Cancellation penalty for hosts

[Jeff455]

Hi - has anyone ever encountered the Instant Book function seemingly overriding a blocked out calendar? I had blocked out my calendar for August becaue was having some repair work done...and then a booking came through! I then had to cancel it and now face the wrath of Airbnb. Trying to actually contact them is almost impossble - reading a bunch of FAQs is great but if you actually want to reach someone working at Airbnb who might be able to check if there was some technical glitch, how do you do it? 

[Jeff158]

Hi @Jeff455  what a great name

It happens a lot, a bug in the system, click the link and choose "Its something else" then click "call us"

https://www.airbnb.co.uk/help/contact_us

[Pansy1]

Hello, Sorry for your delemma. I have a slightly different situation.  Some one made a long term booking.  It was a student apparently doing an internship.  She cancelled and took an apartment instead.  She was really sweet in asking for the money to be refunded, since she had limited budgeted funds.  The money never got to me. I delayed responding hoping Airbnb would deal with the matter since the funds were not given to me.  Airbnb asked if I would offer her a refund.  I okayed a refund.  Now Airbnb is holding me responsible for canelling.  This is frustrating since I will lose my superhost position although I was not the cause of a cancellation,  Neither am I responsible for cancelling. I looked all over for a number to call Airbnb, but was unsuccessful. Does any one know where I may locate the contact information for Airbnb? Please HELP!!!

[Letti0]

@Jeff455  Australia +61 2 8520 3333

@Pansy1

AirBnB number:

United States and Canada

+1-415-800-5959 +1-855-424-7262 (toll-free)

For Superhosts (they will verify you):

North America: +1-647-945-9627 +1.888.326.5753

[Julie929]

Hi all,

We are Superhosts bracing for hurricane Florence in Raleigh NC. 

Our guests scheduled to come up to NC on Friday have already suggested they probably won't be able to make it (due to the hurricane). But they have not cancelled. 

I've read the cancellation policies and, as a host, it seems I should cancel this weekend's guest. I don't want to penalize the guest and I don't want to get dinged either.

Can you offer specific steps I should take to 1) refund the guest in full and 2) make sure Airbnb doesn't penalize me.

Thank you for your advice!

[Letti0]

@Julie929  Call AirBnB they will refund guests in full and not penalize you it's extinuating circumstances. 

AirBnB number:

United States and Canada

+1-415-800-5959 +1-855-424-7262 (toll-free)

For Superhosts (they will verify you):

North America: +1-647-945-9627 +1.888.326.5753

[Julie929]

Thank you for your help and suggestion @Letti0

I cancelled the reservation and the guests were issued a full refund.

In the cancellation, I explained the impending hurricane and my concern with potential power outages for the guests with a newborn! 

I also communicated with guests and they were very appreciative that I reached out to them.

So...you think I still should call the Airbnb # (to preserve my Superhost status)?

Thanks again for your help

[Letti0]

@Julie929  Absolutely they will remove all penalties from you for the cancellation.  I would call right away though. 

[Julie929]

Ok @Letti0

Will call right now!

Many thanks

[Anne466]

I have a little bit of a similar problem with a guest cancelling : the guest wrote to me through the message inbox and I called airbnb to ask how to get the guest a full refund (he was stuck in bad weather across country in an airport). The agent on the phone made a note to make a full refund then told me to have the guest put through a formal cancellation through the system, and when I got an email to approve, I should approve it.  I never received any money for that booking, and yet Airbnb deducted $400 from my next booking, and, apparently,  refunded the cancelling guest.  I've been on the phone 5 times in the last 4 weeks to receive my refund.  I've been told it is a "known bug", and when fixed, I will get refunded.  However, I cannot make any contact except with the first level agent. The gentleman today said that the 'product specialists' are actually engineers who have to fix the bug, and then refund my $.  The phone agents apparently have no ability to contact a supervisor, up the chain of command or do anything but read reports off the screen that say that the bug is still being worked on.  I have always used the 855 number listed above, and they know that I'm a Superhost.   I find this really frustrating that they erroneously held back $400, and acknowledge is was a mistake, but will do nothing to send my refund, while they fix the bug.  Anyone have this problem?

Thanks for any help.

[Letti0]

@Anne466   Use the 415 or  the 647 stay away from the toll-free numbers. Call and demand that your case be escalated immediately. 

AirBnB number:

United States and Canada

+1-415-800-5959 +1-855-424-7262 (toll-free)

For Superhosts (they will verify you):

North America: +1-647-945-9627 +1.888.326.5753

[Anne466]

Thank you Letti. 

I think that an email I wrote to a Superhost division got through, because yesterday a Case Manager took care of it.  I really appreciate your advice about the phone numbers!  Will use those in the future.

Cheers,

Anne

[Dylan113]

Hello all. I have a property with an agent who handles the AirBnB bookings and looking after guests . I want to sell the property in the next couple of months. My agent tells me I cannot cancel the bookings which have been made between now and October without incurring penalties. Surely this is wrong advice?  As I am not the person letting the property, AirBnB won't give me any information. Should I just cancel and provide AirBnB with confirmation that the  property is for sale?

[Ange2]

@Dylan113    Airbnb will deduct up to $100 out of your account per reservation  if you cancel.

I would get your manager to write to all the guests and try to help find them somewhere else to stay. Super inconvenient and costly to be cancelled on.

Look at this link and claim extenuating circumstances.

https://www.airbnb.com/help/article/1339/how-do-i-file-an-extenuating-circumstances-claim