Long Term Reservation cancelled on short notice

[Claudia452]

Kalimera from Rhodes in Greece,

i had made a reservation in July for a long business trip of 2 month in November to Cologne and paid for it .Yesterday - 6 day's prior arrival the host cancelled my reservation and i contacted airbnb. Customer service responded very fast ,but unfortunatley not to my satisfaction as the offered help of 300 € ( 220 and more € will go anyway to the service fee ) and the alternative available accommodation was a messy student apartment with a bunk bed. Any similiar accommodation with the previous booked in Cologne will be 4-5 times more now as it's high season during the christmas time. Being a host my self on airbnb since 2010 this situation leaves me with mixed feelings towards to airbnb as i was expecting some more protection and help.I'm devasted now as i have no accommodation and i start to work in a few day's,renting now a new property will be extremly expensive and i think in general there should be a full cover from airbnb in cases like this.Please share your thoughts or advise .Thank you Claudia

[Linda108]

 Hi @Claudia452.  You are not your average host but one with 26 listings and 220 reviews!  I am interested in your perspective about both sides of cancellation.  As a host, you are probably not highly affected by a single cancellation whereas the host who, like myself, only have a single listing are more impacted by an allowed cancellation, i.e., extenuating circumstances.  As a guest who is counting on the host to follow through with the reservation, you are in the same position as I am when there is an allowed cancellation.

There is much conversation on this site about the application of cancellation by Air BNB on behalf of guests that leave the host without compensation and by the host without adequate guest compensation.  One suggestion in Host Voice is that guests should be offered a low cost option for travel insurance that would allow payment to the host for extenuating circumstance cancellation or compensate the guest in order to find adequate alternative (Air BNB or not) space in case of host cancellation.

Your thoughts?

[Claudia452]

Hello @Linda ,thank you for your nice words and fast answer to my message ,as i see you are on level 10 post boards!

This year i had several cancellation from guests,having a strict canellation policy in some cases i agreed direct with the guests a full refund.But i only proceeded  when i was sure i was able to re rent the property.General i agree with you and all other hosts for a change of cancellation terms on Airbnb as without any compensation prior 30 days of arrival it is nearly impossible to re rent a property and the income loss for the property owner can be dramatically. 

As i'm a channel manager with more then 50 properties in our own system the cancellation terms are strict up to 32 day's 80 % of the rental.The idea of a travel insurance for guests is great and as i'm travelling with Airbnb i would be happy to pay an addtional insurance which should not be more then 20 €.

Coming back to my problem i think cancellation by a host 6 day's prior arrival should be full covered by airbnb  for the addtional costs above  the previous accommodation as on a short notice it is very dfficult to find something suitable. I'm still looking for an apartment in Cologne for 2 month!

[Allison116]

This is absolutely terrible. I’m sorry for you. That is not adequate assistance by Airbnb to you. The host should be kicked off Airbnb immediately. I know people complain about bad guests On this forum all the time however bad hosts are a huge problem for fellow hosts. 

It Only takes a bad experience by a guest like you to keep them from ever booking on Airbnb in the future.  I know people that won’t book on Airbnb anymore because they Had a bad experience once where the host either backed out of the reservation or they showed up to the lodging only to find out nothing was like pictured. 

[Claudia452]

Hello @Allison116

thank you for your message, to be honest my first reaction was i never book again with Airbnb for a long stay.I only hope my other trip in 2018 with Airbnb will go better!

[Allison116]

I hope so too.  And hopefully this doesn't stop you from booking on airbnb in the future.  For me, it probably would.  I like to plan my vacations and then sit back and relax.  And I could never do that if I had to keep thinking that my lodging would be cancelled at the last minute.  

[Claudia452]

Here is the  update on the latest situation ,Airbnb has covered for a new booking 50 % of the original reservation costs (without the  service fee) and i have been lucky enough to find a new place in the preferred location .The communication with the customer service of Airbnb was excellent  and efficient from the beginning ,the only withdraw was i lost 1 day of finding the new flat.I still believe for the future there should be a covering of 100 % for an equivalent accommodation with a kind of insurance.

Thank you for giving me your feedback 

[Kip4]

We booked a two bedroom, two bath apartment back in December 2017 for an October 2018 stay in New York City.  Apparently it's a busy time in NY as even then there wasn't a whole lot available. No problems with payment, and just yesterday, received a note from Airbnb that our reservation had been canceled and our deposit refunded - just like that, no explanation, nothing from the host (with whom I had been emailing about general information) and boom, we're hosed. Nothing on Airbnb is available now (mid-May!!) so we are forced to go to a hotel which is super-expensive, as everyone knows. We are furious!

We called Airbnb and tried to escalate a complaint, but no one has returned a call and the emails to the owner of the condo have gone unanswered. Do we have any recourse here? 

[Linda108]

It would be better for you to speak directly with the Air BNB CS staff, @Kip4 so the rep can assist with finiding another place.  I have heard that sometimes Air BNB will offer an additional credit of 10-15 %.  Here is a guide to contacting Air BNB including a phone number.  My trick is to call really early in the morning before the call volume is high.:D

https://community.withairbnb.com/t5/Help/Contact-Airbnb-A-Community-Help-Guide/m-p/16165#M728

[Claudia452]

@Kip0i know how this feels as being last year in the same situation and worse as my stay was only 1 week ahead.@Linda has pointed you the right link and i hope you will find onother apartment and airbnb will help with the additional fees.Please keep us updated.warmest greetings from Greece