Price Increase

[Maxine94]

Hi all. 

I am fairly new to ABB. We recently booked a holiday house for a week in December 2020/January 2021 and paid for the house in full according to the rate that was advertised. 

The host just contacted us to say that it was the wrong rate and we would have to pay 50% more per day. 

Surely this is not our problem? We paid the full amount for the advertised rate. 

Any suggestions on how to navigate this?

Thanks!

[Roberta2]

Hello @Maxine94 

I speak as a host. It is my responsibility to ensure that the prices advertised for my room are correct.

If the host did not check prices for high season, it is really not your fault.

I would tell him that you paid the cost advertised, and you are not willing to pay any more. Make sure you communicated via the app - no whatsapp messages - and let Customer services know. 

[Gordon0]

Like @Roberta2 says, not your problem (and their request smells a bit fishy, @Maxine94). Tell the host they are welcome to cancel the booking (in which case their calendar will be blocked). Do not cancel it yourself. 

[Sandra126]

Absolutely not on. If you are in the free cancellation period, cancel. Otherwise let host cancel. Really wrong. 

[Anonymous]

@Maxine94  As a host, I also agree 100% with @Roberta2 and @Gordon0 . If you entered all your details (including guest count) correctly at the time of booking, it is against Airbnb policy for the host to demand a different nightly rate after confirming. 

The host should be the party to cancel, if they aren't willing to accept the confirmed price. Usually when this happens, Airbnb gives you an additional credit that you can use toward a replacement booking. You don't get this if you cancel yourself.

[Sarah977]

@Maxine94  The other posters here have given you good advice, I'll just add that it can happen (there are many reports of this here on the forum) that there is some tech glitch on the site and a hosts' pricing simply got changed in error, without the host having done anything. I don't know how common this is, but it definitely does happen. But a host would likely advise the guest that this happened, apologizing, and explaining that they simply couldn't rent for the advertised price, which somehow changed without their input, and perhaps asking if you'd be willing to negotiate a new price somewhere between the wrong and the right price. And a good host would also say if that wasn't acceptable to you, they totally understand and will authorize a refund of whatever you've already paid.

I have no idea what the tone of this host's message was, or what explanation, if any, they gave you for the price being wrong, but if they simply said it was wrong and that you'd have to pay 50% more, if I were a guest, I wouldn't want to deal with this host at all anymore, nor even stay at their place.

For whatever reason the pricing was in error, you obviously wouldn't want to, nor likely to be able to afford to pay 50% more than what it was listed for and it's unfair of the host to just expect you'd be okay with that.

[Alex1485]

@Maxine94

Maxine-

Hi, thanks for using the Airbnb platform...as a 5 year Superhost in the US,  please know that about 1x a year, I experience this same issue,  a guest books at the incorrect rates,  due to a AIRBNB technical glitch.

As hosts, we provide our rate to AirBNB, and then we rely on their team of tech guru's,  data analysts and programmers to ensure the booking engines accuracy.

During my peak season, I am constantly checking the AirBNB platform for pricing accuracy,  as I have had many issues, just like what you are experiencing in the past. 

Personally, I had two of the same issues this year, AirBNB accidentally opened my calendar-- two guests, same day, booked rates incorrect rates,  30 and 40% below market.     

Keep in mind, last week Airbnb announced a 25%  staff layoff, perhaps you've been caught in a staffing issue thats impacted the website pricing/booking engine.    

I have also read on the community sites, hosts are currently experiencing  issues with incorrect pricing, like yours, which is not uncovered until it too late, when a booking occur.   

Contractually, of course, you have every right to keep the booking as is.  

However,  perhaps  this was meant to be & a better location is out there for you, yet to be discovered!   Please keep in mind, many hosts, like myself;  have their listings snoozed/unavailable for guests currently to view,  while we wait for guidance on the new  health and safety standards.  

Also, host DOES NOT have your $.   Your 100% deposit was paid to AirBNB, which they hold until you arrive at your destination.   Your host does not receive any money until several days into your stay.   

I wanted to share my experiences, as I believe this is just unfortunately an accidental error-  

All the best to you!  Please excuse any typos...it's been a long day here in a C-19 hotspot..Alex

[Linda108]

My usual recommendation would be for you to contact Air BNB and speak with a representative.  Due to so many changes including staffing, I don't know how easily you can reach a real Air BNB staff person.  However, as others have suggested, you should acknowledge the host issue and advise that you would expect them to cancel the reservation due to the error and that you would need them to do so, ASAP., so your funds could be released for you to book elsewhere.  Be sure to communicate on the Air BNB system.  Then find another listing that suits you. Once you have one that works, contact Air BNB via Twitter and seek a remedy for the host cancellation.  As a host that has also been surprised by a booking with rates that are not seasonally correct, I ALWAYS honor the booking.  I feel it teaches me a lesson to be more vigilant.  Good luck!!

[Anonymous]

Hosts can choose not to use Instant Book, if it's important to them that bookings affected by technical errors don't advance to confirmed status. It's all a question of trade-offs.

But one thing that's a big no-no in customer service is demanding more money from the customer after the sale because of an error on the vendor's side of the transaction. It doesn't really matter whether it was a human error or a technical one. either way, the appropriate course of action is to either honor the agreement as-is or cancel and refund it in full.

[Stephanie1158]

Bonjour 

comme l'on dit tous les hôtes précédents 

c'est l'hôte qui est en faute si le tarif indiqué n'est pas le bon

vous n'avez pas à annuler si l'hôte considère que le prix n'est correcte il annulera peut être votre réservation dans tous les cas ce n'est pas à vous de le faire

[Liv]

Hi @Stephanie1158, thank you for your contribution!

In case you're interested, I'd like to invite you to also take part in the French speaking Airbnb Community.

Thanks,

Liv

[Tony-And-Una0]

Hi

Regarding the previous message about prices changing without the host requesting it.

If definitely does happen and has caught me out a few times.

It took me ages to work out why.

When I change either the extra guest fee or the cleaning fee, it defaults all my weekend prices back to my standard default price which is lower than seasonal prices.

Not sure if it's still a bug. 

Tony