Host kept $3000 for a 14 minute booking!

[Mona173]

I had a terrible experience with a host, as i was shopping for units in Beverly hill California, i had booked two units at the same time. And i cancelled one after exactly 14 minutes. I assume all my money will be returned. The host decided to keep %50 which was about $1500. I asked the host several times is this real? Are you really keeping my money for a 14min booking? She says she has a strict cancelation policy. I contacted airbnb and they basically told me there is nothing they can do about it. The host then decided to keep the entire $3000. Can you imagine this? Can u imagine making a booking and cancelling after 14 minutes only to lose $3000? How can something like this even be legal? I feel robbed! Feel hurt and violated. I am host myself and there is a certain level if common courtesy and just being decent human being. I would never take $3000 from someone who cancelled after 14min. This ladies name is **, i am distraught right now. I really cant believe a corporation like airbnb would actually let someone take $3000 from someone for 14 minutes. I really hope airbnb fixes this because i am at a loss for words right now.

[Anonymous]

@Mona173  The host can not "keep" any payment beyond what they're entitled to under the terms of the Cancellation Policy that you agreed to when placing the booking. Had you read the policy before making assumptions? This sentence in particular:

"It isn’t refundable if the guest cancels a reservation that overlaps with any part of an existing reservation."

In short: the system is not designed for users to "shop around" by confirming bookings at multiple properties and cancelling them. And it's screamingly explicit about that. You may have just made an expensive mistake. But if you feel it was the result of a technical error, it's better to contact Airbnb over that rather than engage in a dispute with the host just because you failed to read the terms.

[Mona173]

Hi, the thing is if guest booked with me then cancelled after 14 minutes for an 8day booking i would never keep $3000. If the host wants to keep something maybe a booking fee like $100? Or less. But to keep the entire 8 day booking then re rent the unit out anyway is not morally correct. It cost her nothing at all to receive  a booking then cancel, there wasnt even enough time to get the address of the unit. Why keep the entire 8 day booking? 

[Mona173]

Also I noticed that this host has two different identities. Back in march her reviews were calling her Ashley then most recently called her Anita. 

[Anonymous]

@Mona173  How is it "morally correct" to book multiple properties at the same time, knowing that you're going to cancel all but one of them?

$3000 is a lot of money, but we're not entitled to pick and choose which parts of a contract we want to abide by. If you don't think a cancellation policy is fair, you should pay attention to it before you make a binding booking. It's just a matter of taking 30 seconds to read.

[Mona173]

Would you as a host take an entire 8 day booking without even giving the traveler an address to the property? This is different  if someone booked weeks ago then cancelled last min. Or if someone booked hours ago and changed their mind but to book and quickly cancel there should be a code of ethics here. I would never take someones hard earned money like that. If anything i would charge a small fee for the booking. It all comes down to basic human decency. If even 1 hour had passed then i cancelled then i would understand as well i would maybe even pay her for one night. But to do this is not right!

[Anonymous]

@Mona173  The property address usually appears in the confirmation email, so I don't see how that is relevant to your complaint. If the listing has no reviews and you have reason to believe it's not genuine, you can report this to Airbnb.  If it turns out that the listing was a fake, you would most likely be entitled to a full refund.

You say below: "Airbnb suggested that i make other bookings ." This is incorrect and you know it. Airbnb does not suggest that you make other bookings when you have a confirmed booking.

I'm genuinely sorry that you've lost money - I know how it feels to regret a costly mistake, and that's why I always take a lot of time to make up my mind before committing to a major purchase. But to keep it in perspective, $3000 is a lot less than many shoppers in Beverly Hills throw away on regrettable mistakes. 🙂

[Gordon0]

Would I have refused a full refund in this situation; absolutely not. But there's all sorts of people in this business, not all of them act fairly and apply common sense. 

[Alice595]

@Mona173  Payment is managed by Airbnb. Nothing can be held by a host unless a policy is violated. 

Two days ago, a guest booked one of my listings for a reservation in middle of November. She canceled it yesterday. Airbnb refunded her 100% automatically because she canceled within 48 hours after booking.

As @Anonymous mentioned, you had made two bookings of two listings which are overlapped. That probably is the reason that Airbnb system did not release your fund after your cancellation.

[Mona173]

Airbnb suggested that i make other bookings so i had cancelled the first one i made before booking the second one. The second one was an instant booking. So then i cancelled the second out right away. I wish i didnt listen to airbnb when they suggested to book other places. But regardless this is still something that boils down to human decency. 

[Luana130]

I am sorry, but I have never heard of airbnb suggesting a guest make other bookings. I think you misunderstood something. And even though I would probably give a refund if it was an instant cancellation, I can also undestand why he chose not to... I have heard a lot of stories from other hosts about how airbnb went against their own policies, and the host was at a loss, so I undestand why he would want to keep that one.

You said you are also a host, you should be familiar with policies then...

As for different identities, it is probably a co-host. The guests were probably talking about whoever they had contact with.

Are you sure you are a host?

[Deborah350]

This isn’t booking.com with free cancellations advertised all over the site. You booked 2 places, you agreed to the cancellation policies. I would have refunded as I like to the that I am a reasonable host, however this is a business for most hosts and not a hotel booking site with lots of rooms.

[Mona173]

At least you are a reasonable host and a good human being. This particular host has two different identities. Regardless its not good to take $3000 from someone who booked and cancelled within 14 minutes. If anything you maybe charge a fee. There wasnt even an address provided. So the property was Re-rented for the same nights. She made double the money. Its pretty sad that someone is ok with taking someone elses hard earned money

[Mona173]

I didnt mention that this booking was for 8days. So i clicked book from the day of but quickly cancelled. Now why keep the money for all 8 days? At least keep a fee of one day? Or $100 it cost her nothing at all as a matter of fact she re-rented the unit out right away. Its just basic human decency. I would never to that to anyone

[Alex-and-Vaughan0]

The host doesn't have your money, Airbnb has it. Airbnb enforces the cancellation policy. Stop blaming the host. Hosts don't get paid until the day after the booking begins (and often have to wait a few days for thebpayment to clear). Airbnb has the guests money until then.