[Updated: March 13th] Coronavirus outbreak: Information on Airbnb’s extenuating circumstances policy coverage

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[Updated: March 13th] Coronavirus outbreak: Information on Airbnb’s extenuating circumstances policy coverage

Last updated: March 13th, 2020

 

As more information about the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak becomes available, Airbnb continues to prioritize the safety and well-being of our community of hosts, guests and employees around the world. 

 

As this situation evolves, we strongly urge you to review your local government’s travel guidance and health advisories and take necessary precautions to protect yourself and your guests when hosting or traveling. 

 

Following governmental and health authorities guidance and recommendations, Airbnb is offering impacted hosts and guests with eligible reservations the option to cancel their reservations without charges through our extenuating circumstances policy. We’ll continue to evaluate and update this policy in line with official guidance. 

 

Airbnb understands that you may have concerns, and we’d like to encourage impacted hosts and guests to reach out to our customer support team (https://www.airbnb.com/help/home) with questions or to get help with canceling reservations.


More details about our extenuating circumstances policy can be found here

 

Read the FAQs here: Answers to your hosting questions about coronavirus

306 Replies 306

The fairest thing to do here would be for Airbnb to enforce that guests must either ‘rebook’ for another date or at leastpay half’ for cancellations.

 

For all the hosts here that feel completely let down by Airbnb, let’s build a list here of ‘alternative’ hosting sites we can post our properties on; Vrbo, Homeaway, Flipkey, Booking.com  Any others???

I advertise on VRBO as well and they are upholding our strict policy

All my apartments on strict policy. Haven't received anything for these cancellations during this time.

 

Superhost in Hong Kong, they allowed full refunds for my strict booking guest cancellations based on EC since protests last year since July and now the Coronavirus.

 

The application of EC is inconsistent and dependent on the guest country of origin and regional call center.

 

I've lost hundreds of thousands USD since 2019 and 2020.  I've been able to survive because we made some money in prior years.

 

Airbnb collects 12%+ service charge on all the bookings for the last 4 years +. How can they collect this fee and provide no assurances on these cancellations even though its all strict cancellation policy apartments.  Some guests are cancelling but still re-booking other accommodation, the customer representatives are not vetting these requests, its all inconsistent and have been happening for months here. 

 

Now as it affects the US market, is there a big commotion and guidance. 

I agree! I'm I've lost thousands. I wasn't consulted on this "new" policy. It's crap! I'm sorry about the circumstances, but most of us are small businesses and this will hurt!! I'm list on OTHEr rental sites and they are not digging in my pockets and stealing my money!!  Re thinking who I list my property with!! Up hold our cancellation policy.. all parties walk away with something! 

Vrbo is handling it so much better in my opinion. Definitely making the switch after this.

Yes me too! Going to use all the time I now have not cleaning my AirBnBs and greeting guests, to list on other booking platforms. Perhaps if all hosts do this, then AirBnB might consider taking care of their hosts. Money speaks! Without hosts, AirBnB are nothing.

VRBO is handling this the same way Airbnb is. I don't agree with how its being handled on either site. My property was booked early last year for this time  this year and now I am having to foot all of my bills on my own for at least the next two months because both sites announced that guests would receive a 100% refund, regardless of my cancellation policy that has been in-place since 2014. Travelers insurance should be recommended on both sites and if a guest chooses not to buy it then they run the risk of not getting a refund. As a host, I don't feel like my interests are being looked out for what-so-ever.

@Jackie606 No VRBO is not handling this the same way as Airbnb because that is not within their power. They do not hold the funds like Airbnb does, hence they cannot handle it this way. They cannot refund guests against a host's will they can only send out un-prompted mass emails to guests with grandiose "recommendations" for a full refund from owners which is bad enough. The president of VRBO walked that initial horrendous email back to a second one recommending rainchecks or 50% refunds and basically saying 100% refunds will be rewarded in Heaven with higher rankings. This second email went out days later after his initial one, after what I am sure was a flood of owners and managers explaining that his idiotic 100% refund email was causing all kinds of problems. VRBO has no way literally to make owners refund the money. But his emails were damaging even so, since guests do not understand that and also cannot even comprehend his 2nd email with the lighter version of his stupid stance. First he said he will give service fees back only if hosts give 100% back which was the case before anyway! At least the new stance is claiming that service fees go back for cancelations even if owners retain their stated cancelation fee.  Full cash refunds for everyone across top tourism season could bankrupt many owners or managers immediately. Very few people are offered or opt into Airbnb's advanced payment option, for those who did it I feel very very sorry for them. I totally agree with you that neither site had the perspective they needed to have, to see the big picture and all the jobs that we support from admin staff to maids and repair men. This is going to have a domino effect that will cripple the economy indefinitely. Also multiple guests who had been satisfied with my original raincheck only concession re-emailed me today after VRBO president's newest email, they all assumed he has some authority so I get to have a whole new exchange with hundreds of other people who were already canceled or changed and finished until he reopened the wounds with his new mass message

@Mary419  I am very aware of how VRBO is handling this situation, I have my property listed with them as well as with Airbnb...always have. I have received all of the communication that you you are speaking of. However, VRBO holds my payouts until my guests check in, just like Airbnb. 

At this time, I am trying to find ways to keep my house cleaner and handyman busy during these times so they don't feel the full effect this is having on small business owners like myself.

Same here! Absolutely disappointed with Airbnb, but really happy to learn of an alternative that hasn’t made a critical and boneheaded policy maneuver! Switching tomorrow 🙂

Hi our building owner said he still expects me to pay the rent because we signed the lease! We didn’t know Covid would happen!
Can we just tell our landlord that Airbnb said to refund 100% rent for this month since all of our guests cancelled - even ones that booked months ago. Airbnb says we can override any contract agreements right? Can you please speak with our building owner about the rent? Thank you 

 

Gracias por vuestras palabras, siempre me he sentido y aun en estos tiempos, totalmente de acuerdo con la política y forma de actuar de la empresa con la que trabajo hace ya muchos años, desde el principio prácticamente. Sin duda el riesgo de seguir alojando es muy grande por ello agradezco vuestras medidas, pese a que para mi al ser mi única fuente de ingresos sea una catástrofe financiera, pero se y entiendo, además aplaudo vuestra decisión.
Recibid un fuerte abrazo, y mis mejores deseos y ánimos
Isabeauu
Kim605
Level 2
England, United Kingdom

Isn't that why you should have travel insurance?

Hi Elizabeth 

 

Please could you assist me, My host is refusing to refund my full payment for my accommodation in Barcelona . I was going for the GSM conference that was cancelled. He responded try reservation questions in a few minutes but no response to my cancellation refund request until I sent him many emails .

 

How can resolve this through Airbnb ?

 

regards

Barry

 

Regards

Barry

Hi barry, were you able to get the full refund? Im in the same situation as you. If you did so, how did you go about it. Ty