Host increases price after reservation confirmation

Kaylee6
Level 2
Dallas, TX

Host increases price after reservation confirmation

This is only my second time using Airbnb, so I consider myself a fairly new user. First experience was awesome, this one is making me leery of the whole website.  I made a reservation request for a 28 day stay. The host- who is a superhost and has great reviews- was easy to communicate with prior to the booking, and even sent me a pre approval. My husband and I wanted to be sure of our plans, so we waited a couple of days before submitting a request. We were happy when she confirmed the reservation, but confused when minutes later she sent an alteration request to increase the price by more than $1,000. She sent this request with no message or explanation. When I asked her why the alteration, she responded by saying it was an Airbnb glitch and the pricing was wrong during the summer months. Now if an issue with pricing had been brought up prior to her confirming the reservation I may have been open to discussion, but locking us into the reservation and minutes later increasing the price seems very unethical.  I declined the alteration request and politely suggested she cancel if this was a problem. She responded that she was 'waiting to hear back from Airbnb' on the issue, and I would need to cancel if the pricing was a problem. Obviously I can not cancel as it is booked as a long term stay. I have contacted Airbnb multiple times and have an open case, but am not able to get my case manager to respond. Am I missing something here? This whole thing seems like it should be grounds for Airbnb to cancel the reservation and remove this host, or at very least take away her superhost status. Feeling very frustrated and mislead..any tips on how to proceed?

26 Replies 26

@Chris779

This host has been caught unaware. Itnis very unusual to receive bookings a year in advance.

Is this a new trend I wonder, finding those hosts and screw them for a bargain ?

 I appreciate your insight Marit Anne, but booking one year in advance does not seem unreasonable to me - especially when it allows someone like me to spend the year budgeting for what I would hope to be a semi-affordable trip and it was available as an option in the calendar.

 

It isn't about screwing anyone over, I don't think. There's no malice in us wanting to escape for a few days, despite our income. Perhaps the trend, which doesn't even seem to be a *new* one at that, is instead poor management that costs the guests an opportunity for a getaway and the desire to hike prices exponentially simply because you can. Or that's just good business, I suppose. 

Helen3
Level 10
Bristol, United Kingdom

Sorry I don't agree @Marit-Anne0

 

As hosts we choose whether our calendar is open for three, six or twelve months.

 

So this host chose the longer term option. This being the case it was their responsilbity to ensure their pricing was kept up to date.

 

I think your response to @Chris779 was rather rude. Why is it a guests fault that the host hasn't priced correcty?

 

If a guest sees a price and books based on this price why would you see this as trying to screw the host for a bargain? They have no reason to know that a host hasn't price correctly.

Marit-Anne0
Level 10
Bergen, Norway

@Helen3

Not on my settings we do not. We can choose unavailable by default and open up as we see fit.

Adriana413
Level 1
Salinas, CA

Hoping for some guidance. Like the orginator of this thread. I booked my second stay (this coming July) on airbnb two weeks ago after chatting and confirming availability with the host. This week, I received a request from my host to double the fee for the reservation.  He said he made a mistake and didn't realize it was peak season. I have denied his request to modify the reservation and am asking him to process the refund. I obviously don't want this to drag on as I flights booked and so far no place to stay. I am reading that I should not cancel on my end but I also don't want to stay if I'm not welcomed into someone's home.

@Adriana413 you are correct in that you should not cancel.

It is not your fault that the host did not update their pricing, and it is their responsibility to deal with it.

The hosts options are:

  1. Host you at the agreed-upon price.
  2. Cancel your booking, but then have a blocked calendar so they cannot host an Airbnb guest during the cancelled days.
  3. Get you to agree to pay twice as much.
  4. Somehow convince you to do a guest cancellation. (This gives him a free calendar to rent out at twice as much.)

The host already tried #3. Now he at least wants #4 to happen.

You can contact Airbnb and explain what is going on. They may be able to try to place you in an alternative listing (if they can find one at an acceptable price).

If there are no acceptable alternatives for you, that leaves you with option #1 or #2.

You do have the right to use your reservation at the original price (even though you are right to worry about feeling welcomed).

So don't cancel. First see if Airbnb support can find you an acceptable alternative.

Gio30
Level 2
Hong Kong Island, Hong Kong

@Matthew285

Would really appreciate some advice....this is my first time booking with Airbnb

I am in a similar situation as Adrianna, booking confirmed and paid, host even communicated with me a few times asking cleanning arrangement etc. But just now got a Change request from host to increase 100% of price, with no explanation until after I messaged her to clarify then she explained other properties prices in the same area around that time is higher than what she originally charged me....

 

My host has given a 5th option for me...she's asked ME to make an offer of a new price that I am willing to pay! Can she do that? What if she declines then who is responsible for the cancellation?

@Gio30 sorry this is happening to you! The host should not be doing this.

Your best option is this:

  1. Decline the host's change request.
  2. Do *not* send any change request of your own.
  3. Contact Airbnb and tell them the host is trying to increase the price of a confirmed reservation for no reason other than wanting more money for the same thing.

The host is obligated to host you at the terms you already paid for.

Their only other option is to do a host cancellation.

 

By the way: the host might be mistaken about the appropriate pricing for your stay. If the host is searching on Airbnb for other listings that are still available for the same dates as your stay, all the host will find are listings that *did not get booked*.

The host cannot see the prices of listings that are already booked (which honestly will be the cheaper listings). All the host will see are listings that were more expensive, and have no customers. It is unfair to demand that you pay prices similar to those empty listings.

 

@Gio30  Go look at the information I gave you on the thread you started.  Escpecially about the security deposits she's asking for off the AIrBnB platform.

Gio30
Level 2
Hong Kong Island, Hong Kong

@Matthew285 and @Letti0thanks for the advice, it's just annoying that I have very little time left to look for another place and all the properties that are still available in the same area their prices are so much higher now, (i guess that's why she's raised the price!). I am travelling with three other families, we are staying in separate properties but all in the same area, it would be totally inconvenient if I cant find an alternative in the same area...sigh

 

@Letti0, sorry I have startred another thread on the same topic....

@Gio30  You do not need to look for another place unless she cancels and there is no way she's going to do that in my opinion. The penalties for her canceling this reservation include not being a Superhost for a year, getting a public review that shows she canceled, paying a cancellation fee, and having the canceled nights blocked on her calendar. With everything documented in your itinerary to her house rules when you booked and copies of all the messages she sent added to AirBnB and you only replying to her via AirBnB. I don't think she will cancel on you. She's trying to intimadate and bully you thinking you do not know any better. DO NOT ALLOW her too. Decline anything she sends you, do not return the rental agreement not listed in her rules and absolutely do not give her your credit card at time of check as she requested. 

Gio30
Level 2
Hong Kong Island, Hong Kong

@Letti0 You are so right! I have followed the advice and the host has agreed to honour the booking at the original price and will follow Airbnb's Security Deposit policy but she's still asking me to sign the rental agreement. I have informed Airbnb about it and asking for their help to resolve this....