Host Cancelled due to previous guest trashing the house. Now I am stuck with bad options.

[Ronnie108]

The host had no other choice but to cancel my booking because the last guest severely trashed his house. My trip is in two days, with our flight already booked. Now I have to wait on a refund before I can book another place. We're not just talking a few hundred dollars. We paid roughly $7K for the stay. SMH

Airbnb wasn't that helpful. They seriously need an option to apply the amount paid to one supplier(Host) to another host without the guest having to wait on a refund. This will help many other cases where I have seen guests scramble cash to get another booking until they get the refund. It's absurd that Airbnb only offered a $200 coupon for my next booking.

I hope Airbnb finds a better solution for this case. The $200 coupon is not satisfying, and now I have to choose a hotel. I probably won't choose Airbnb again until they can fix this issue.

[Sarah977]

@Ronnie108  They haven't paid the money to your original host. Hosts don't receive any money from Airbnb until at least 24 hours after the guests check in.

Until then, Airbnb has your money. So it isn't a matter of an option to easily transfer the money from one host to another. They could easily refund your money today. They just don't.

They love hanging onto money as long as possible. Think of all the interest they earn by having guests' payments sitting in their coffers when a guest books an expensive place months ahead.

They used to be good about finding guests in situations where they are left stranded other comparable accommodation if available. But the customer service has fallen off a cliff.

Sorry this happened to you.

[Ronnie108]

@Sarah977 Ahhhh, I see. So Airbnb just doesn't care about people being stranded. Got it! It reminded me not to use this service anymore. Hotels are becoming cheaper anyway.

[Branka-and-Silvia0]

@Ronnie108  what did Airbnb tell you how long will you have to wait for a refund?

[Ronnie108]

3-5 business days. Yet my flight leaves tomorrow (24th) Host cancelled 22nd which isn’t his fault. I just think Airbnb needs a new system in place. Until then I’m out of $7K. Fortunate for me I have back funds to get a hotel but I know everyone isn’t that fortunate. @Branka-and-Silvia0 

[Colleen253]

@Ronnie108 It's not unusual for any refund to take 3-5 business days to be processed and credited back your original method of payment. It IS a risk you take when booking an Airbnb, because as you know, unlike hotels, most hosts don't have another room they can put you in when something goes wrong with the one you booked. So yes, sometimes a hotel is a better option. It is what it is.

[Ronnie108]

It is what it is, but innovation is required here for these situations as a tech founder myself. @Colleen253 That point of my post is to point it out. I would want someone to point it out for my product.

[Sarah977]

@Ronnie108  I agree -there is no reason why a guest should have to wait 3-5 business days for a refund with today's technology for a clear cut case.

I had a guest who, immediately after she booked, noticed that she was charged double what she should have been, messaged me to see if she had misread the pricing. I assured her that she hadn't, that I had also seen immediately that my prospective payout for her booking was wrong, had already alerted Airbnb, and that she needed to as well.

She did, they admitted it was a tech glitch, and that many guests had been overcharged that day. That she would receive a refund for the overcharge within 15 days! It was their error- it should have been credited back immediately.

When something similar once happened to me with an airline ticket, that they had added a charge they shouldn't have, the credit appeared on my credit card account within an hour after talking to their customer service dept.

[Christine615]

Honestly,

Post on Twitter and other social media. We've all been concerned about the horrible customer service as of late. I'm a host who also uses Airbnb to travel. So my most recent interaction with Customer Service was as a guest. And the responses were nonsensical.  Tell customer service you want to escalate. They used to work to rehome guests. They called me two months ago trying to relocate a guest and they showed them my listing.

Keep pushing. Airbnb has your money - the host does not. They have some responsibility in this because the guest that trashed the host's home was referred by Airbnb so keep pushing them to make this right. They know the press is watching social media and reporting problems.

Sad it comes to that. This board has been fabulous - the hosts and moderators are top notch. But they don't impact customer service so push corporate (and customer service) for the non-delivery of your accomodations.