Dottie9 @Anne-Marie102 , I am so sorry to hear that your referrals were not a success. 

I appreciate you sharing your feedbacks about it with us. I noticed that one of our Hosts @Claudette79 had a successful referral. I have requested her if she can share the process with other members.

Unsuccessful referrals can be also due to not meeting requirements for a successful referral. I am sharing the requirements below as well : 

To qualify for any payouts, the Referred Host’s first received booking must have a value (excluding cleaning fees, taxes, and special offers) of at least $100 USD (or the equivalent in your local currency ). The Referred Host has 90 days from the date they are invited to Complete their first qualifying booking in order to earn the Payment.

All Referred Hosts must be new, first time Hosts. No payment will be made for listings created by current or former Airbnb Hosts, or for bookings made by family or friends of the Referred Host, or for bookings where either the Referred Host or the Referred Host's listing has the same address as you. Payouts will be made within 30 days of each qualifying event, to the payout mechanism you designate on your Airbnb account.

I hope it helps!

[Anne-Marie102]

Thanks for getting in touch Bhumika -I wont be taking part in any such schemes again that's for sure. And whilst you have managed to point to someone who managed to get a pay out it appears most had a similar experience to me. 

All the best 

Anne-Marie 

[Dottie9]

AirBnB did not give a payout to the host that got me started in hosting Airbnb either.  It was over an email address being different.  Airbnb has issues with paying out money, I feel.  

Sorry it happened to you as well.

[Mike-And-Jane0]

@Dottie9 Relatives do not get pay outs under this scheme I am afraid.

[Claudette79]

I referred a friend, and was skeptical of the actual payout. We read all the fine print together and she used my referral link, had a guest stay within 90 days of the use of the referral link. The guest stay was for over 100 USD....in Canada that was $130 CAD. Then it said referral under review. 

Again, I wasn't thinking it would actually work.

Then it said I was paid out and my friend got $54. 

I really didn't believe it until the funds were in my pay pal account $880CAD.

Yep, it worked for me. 

And this was a simple AIRBNB suite in my friends house, nothing fancy.

I shared my referral bonus with my friend of course as she had many expenses setting up her Airbnb.

Now she gets regular bookings and so far has had 5 star reviews.

This was July 2023 in Canada.

[John1535 · Accepted solution]

i just dealt with a similar issue and compiled airbnb support answers to share. 

Hi John,

**

While checking on your referrer's profile, the reason why you didn't get the referral because she has an account already on Airbnb and even though she clicked your link, it would be invalid because she just continue verifying her old account and create a new listing. **

Best,
xx
.

Hi John,

I understand that you want your referral to be credited, however the account she used is the one she's using as a traveler and then continue as a Host account and create a listing that's why it's not met the criteria as a newly created Host account (no existing account at all and first time using Airbnb).

The Airbnb Host Referral Program (“Program”) permits select, invited eligible members to earn money by referring to Airbnb first time, new Hosts (“Referred Hosts”) who create listings or activate existing listings for the first time and successfully complete bookings. A “Completed” booking is a booking that is accepted by the Referred Host and paid for by the Guest and which is not cancelled by either the Guest or the Referred Host at any time before or after the scheduled check-in for such booking.

You can check this Help Center link for your reference on what is the terms and conditions referring a Host:

https://www.airbnb.com/help/article/1129

**

Thanks,
xx.

Hi John,

Thank you for your reply.

I'm just emphasizing that the meaning of a newly created account refers to an account that's no existing record on our system (eg. email address, phone number). I hope this information helps you.

Regards,

Hi John,

**

As per terms and conditions of the Host referral even though it's not directly said that the promotion as 'newly created account', The Airbnb Host Referral Program (“Program”) permits select, invited eligible members to earn money by referring to Airbnb first time, new Hosts (“Referred Hosts”) who create listings or activate existing listings for the first time and successfully complete bookings. Meaning that the account should be used for the first time not an account that's already existed then created a new listing as a Host. I hope that this information clears the concern you have about the referral.

Reference on what is the terms and conditions referring a Host:

https://www.airbnb.com/help/article/1129

Regards,
**.

**[Name hidden and some parts of private conversation removed  - Community Center Guidelines]

[Camilla-and-Will0]

Hi Anne-Marie 

I’ve just experienced the same issue and in my experience 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 to me that their technical team can’t find any record of it, and they have told my friend that her house is not in the right “jurisdiction” for the referral programme.  

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. 

[Matthew1198]

I am sorry that you are experiencing this issue. I have got to say, the referral program appears to be just saying sample of false advertising and misleading information. I’ve read through several information pages on how referrals work, and was met with excuses from Airbnb on why my referral was invalid. 
I wish I had looked on the forum earlier. I would recommend to others to not waste their time referring Hulse to this platform. Ultimately, Airbnb ends up not supporting house when these issues arise anyways.