I am extremely disgruntled with AIRBNB. I am a 4 year Host. They aren't following their own Policy!!

Jennifer298
Level 2
New York, NY

I am extremely disgruntled with AIRBNB. I am a 4 year Host. They aren't following their own Policy!!

I am extremely disgruntled with AIRBNB. I am a 4 year Host. They aren't following their own Policy!!

 

I am ready to pull my listing, tweet, go to friends who write for publications here in NYC, head to the offices I have been to for Host events and demand they follow their own policy.

 

This is not the way you treat loyal, extremely gracuois host who have attended city hall meetings. Law legislative discussions at the airbnb offices. NYC Community host, who is always promoting airnbn.

 

Someone who counts on every month to help pay my mortgage as well. I am a single mother.

 

This is what happened, and I have screenshots to prove what happened.

 

On Nov 15. My long term Guest who was booked to arrive 12/9-2/5 (who reserved in October 2016), decided to push her dates back until 1/13-2/11. which meant loosing income and a shorter stay. Drastically changing her stay from 60 plus days to 30. $3,000 reservation to $1700.

 

When she requested in the browser of the webpage I saw were 2 options. One said waiver the strict policy. The other said "enforce the cancellation policy". That is the message I get when I get a choice to accept. If I accept. I am accepting your new dates and accepting the enforced 1 month strict policy. There was a button to click either. There was a choice given to me because Airbnb, saw that her change was made with less than 30 days before arrival, so it was following policy.

 

The first request, I declined because her stay was changed to less that 28days which my management company won't let me book below because of the "NYC Roomate Law".

 

I contacted my guest with the messaging available on the site and made her aware the problem. Send her a link to the policy. She responded. "Ok, I understand It's my fault , I am not really familiar with Airbnb rules. Could you tell me how much for the first month? I want to make sure my account and they will try to me if it's the same price " I communicated with her the cost and told her I was enforcing the policy.

 

I also posted this problem on the community boards to ask other hosts how to handle this with screen shots.

 

After getting advice to click "enforce". I made sure to tell my guest I would be doing so.

 

I went back to the reservation which she modified. I saw the two options, waiver or enforce. I clicked "enforce". The options to say yes to those - were accept or cancel. I then clicked "accept" because it was "the only way both actions were to take effect on that page". As I assumed. (have screen shot)

 

Once I clicked "enforce" and "accept" it changed her reservation. DIdnt show me anyhting about my strict policy. I went to future payout and nothing is there. I called airbnb immedialty.

 

Spoke to someone named Stacie who agree with me 100%. She said she would foward this to the team experince. I knew that was a bad sign.

 

I don't her back in 48hrs.

 

I called back and send the screen shots. Also the rep doesnt quite agree, he is saying she just changed dates. She didn't cancel. Seriously? As far as I am concerend is she is now costing me more than $2200 in in income. When she changed her reservation. I had no choice but to change it or cancel.  Which I wouldn't have cancelIed her trip. I had to open my calender asap to get a guest asap since reps were agring and disagreeing. 

 

Thank god I had a new guest book the next day to arrive the day my last guest leaves until Dec 20th. But now (because of her date change) I have 24 days open with the inabailty to book the days because they are below 28.

 

I don't understand why there is even a problem. The guest agreed to the mistake.

 

I had this happen before but the girl told me less than 30 days before she has MS and cancelled a 6 month stay and had to get proof from her doctor. Airbnb agreed to pay me the 1 month, then renegged once she got a doctors note. SO I was left less than 30 days to fill 6 months.

 

I am bafflled how they rather upset me, than and do what is right or choose to not charge a guest because they are afraid she won't travel with them again?

 

I called back last wednesday 23rd of november and was sent this refusal to payout email. I then called back and when nuclear on the rep. 

 

He told me staci would send my case to the Experinece Team again.

 

I told him what I would do. It is December, I have a mortgage, child and xmas to worry about. I cannot tell this community how upset and disgruntiled I am with airbnb.

 

Refusal to payout

 

The  screen shot posted on community board with "enforce option

10 Replies 10
Linda108
Level 10
La Quinta, CA

Hello @Jennifer298  I am so sorry you find yourself in this situation right in the midst of the holidays.  It appears a big complication for you is the 30 day requirement of your complex.  You are not able to be flexible with the Air BNB traveler as you need to ensure bookings are in 30 day minimum stays.  Is that what your listing reflects?  I don't have much to offer for the current situation, but would you consider using another platform either instead of Air BNB or simultaneous with Air BNB?  I have seen discussion threads in which the hosts report other platforms to be better at attracting the 30 day plus traveler.

Hi @Linda108

 

I like everything else airbnb has to offer. I dont understand what the issue is with their inability to follow their own policy and the website gave me the offer as I was given the chance to change the booking. It said to "enforce" the strict policy. I clicked accept.  The option to "waiver" was there- I did not click to highlight that button.

 

If this was not an option for me then why put it on the "Request to adjust reservation" page?

 

It's not about going to a new website. It is about treating hosts with intergrity and accountability.

@Linda108 just FYI the screen shot I took to post on the community board is on my post. You can see what was on the page.

 

Before I clicked it, I almost called them to make sure. I wish I did. But to be honest, I feel they would have done this regardless.

 

I have had an issue with documented admittance  when I guest did this before, and that I was being paid by airbnb, then they can turn around and change their minds. This isn't being regulated so they just make up the rules and don't follow them. I even had guests ruin things and I was so fearful they wouldn't follow policy because I don't trust them.

 

I stopped being part of the NYC community Hosts and helping them with heavy lifting on the ground with needs. If they won't help me when I need them, why should I bother. Big mistake to leave anyone disgrutled. 

I suspect this is what happened: You and your guest were operating under the long-term cancellation policy, which is in effect for any reservation over 30 days. If you had rejected the requested reservation change, you would have collected for the first 30 days regardless. Barring any extenuating circumstances, any changes or cancellations within 30 das of arrival can only be done at your discretion, and it looks like you accepted her request to change the reservation to something less than long-term, meaning the reservation converted to your default policy (strict). Only at that point, would the system ask you to choose whether or not to override the default cancellation policy for the shorter stay.

 

It's hard to say for certain what happened, but that's what it looks like from your screen shots. I'm so sorry this happened to you. It's exceedingly upsetting to be at the mercy of rules that seem inconsistent.

@Serafina0 seems to be assessing this accurately. I can see this happening fairly easily in this situation, and it's hard to fully grasp the consequences of each click when you're asked to make a simple choice without a full explantation of all the ramifications.

 

Some good advice here from others about just trying to get past this and generate positive vibes around this booking. Aside from the occasional glitch (and Airbnb's unwillingness to add a local taxes line item to the total price that guests see when they book -- my pet peeve), it's a pretty solid platform.

 

Good luck to you!

 

Carl and Diane

@CarlandDiane0@CarlandDiane0@Michelle13

 

Not only that I posted on the community boards, basically to find out to handle it. 

I had a sense that this would happen, that is why I made sure to include what I was seeing on my screen on the boards.

 

I wouldn't be making a big deal about this if it wasn't. This is airbnb not treating their host fairly because they choose not too.

When I called them on the first phone call, the rep agreed with me 100%, because she saw what I was sent and agreed to.  She couldn't figure out why the total amount (including the 1 month now owed - plus the future stay) wasn't showing up in the future transactions. 

 

I am not sure if how I am writing this is coming through clearly enough to be understoon completely.

 

It was settled because I altered the reservation with the guest and because she was waiting for the amount to change. She wasn't surprised, agreed previous and handled it perfectly. It was airbnb that stressed me for 10 days. 

 

I am more upset with their inabilily to problem solve, not mention what I saw on my screen, just say I clicked accept. That means nothing if they don't acknoldge their error. Which they won't because then they will have to be held to honor their own policies.

 

The screen shot was what I posted on the community board. I wasn't lucky enough to get the actaul page. Thought I did. What I got was, what I copy and pasted from the origial page and pasted it onto my post. It shows the exact "Copy" that was on the "alerterations page. It shows it said waiver or strict options. Like I said I wouldn't make this up and I posted this for help on this board before I clicked on strict, then accept. If I just hit accept, I would understand, but that isn't what happened.

 

Thank you.

Hi I did decline it. The first time she requested it I did. Then I explained to her what would happen and why. That is why she agreed to pay. 

 

My point issue is and I am trying to show you all.

that I did not accept the request with out the option that the website gave me to click on which was a button to click to waviver or to enforce. I clicked the button to enforce the policy. There was no other way to have it take affect to the request unless I pressed on accept. It is airbnb design of the page, they won't even mention the page, screen shots, error, nothing on their end. When it clearly is. I used to design websites for a living. If iys a user issue or a scripting problem in the page it's not my problem. They are at fault but make their own rules. It's crap.

 

I have since asked her to resolve it with me

by requesting my own change to the reservation and she did the right thing. 

 

 

Michelle13
Level 8
New York, NY

Sorry to hear about your situation. Since what is done is done perhaps just take solace in the fact that you filled some of the dates. With good vibes and moving forward who knows what else will come your way.

 

Separately, I am curious about this "Roommate law" you are citing. I live in NYC as well and my understanding is that if you are a full-time resident of the rental then you can rent as short or long as you want. This whole NYC vs. airbnb thing seems to target entire home listings or hostel style listings with no host on site. I would look more into this so you do not have to bother with the stress of finding long term renters months in advance. Best of luck!

@Jennifer298

This sort of thing happens from time to time.  Guest contact airbnb, plead their case and cancel on behalf of the guest due to "extenuating circumstances"

https://www.airbnb.com/help/article/1320/what-is-airbnb-s-extenuating-circumstances-policy

@Marit-Anne0 I had extenuating circumstances happen with another guest who booked a 6mo long stay and cancel less then 30days before telling me she knew she was diagnosied with MS and was going against her doctors order  when booking with me when she did, but by the time it was to travel, she realized she couldn't. AIrbnb was going to get 1 mo, I had everything in email, then she got a doctors note. I can acccept that.

 

It wasn't ideal.

 

But this sitution is nothing like this.  

 

Not only that I posted on the community boards, basically to find out to handle it. 

I had a sense that this would happen, that is why I made sure to include what I was seeing on my screen on the boards.

 

I wouldn't be making a big deal about this if it wasn't. This is airbnb not treating their host fairly because they choose not too.

When I called them on the first phone call, the rep agreed with me 100%, because she saw what I was sent and agreed to.  She couldn't figure out why the total amount (including the 1 month now owed - plus the future stay) wasn't showing up in the future transactions. 

 

I am not sure if how I am writing this is coming through clearly enough to be understoon completely.