Airbnb cancelled guest reservation for a false reason

[Steve2844]

I had a guest reserve my unit for 1 month but the guest could not figure out how to checkin.  The checkin instructions have been entered into the Airbnb system and they have been used by previous guests.  I received a phone call from the guest while I was in church and I returned the phone call about 75 minutes after the call was made to me.  When I called the guest back she told me that Airbnb cancelled the reservation because she was not able to get the lockbox code from me.  She also said she did not "find" the checkin instruction until after she/Airbnb cancelled the reservation.  I had a call from Airbnb about 45 minutes before speaking with the guest saying I needed to call them right away.  When I called back I got a recording/IVR phone system that was not very user friendly.  I logged unto the website and explained what happened in reply to the message from "Airbnb Support" (that was 20 hours ago) but I have not received any response.  So Airbnb can cancel a reservation because I did not reply in 30 minutes but they cannot explain the one sided actions they took against me 20 hours after the fact.    Here are some questions I have

1. Why is the reason for the cancellation the guest could not get the lockbox code since it was put into the Airbnb system and the guest did get the lockbox code.
2. If a guest calls Airbnb saying they cannot checkin shouldn't the Airbnb associate read the checkin instructions to the guest or at least ask the guest to read the checkin instructions?
3. Why is the cancellation showing like the host cancelled the reservation?  I did not cancel this reservation
4. Why is my unit blocked off for the entire length of the cancellation? 
5. Why did I have an extra $200 removed from my account for this cancellation?

This has been one of the worst customer/vendor service experiences of my life.  It has been handled in a very unprofessional manner and the lack of communication from Airbnb is particularly troubling to me in light of the standards and expectations they demand from their hosts.  So in closing I would like Airbnb to do the following

1. Refund the $200 in penalties your charged me
2. Compensate me for the short notice cancellation that was due to no wrong on my part

3. Unblock my unit for the next month
4. Block that guest from access to my property
5. Train your support people better
6. Advocate a little better for your hosts.

[Colleen253]

@Steve2844  That is completely outrageous. Airbnb CS has really fallen to astonishing lows. You might want to take this to Airbnb twitter to try to get it sorted faster. Airbnb CS is outsourced to untrained call center workers who don't even know policy 99% of the time. 

Going forward, send the check in instructions to guests yourself, just to make sure they have them. You can make it easier by making this a scheduled message now. Cover all bases as much as possible.

[Steve2844]

Thank you for the tip Colleen.  I plan to leverage the schedule messages in order to make it beyond simple for the guest to understand and cover as many bases as possible.  I believe you are correct the CD agents do not know the company's policy.  This has been very frustrating and it is very encouraging to see a community with helpful suggestions and honest feedback about the places Airbnb could be improved. 

[Mark116]

@Steve2844  I'm sorry that happened to you.  You will probably have to end up spending a lot of time on the phone w/airbnb to get the penalties reversed.  I would also recommend you contact them via the message platform so you can write out the timeline for them to see that the guest already had the check in instructions.  Good luck.

[Steve2844]

Thank you Mark, I am working on it.

[Rory85]

That is awful! Good luck, I hope you can sort it out and open the calendar back up. 

[Gary-And-Rose0]

When it comes to codes. I don’t depend on them seeing it my posting. 

I send a welcome note Via Airbnb messenger. It has the door lock code and wifi login password. 
An explanation of the apartment identifying anything that was confusing for guests previously. 

I add their name and door lock code ( last 4 digits of their phone number on file with Airbnb) easy to remember for them. 

I copy and paste it from my notes on phone adding the above. 

at the end I request that they message back to ensure they have the code. 

worked well after 65 stays no issues

[John5097]

@Steve2844 Thats really bad timing. I hope you get this sorted out with ABB to at least open up your calendar and retract the penalties. I've had a few guest who didn't see the door code in the first message. I think they were used to other host sending the key code the day of check in. One texted me "when are you going to send the key code?" while they were in the driveway. From then on the message the day before and"Check in instructions and your door code are in the fist message just above" That's not going to resolve your existing case and maybe you already planned to do that. That is really terrible customer service that must be really frustrating. I would not have handled it as well as you. It would have been so easy had they just looked at the message.      

[Dale711]

Salut @Steve2844,

We has similar experience like you.

Guest don’t read the check in information messages via Airbnb, after booking.

On check in date, guest called us in the busy hours and we missed the calls.

Guest make the cancellation via Airbnb get the full refund.

Airbnb agent cancel on our behalf with full refund to the guest, block the calendar and penalty the future payout payment.

We has learned the lesson. 
Since then, for some ‘ new Airbnb users’ we will keep sending the check in information via Airbnb messages and phone SMS until they respond , to avoid the same incident.

[Liv]

Hi @Steve2844,

I'm really sorry to hear about that situation. 

I have checked on your case with the Support team and they said they have sent you a message with a resolution. Could you please check your inbox at your earliest convenience?

I hope this helps. Please let me know if you have any other concerns.

Thanks,

Liv

[Marilynn11]

I really do hope that Airbnb does right by you.  But to reiterate what some other hosts have said, I use a customer management system that has a "guest portal".  I send them the link to that portal that contains everything they need to know about their stay.  They receive that link by email and via Airbnb messenger so that my bases are covered.  I send it to them one last time 24 hours prior to their arrival to make sure it is handy.   I also have all of the information in the check in area of the app, but because every guest gets a unique code on my digital lockbox, I can't use any automation to provide that to them.    It sucks learning the hard way, and sometimes my guest say I over communicate, but it is exactly reasons like this that I don't leave any room for them to say they didn't get the information from me.  I teach this same system to my hosting students.  Best of luck!