Airbnb cancelled a $13,000 reservation without my consent and is now blocking my calendar until June 20...HELP!!

Lauri19
Level 2
Waldport, OR

Airbnb cancelled a $13,000 reservation without my consent and is now blocking my calendar until June 20...HELP!!

I had a guest book a 26 night stay on May 23, checking in May 26.  The day they booked (which was also the day the County opened up short term rentals), my husband was taken to the ICU for emergency surgery, and my housekeeper's father passed away.

 

I accepted the reservation request, and later reached out to the guest to explain the circumstances, and ask if they would consider pushing back their stay to May 29 so we could be sure to have the house ready. They were driving in from a nearby city.

 

The guest decided they wanted to cancel.  They were not entitled to a refund based on my policies.

 

The guest asked me to cancel the reservation.  I refused.  

 

Instead, Airbnb cancelled the reservation, refunded the entire booking of almost $13,000 and BLOCKED MY CALENDAR until June 20.  They also noted that the host had cancelled.

 

All of my listings were closed down by the County on March 23, and my husband lost his anesthesiologist's job on the same day.

 

To have Airbnb do this to us just as we are reopening and trying to get back on our feet is heartbreaking.  This is our biggest listing, and it is blocked for most of June as we are entering the high season on the Oregon Coast.

 

I have called daily, tweeted and messaged for the last three days.  No response.  Supposedly this situation has been escalated.  In the meantime, my calendar remains blocked.

 

Does anyone have advice on what I should do?  

 

Thanks.

10 Replies 10
Nanxing0
Level 10
Haverford, PA

I'm sorry to hear your loss and these erratic things happened in these days. I don't think Airbnb should keep your calendar blocked either as long as you tell them you have sorted out the problem and are able to host now. Call them, try to talk to a supervisor instead of a regular staff. Be nice and explain your situation and tell them you have got everything sorted out.

 

But I think it's legitimate that Airbnb had the reservation cancelled and fully refunded. Based on your description the situation is that you are experiencing difficulty so you may not be able to host. Therefore the guest decided to find another host who can host. In that case they are definitely entitled full refund. Keep in mind the guests are travelling and need a promise on the accommodation, otherwise they would have to sleep on the road.

 

Randy-And-Clara0
Level 1
San Antonio, TX

My wife and I are Airbnb superhosts and have hosted through Airbnb since Nov 2015.  In March Airbnb released all our bookings giving full refunds through April as a result of Covid-19. 

 

We ourselves booked an Airbnb reservation on Jan 18 for July and paid $1002.05, half down, on the West Coast for ten days. When we requested in April, being released from our reservation, both the host and Airbnb said no refund.  You can cancel, but it will cost you the 1/2 you already paid, which is the host's cancellation policy. Really?

 

My wife and I are 63, and I have both a immunity disorder called Common Variable Immune Deficiency along with lung damage from pneumonia 1 to 2 times a year for almost 20 years. I have no immune system to find infection.  Essentiall, the host and Airbnb said, Covid-19 doesn't impact July bookings.  You are still responsible for the reservation you made!  Wow!  When I appealed to Airbnb, they said, "We consider this decision final!" Double wow!!

 

We are extremely disappointed in the host and Airbnb. 

Were you shown what the cancellation policy is at the time of booking? 

Sarah977
Level 10
Sayulita, Mexico

@Lauri19  Sorry you had such a trying time. It is a host cancellation in that you essentially told the guests you couldn't host them on the dates they had booked. It's unclear what the timeline was here- it sounds like they booked on the day your husband was taken to the hospital and your housekeeper's father died? If you knew it would be difficult or impossible to host them 3 days later, why did you accept the reservation in the first place? Why not just message back letting them know about the unforeseen circumstances, saying you woudn't be able to host until the 29th?

If a host tells a guest they really can't host them on the dates they booked, why would you think they aren't entitled to a refund? 

You may be able to get Airbnb to unblock the dates, and remove any other penalties, like a fine taken from upcoming payouts by making it clear to them that you had an extenuating circumstance and sending them documentation of your husband's hospitalization. That's what I'd be focusing on, rather than the refund that the guest was given.

@Sarah977 While I'm not questioning this, but it clearly shows an unfairness between host and guest. When there's any reason that a host cannot host, then the guest is always entitled full refund. However when a guest wants to cancel, he/she always tries to find reasons to get full refund beyond the agreed cancellation policy, and at least sometimes it works. 

@Nanxing0  Yes, that is quite true. Guests are far more able to convince Airbb to do their bidding than hosts are.

But hey, our parents always said, when we kids said "That's not fair!"- "And who ever told you life was fair?"  They were right 😞

Gordon0
Level 10
London, United Kingdom

Despite your terrible run of very sad life events, @Lauri19, I'm agreement with the majority here. You weren't able to honour the reservation as booked, so the would-be guest was with their rights to cancel. I don't believe you can force Airbnb's hand to change their decision. 

Pilar1
Level 10
London, United Kingdom

@Lauri19 As you probably are aware it is a well known fact that CS reps will mostly side with the guest in a dispute and it’s really difficult to reverse a decision. The way I understand it from your message is that you were intent on honouring their dates however difficult this would be in your present circumstances (maybe with the help of a co-host or a managing agent?), am I right? It’s not clear from your post how you communicated with your guests to enquire about a possible deferral to their arrival date; I think receiving a message with such a suggestion would ring alarm bells for most people, so a call to communicate directly the possible issues,  together with the solutions, would be the most effective way to deal with this. Not sure what made you think changing dates was an option, having open vacation time is not common, even if they didn’t have to travel far there are many other considerations to take into account affecting any trip. 
If you did tell them that you couldn’t host from their intended date the they would definitely be entitled to a refund but if they misinterpreted your message and involved Airbnb to act on their behalf and cancel for them with a full refund it’s still not a cancellation by the host. I have never understood how a rep can override the system and make it as such to apply the relevant penalties, I think this is extremely unfair and has always made me nervous as you never know if it can happen to you.

 

It’s not clear either if you managed to speak with someone (still quite difficult these days) but the only way I have been able to sort anything was by talking on the phone with as many people as necessary and not giving up. This reminded me of being in a similar situation as a newbie when I found my calendar blocked for a week after my only cancellation, at my guests request; I was penalised for helping and it took a week to get it sorted not by the call centre but by requesting help via their LinkedIn page, I’m not sure if that even exist but it might be something to try. I do hope your luck changes for the best but as others have said I’d be happy with getting the calendar unblocked. 

Lauri19
Level 2
Waldport, OR

Thank you Pilar1.

 

I asked the guests if they were open to pushing back their arrival by 3 nights (keep in mind this was a 26 night reservation) but did not say at any time I would not honor their original reservation, which had been accepted.

 

I hoped they might have some empathy for our unprecedented situation, (my husband in ICU, housekeeper’s dad passed away the same morning) but they chose to cancel.

 

The only people I have actually spoken with are the front line Airbnb reps who have no authority to do anything but escalate. It’s been what, 6 days? My calendar is still blocked. 

Someone from Airbnb help contacted me yesterday via Twitter and seemed as if they were going to be helpful, but nothing further.

 

Have you noticed that now, even when you do get a response from an Airbnb case manager, it’s like Oz the Great and Powerful?

 

No name, no contact information, no accountability whatsoever. Just some anonymous desk jockey who can decide they are going to disregard your cancellation policies and Airbnb’s own

terms of service, causing the loss of thousands of dollars, i.e., contract interference.

 

Who does business this way? North Korea and Airbnb.

Darlene23
Level 2
High Springs, FL

I signed up with airbnb wanting to host only to people that had a least one good review since I am in an area that young people come to party at springs and get really drunk. So, when I turned down 3 offers with no reviews the said If I did it again they might cancel my listing. I thought we had control over our own listings ? I was forced to take the next person that applied, They arrived so drunk they could hardly stand up.   Why aren't I allowed to screen people?