AirBnB Support & Refund

[Julián11]

I booked a reservation with Alison. It was first one price, and then: double. Then, former price. Then, she does not reply. After that, she suddenly cancels. It is not easy to find accomodations on that same spot on a short notice, especilly at this time of the year, January. AirBnB offers full refund and 5 dollars on top, but I do not see that happening. I finally ended up with a cheap hostel accomodation... I have no way to talk to a living person in AirBnB either by phone or by email. It would be great and honest if AirBnB had at least a "CONTACT US 24x7" support email address (all hotels do), since we, customers, are charged with administrative fees. But, it looks as if nobody were there helping... (Is there a Facebook feedback site for AirBnB?). Thanks, Julian, [Personal information hidden for safety reasons]

[Alice-and-Jeff0]

@Julián11 - on your reservation confirmation, there is an 800-number  that will allow you to reach Airbnb 24/7.  Additionally, if you search the "tips and tutorials" discussion room, or do a simple search from the search bar, you will be shown ALL the ways you can contact Airbnb 24/7.  Coming ot the forums here will not get you in touch with anyone, I'm afraid.  We're mostly other hosts here solving problems for each other. 

Please be remember that Airbnb is a booking wesite and hosts are not employees. Airbnb is NOT a hotel service and do not create or own the listings.  Hosts open their homes to share it with you, a stranger traveling in their city.

The fact that you were given a full refund and a spiff on top of that because the host behaved poorly, you have actually received MORE than your orignal outlay of cash.  It sucks when hosts cancel because they do not do the appropriate work to keep their calendars up to date, but they are allowed to cancel and take the penalties for doing so.  The penalty is steep (she was charged $100 USD if it was last minute).

https://www.airbnb.com/help/article/990/i-m-a-host--what-penalties-apply-if-i-need-to-cancel-a-reser...

Airbnb most definitely has an full social-media presence - FB, Twitter, Instgram, and a simple internet search will provide you with links to every single one of them.  

[Julián11]

Alice & Jeff:

You seem to be good advocates for AirBnB... However:

This was sent by them: "We know this is tough, and we’re giving you $5.04 extra make sure you still have a great stay in Miami."

Well... this never happened. And, I lost a lot of time to finally find a small place, as I mentioned before.

The jumping to "next" of their menu is ridiculous. Our questions never fit. In fact, I was charged $54 at first an $108 later on, same booking. Nobody cared to find out why...

You say:  "...there is an 800-number  that will allow you to reach Airbnb 24/7..." Well then, what is that full number, exactly, since you say you found it? How do you seriously get in touch with AirBnB (support@airbnb.com, etc.), people there who make huge money transactions every day? Don't be confused, machines do not make money by themselves. Taxes are also used to solve disputes via local Justice. Machines do not go to Court...

Bottom line: AirBnB is a good alternative to hotels only if it abides by the law and serves common sense. Not showing a phone or email responding to money matters doesn´t show very professional to the general public. 

However, there are always good friends who curiously show up to advocate for them, no matter what.

"The truth shall set you free..."

Regards,

Julian

[Alice-and-Jeff0]

@Julián11 - Since I cannot see your transactions, there is no way for me to prove or not prove that you were actually given the $5.04 in addition to the $54.  So if you say they didn't, well, then, someone made a mistake.  This amount is so odd, that it seems like a conversion issue or a tax issue or that it was indeed simply a return of your service fees.  It's difficult to know.

And it's unclear why you were charged twice for any reason.  What did Airbnb say about that?  I mean, if they overcharged you, then you should be entitled to a refund for that.  If you were actually charged $54 and then $108 - did you get a refund for either one of those?  Surely you spoke to someone at Airbnb at that time.  

Yes, the lost time sucks.  Unfortunately, this would have been the same situation had a hotel cancelled on you.  It's unclear but it seems you are seeking MORE money because you were forced to find another place to stay.  That's bold.  I'd just LOVE to charge a guest money for every time they book my room and I spend hours chatting with them about sights to see, settling their plans, going to the grocery to buy their favorite gluten-free bread, only to have them cancel on the last day they can do so penalty-free and I get nothing for my time.  Or better yet, all the time I spend helping people solve problems on the Community Forums - because I do that for free too. (You're welcome, BTW). 

Since you did not follow my suggestions the first time to find how to contact Airbnb, lmgtfy:  http://lmgtfy.com/?q=airbnb+contact+tips+tutorials See that first link - it's the tips and tutorials discussion board that I recommended you look at to get ALL the ways to contact Airbnb.  

Or: https://www.airbnb.com/help/contact_us

Or: 

https://www.google.com/search?q=contact+airbnb&oq=contact+&aqs=chrome.0.69i59j69i60l2j0l2j69i65.9198...

Bottom line: Airbnb is a choice. It's not breaking any laws. And what seems like common sense to me - like doing a simple Google search or following the instructions that someone volunteered their time to provide you - is not common sense or professional to you.  I'm sorry you feel so slighted by this transaction and that your only option was to stay in a hostel instead of at the accommdations you booked.  Hope you finally get a hold of someone at Airbnb to resolve your situation.  

Good luck. 

[Julián11]

Thank you for your time.

However, that was a loooooong, but an empty reply. Lots of guessing, bla, bla: You don´t seem to have the CONCRETE 1-800 number, after all, or a CONCRETE support email address for AirBnB... just more bla, bla, and the proposed time wasting on the Internet (which I am short of, now on a trip). That is how you want to help? Thank you, but no thank you.

You acuse me of wanting to make extra money... rude, very rude. I never said so. And you doubt about my sayings with a $5.04 being an odd number? Ask your good friends AirBnB!

You are very confused, Sir, and if AirBnB keeps doing things like this and then hiding,  I foresee trouble ahead for them, as it has been happening lately in several Countries.

Goof luck to you, too.

[Alice-and-Jeff0]

@Julián11 - I am a long-term SuperHost with guests of my own, not your personal concierge to spoon-feed you information.  I come to the forums to help people actually looking for solutions and to teach others how to learn, grown, and become better participants within the Sharing Community.  This I have provided to you in spades. You need to do some of the work for yourself.  As a professor, you should  understand this.  Every one of the links I provided give you guidance on how to contact Airbnb - including the direct 800 number for Buenos Aires and the US.  I have provided copious amounts of information and patience.  You have just been rude.  

We're done here.   

[Julián11]

Again, CLEARLY:

You don´t seem to have the CONCRETE 1-800 number, after all, or a CONCRETE support email address for AirBnB... In any case, I don't live in Buenos Aires. Again, you are confused.

YOU were rude in the first place, I never was.

And, I strongly suggest that you become an official advocate for AirBnB.  Sad to say, you don´t seem to care about the truth or the law, just simply to take sides for four "beloved friends" (for free...).

And yes, we are done.

[David126]

@Julián11

What was wrong calling the number on your confirmation, you never said?

[Lizzie]

Hello @Julián11 and @Alice-and-Jeff0,

I hope you are having a good start to the day. I'm just going to step into this conversation here, as I do feel it is going a little off-track.

It is nice to meet you Julián, my name is Lizzie and I am the Community Manager here. I am sorry to hear the difficulties you have had with your booking, this is certainly not the experience we would hope any guest to have. I know it doesn't help the situation, but I want to say this isn't a normal experience to have on Airbnb, so I am just sorry this happened to you. 

Reading over the conversation here, I do think there has been a bit of a miscommunication (which can easily happen), I believe Alice is trying her best to support you here, by providing you with some more information around how to find a contact number and also provided sympathy around resolving the situation. I know as you are probably just eager to get this all sorted and I imagine you simply just want the direct number, but often extra information can be helpful and can prevent you spend extra time. 

Here in the Community Center, we are a community and so all the support and sharing is given on a voluntary basis, because we want to help and learn from each other. I am sorry to see that you feel this information wasn't useful to you on this occasion, but please understand it is meant in a supportive and kind way.

I am sorry, it is a little unclear to me whether you have managed to sort a refund for this, if I understand correctly, you have been offered a refund, if this is the case and it is being issued it can sometimes take a few days to appear back into your account–perhaps this is the case here. Having said this I would recommend contacting the Support Team for further clarification, either with the information Alice has provided or perhaps you will find this Community Guide helpful (which outlines the different ways to reach the team), also here are two numbers to reach the support team: Argentina +54 11 53 52 78 88 and +1-855-424-7262 (toll-free). 

I really hope you still managed to enjoy your trip and you get this all resolved as soon as possible. Please do keep us updated if you can.

Thanks to all,

Lizzie

[Julián11]

Thank you, Lizzie, all

If you check my emails, I am not in Argentina. I just wanted a phone number and mainly a support email address to reach AirBnB headquarters and administration. This is not something very unusual for an organization who manages money with reservations worldwide, is it? Customers reserve respect fot their time, life organization and money. Don´t you agree?

Thank you again,

Julian

[Alice-and-Jeff0]

@Julián11 - Your profile says you are from Buenos Aires.  If this is not correct, you may want to correct it so hosts and community forum members alike do not continue to make this mistake.   Here is the link to the Help Center on how to do this: 

https://www.airbnb.com/help/article/280/how-do-i-edit-my-account-settings-or-profile

[Julián11]

Thank you. I did change it, but AirBnB didn't, just as it happened with the double price reservation glitch. In any case, I mentioned that I am not in BA several times. And, I am still trying to find "support@airbnb.com" or something like it (makes sense) and a CONCRETE phone number to the administration...

[Alice-and-Jeff0]

@Julián11 - You probably failed to select "Save" after making the changes to your profile which is why it still says you are from Buenos Aires. It's down at the very end of the Profile Edit page. 

It's unclear what exactly you are seeking. I have provided you with the entire list of ALL phone numbers you can use to contact Airbnb from whereever in the country YOU are as well as whatever country you'd like to speak to a representative.  Please open the links and use them. @Lizzie provided you with 2 CONCRETE phone numbers including a toll-free 800 number. It's bizarre that you will not use them. 

There is no email support unless you are given a case manager - which until you contact them using one of the many options provided to you multiple times in this thread - will not happen. There is no "support@airbnb.com" as I have said numerous times (no this does not make sense to me at all why you keep insisting that there should be). You can contact them through the website, through the help center, through Twitter, through Facebook, and on the phone. Use the links above or use this - https://www.airbnb.com/help/contact_us  You asked above if they have a social media presence  - well, yes, they do.  Please go ahead a seek those out.  

You must use one of the ways Airbnb has provided and we have given you ample instruction and information on how to contact someone.  No new method is going to spring from the ground for you. Nor is anyone going to contact you directly.  

[Julián11]

Thank you... (case closed).