Host not responding prevented check-in and now he refuses to refund

[Saad27]

I booked accomodation at a farmhouse in Delhi. The listing had an approximate address and the host said he'll send the exact address closer to my stay. He never got back to me and so I messaged him for an update. Still no reply and this was a day before check in.

On the day of check-in I phoned and messaged him at least 20 times between 9am to 1:30pm but I couldn't get through. My check in time was 12pm, and so the taxi had taken me to an approximate location that was full was farmhouses but I didn't know which one I was meant to stay at. 

The taxi driver drove up and down the road for 90m trying to find the location, all whilst I desperately tried to contact the host. Eventually, in fear of being stranded we gave up and booked a hotel. After checking into the hotel I heard back from the host. He said 'sorry I couldn't reply I wasn't feeling very good.' As pathetic of an excuse that was, it was too late and so I requested a cancellation.

I contacted the resolution center within 24hrs and Airbnb said to cancel the reservation and they'll negotiate with the host to refund me. However, apparently it's the host's discretion whether to refund me and the host is refusing to refund me. Is there not a way to launch an independant review? It's outrageous that I am not refunded as the host's wrongdoing prevented me from checking in.

[Helen3]

Did you call Airbnb when you couldn't reach the host?

Were all your messages on the Airbnb platform?

Even if you didn't follow the process Airbnb advises in these situations, I think you got an ignorant case worker there at Airbnb and would try them again.

1. Point out that at no point did the host provide the full address at any point before the check in time.

2. That you contacted the host many times in the lead up to the check in and for an hour past the check in time and he failed to respond. Send them screenshots of the messages if you used your phone or an app

Saying that being the case the listing wasn't available for you to check in to at the agreed time for your check in (I am presuming here that was the time agreed with the host) and no address was providing you had no alternative but to find alternative accommodation.

It is clearly a breach of their T&Cs for host and therefore this shouldn't be about a voluntary refund for the host but one where Airbnb returns your money because they accommodation was not available at your check in time.

[Saad27]

Thank you so much for your reply. The Airbnb representative said that because I didn't directly contact them for 'check-in issues,' it is not part of the process and so there's nothing they could do. This is ridiculous because I did contact them, but for a cancellation instead. This was due to checking in issues.

Since my representative was so rigid about following the process, I argued that one of the conditions of the Guest Refund Policy is: 'The host fails to provide reasonable access to the booked listing.' Not giving an address and preventing check in is a failure of 'reasonable access.' However, my representative said that an address was provided but that it is hidden now after I cancelled the reservation. This is a straight up lie because the listing is still active and it still doesn't show an exact address. 

So are you suggesting trying again? Is there a way I can escalate this to somebody more senior who has more flexibility on issuing refunds so that I don't risk talking to another representative who's too rigid on the 'process?'

[Huma0]

@Saad27I totally agree that it is not good that your host was so unresponsive and that you could not reach him on the day of check in. This is very bad hosting.

However, I think you might be a bit confused about the address details because a listing never has the full address on it, just the approximate location. Have a look at other listings and you will see what I mean. This is for obvious security reasons. As a host, I don't want my full address next to photos of the interior of my home and my belongings on full view to everyone on the Internet!

It is only after a guest books that the address becomes available to them. You should see this on your booking itinerary, but it is only visible on active bookings so, yes, this is why it would disappear from the itinerary if the booking was cancelled.

This may be the reason why the rep is not willing to refund you. He can see from his end if the host has provided full address details and if these are visible on active bookings, even if you can't at this stage. If the rep is satisfied that the full address was there, then your argument that it wasn't provided at all falls flat. 

So, I would drop that argument and focus instead on the fact that you repeatedly asked the host for the address (which he had said he'd send you and didn't) so he was aware that you hadn't seen it, followed by the fact that you repeatedly tried to contact him without any luck. Like I said, this is bad hosting. Your host, or a specified representative of you host, should be contactable.

Even though I know my guests get the address on their booking, I always message them a few days before arrival giving it to them again anyway, together with some info to help them find the house and remind them that there are photos of the exterior on the listing. The least your host could have done was respond to your questions.

[Saad27]

Thank you for the clarification. It's understandable for the address to be hidden but I am certain that the precise location was still not given after booking as evident in my messaging history where the host said: "I will provide the address closer to the check-in time." What really angered me is the Airbnb representative who refused to believe me despite the evidence.

But I have opened up another support case and will try from a different angle that you've suggested.

[Huma0]

@Saad27 

I also tell my guests that I will provide details (including the address) closer to check in time, which I always do, but that doesn't mean it isn't already on the booking. I know it is there, I am just sending it again as a back up, because while some guests not only see it but print it out, others seem to miss it entirely.

Are you sure it was the itinerary you were looking at and not just the listing/the host's messages? If the rep is saying it is on the booking details, then it probably is, which is why I'm saying you won't get very far with that argument.

In your case, I would say, even if the address was somewhere on the booking and you didn't spot it, that's not the point. The host said he was going to send it to you, you chased him about this in advance and then repeatedly tried to contact him when you had problems finding the listing. The host was therefore aware that you had not seen the full address but did nothing to help you. Focus on the lack of response from the host, not that the full address was never provided.

[John1080]

@Saad27  @Huma0, as a guest, I have only once not been able to access the full address after booking, and that was just last month. The address as it appeared after booking was very vague like, Highway 142, Anytown, USA.  The host, in fact, sent me a message with the full address, so I can attest that there are situations where the full, specific address is not revealed, even after booking.  

[Huma0]

@John1080 

Yes, I can see that could happen, even if it is unusual. I have heard before of a host not providing the full address in advance for some complicated reason or another.

However, it's the fact that the rep says the full address is on the booking that makes me think that perhaps @Saad27 might not have seen it. Perhaps the rep is lying or mistaken, but I doubt it. Also because it sounds like Saad was expecting to find the address on the listing, not the itinerary.

I know I have put the full address details but many of my guests seem to miss it. I don't know how easy Airbnb make it for guests to realise they have an itinerary with information like this, but I suspect it's not as obvious as it should be.

I don't know how many of my guests see it because I pre-empt problems like this by messaging the guests with the details anyway, but some guests do message me before I have had a chance to do this, asking for information like the address, WiFi password etc. which is all there on the itinerary.

[John1080]

@Huma0, good points. Knowing the CS reps at Airbnb, however, I also wonder whether the person knows what he is talking about. 

As a guest, I get emails with all that information, and the address is typically revealed right at the top. As a host, I do the same as you and send out another message a few days before with the address as well as other pertinent information (again). As we know, repetition is one of the keys to successful hosting! 

[Huma0]

@John1080 

Yes, it's possible the rep doesn't know what they are talking about. In my experience, they seem to vary considerably in their knowledge/understanding. However, most should be competent enough to check this!

RE the emails, I think it might depend on what settings you have selected on your account, or, if you have given an email account that you check regularly/thoroughly. Otherwise, why are guests asking for the address when I know that I've supplied it, while others see it no problem?

Another host mentioned that they don't get emails anymore reminding them of upcoming reservations, while I get these everytime...

[Huma0]

@John1080  by the way, can you explain exactly where to find the booking itinerary from the guest interface? I know how to see it from the host end, but as I've not been using Airbnb as a guest, I haven't seen it from the other side.

This would be useful to know as I think I will start including that information in messages to guests.

[John1080]

@Huma0, I just checked the emails I receive as a guest, and it shows the name of the property and the address with a button 'View full itinerary.' 

From your Airbnb host profile, either desktop or mobile, you can click on your profile pic in the upper right and then click 'switch to traveling.' On that page, there is a tab 'trips.'

Once you click that, the below appears, which gives the dates, the map and the option to click the picture of the house. Upon clicking that, you are taken to the full itinerary showing the photo, the host, the check in/check out times, the address, the map, house manual and house rules, total cost, cancellation policy and help with the reservation code.

Obviously, for someone who isn't a host, there would be no need to click 'switch to traveling,' so I don't know exactly how it appears for them upon logging in, but I agree, it's good to have this knowledge to see what exactly the guests see.

[Huma0]

@John1080  Thank you. That's useful to know. I knew how to switch to travelling, but as I don't have any trips booked, had no itineraries to look at!

Now I can see where the problem is. If the guest has to click on the picture of the house to see the full itinerary/booking details, a lot of them simply are not going to do that and therefore not even know it is there. It would be much better if there was a clear link on the trips page, saying something like "View full itinerary". Even then, it's not obvious enough. We all know that we have to make it super simple and crystal clear for a lot of guests.

Anyway, now I know, I might add something in a message to guests along the lines of, "On your trips page, you will see this booking. Click on the photo of the listing to see your full itinerary, including the address, WiFi password etc." I think this is worth doing also because it gives them another opportunity/reminder to read the houses rules!

[John1080]

@Huma0, good idea! I find that I need to refine my messages every so often. I had a guest last month who just didn't respond at all. I ended up texting him and asking him to check his messages and he told me that he thought the messages were automatic, so he didn't know he needed to respond. 

So, I've now added, "This is not an automated message. Please respond so I know you've received your door code, directions, etc."

[Huma0]

@John1080another good idea! Yes, I get that feeling too when some guests don't acknowledge the directions I've sent them. However, it's important to know if they've read them or not for a variety of reasons.