Airbnb allows host to break fees and deposit terms

[Bartłomiej3]

A host has hidden the additional fees and deposit in the 'House Rules' description (>300 EUR), expecting them to be paid in cash. I missed it, when I've made a reservation :(, but this is against Airbnb's terms (6.3 (...) Any Guest Fees are included in the Total Fees collected by Airbnb Payments. 14. Prohibited Activities: (..) request, accept or make any payment for Listing Fees outside of the Airbnb Platform or Airbnb Payments). I was informed by Airbnb support that Airbnb has an agreement with the host and is enabling the host to do so, which is contrary to the terms of service I have accepted. I feel lost. I can't cancel my reservation, because I'll lost my money. Have you seen anything like this? What can I do in this case? It was my first Airbnb usage...

[Branka-and-Silvia0]

I am always surprised how many people book a listing and spend hundreds, even thousands of $ based only on a few pictures, without reading anything about it. And then the host is guilty of all their wrong assumptions. It's like motherhood - mum is always the one to blame.

[Bartłomiej3]

@Branka-and-Silvia0 

That's right. I know, this is my fault, that I didn't read house rules. But I think it's really bad to hide fees in house rules, don't you think so?

I don't know why Airbnb allows to hidden fees. Airbnb's terms forbidden charging fees outside the Airbnb payment. That's why I felt safe. And now they say, that this host can do this. I think it's not ok

[Lisa723]

@Bartłomiej3 the fees are hardly hidden, when they are disclosed at the very top of the listing description. It is not the host's fault that you didn't bother to read them.

[Bartłomiej3]

I disagree 🙂

Do you think it's ok to write about additional fees in descriptions on Ebay or Amazon? And the postman are going to charge this extra cash.

I am very new on Airbnb. And I thought all fees are charging by Airbnb payment (as the terms say)

[Lisa723]

@Bartłomiej3 Airbnb listings and rules vary widely and if you are unwilling to read them Airbnb may not be for you. You may be better suited to hotels.

[Mark116]

@Bartłomiej3   It would be better if airbnb fees were more transparent, so there were no surprises to guests, and all the costs, fees, and taxes would show for every listing, so guests can always compare apples to apples; but this is not how how airbnb does things, and there are various incentives that cause hosts to have extra fees rather than build those costs into the base rate, so, as you have now learned, it is incumbent on the guest to read the whole listing when booking.  I 'm sorry you first airbnb has been a bad experience.

[Ann72]

@Lisa723  There's a lot that's hidden, and I feel for @Bartłomiej3.  Drill down through the endless rules and you'll find:

3.1.2 Listed together with the service description are the prices of laundry, utilities, local taxes and final cleaning that are not included in the rental price and are payable
locally per person and/or according to consumption. Additional services requested by the customer (e.g. additional cleaning, firewood, bed linen, etc.) are not included in
the rental price and are payable on the spot.

3.5 Price changes
Care has been taken in preparing the property descriptions and price calculations. Nevertheless, we cannot completely rule out the possibility of amendments to services or price changes. You will be notified of these at the time of booking and at the latest in the reservation confirmation. Although changes to services after conclusion of the contract are unlikely, they cannot be completely ruled out.

3.6 Change to services, alternative rental and cancellation of the contract by Interhome.
Interhome has the right to rescind the contract before or during the rental period if unforeseeable or unavoidable circumstances make it impossible to hand over the rental property, endanger the hirer or the property or impair the provision of services to such an extent that it is no longer reasonable to fulfil the contract. Alternatively, you may, if notified by us before starting your journey, request us to provide a rental
property of at least equivalent value within 10 days if we are in a position to offer such a property from our range without any additional cost. Interhome is under no obligation to pay compensation in any of the instances referred to in section 3.6.  

6.1 Lodgement of key deposit
A key deposit must be lodged on taking over of the key. You will find the amount of the key deposit, and also the payment method (in cash or by credit card) in the
travel documentation. If the key deposit is not provided, handover of the property may be refused.

6.3 Kitchen cleaning
Cleaning of the kitchen furnishings, crockery and cutlery is the responsibility of the hirer (and is not included in the final cleaning).

So in addition to:

Compulsory extra costs:
Breakage deposit in cash EUR 200,00 Payable in resort fixed price.
Final cleaning EUR 15,00 Payable in resort per person.

Air-conditioning EUR 5,00 Optional in resort per day.

that are listed at the top of the rules, you potentially have fees for laundry, utilities, local taxes, and the key deposit, as well as the possibility that if you don't clean the kitchen from top to bottom you'll lose at least some of your "breakage deposit," the possibility that the price you booked could change willy-nilly, and the possibility that you'll get there and be told they don't have a place for you to stay due to unforeseeable or unforeseen circumstances.

As @Branka-and-Silvia0 and @Susan17 have noted, it's unconscionable that Intrahome can do this while the rest of us would be kicked out in a New York minute.

[Sarah977]

@Ann72  But Airbnb has no conscience. If a company puts a whole schwak of cash in their coffers, all that caring and sharing and building bridges to international understanding rhetoric becomes pretty obviously BS.

I wonder how often they call Intrahome, appealing to their goodwill to refund a complainer guest in full, or take in someone objectionable who's been booted out of the last place, becuase "they have nowhere else to go"?

[Branka-and-Silvia0]

@Bartłomiej3 

what is also not OK is different rules for small hosts and hotels and commercial listings. For example, small hosts are not allowed to charge a security deposit in cash but hotels and agencies are. Airbnb TOS is not the same for all.

There are also other fees you may be charged at arrival like city tax, pet fee, A/C, parking, etc... that's why it is important to read everything carefully before booking

[Yadira22]

@Bartłomiej3 

Based on the listing you are able to get a full refund if you cancel up to 52 prior to check in. Please verify this was the case when you reserved this space- and if so, given how much it upset you etc just cancel. 

for future please read all listing information and rules- as a host I personally spent about 5 hours per listing and update it every other week for 30 mins or so to manage expectations. Not every listing is the same, nor are every hosts and something simple like taking your shoes off when entering someone’s house is seen completely between different hosts as per cultural, traditions and personal expectations. Good luck to you and enjoy your trip! 🙂