Should I give a refund?

Marie1588
Level 1
Halland County, Sweden

Should I give a refund?

Hi!

I usually have wery good ratings, especially regarding the cleaning. Recently a lady made a booking for her husband and son but didn’t join herself.  I was unfortunately on vacation so I couldn’t welcome them and look it all ower myself. However, I’m very confident with my cleaning lady. After the stay the husband complained on several things

1. The cleaning was bad. There was dust and candies under the beds.- My cleanig lady confirms that she made a proper cleaning. I have the cleaning on ‭a faktura

2. There was old breafast in the fridge - According to my cleaning lady it was butter and milk, however she didn’t check the expiration date. 

3. The pans were old and unusable - I discovered afterwards that former guests had scrathef the teflon in one of the pans and  in the others, which was iron pans, there were some rust, probably also caused by other guests using detergent. This is usually fixed by oil and kitchen towels. 

 

Now the husband wants  a refund for the last night. He’s been texting me during nights. No conversation on Airbnb site. My concern is that it sounds a little like extortion and I’m worried about bad reviews. I haven’t given ratings yet. I don’t know what happens if I don’t.

Please give me advice on how to proceed.

7 Replies 7
Paul1255
Level 10
London, United Kingdom

@Marie1588  I hope you are well!

 

This doesn't sound like a good situation. To start with this was a third party booking, where the person booking didn't stay.

 

If the guest was unhappy with the items you mention in your post they should have contacted you at the time they checked-in to resolve the issue, so you could have sent your cleaning person back to the property to re-clean and so on.

 

Using the service provided and then complaining after checking-out and asking for a refund seems somewhat disingenuous.

 

I would move all communication with the guest back onto the Airbnb platform, so if you do have problems Airbnb will be able to see the comms between you and the guest easily.

 

You should be communicating with the person who booked- if there was an issue or a refund to be given it would be between the booker, you and Airbnb.

 

What about the communication makes you feel it sounds like extortion?

 

Paul.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Branka-and-Silvia0
Level 10
Zagreb, Croatia

@Marie1588 

so basically he wants a refund because of:

- a candy under the bed ( he actually went on his knees and looked under the bed?),

- 1 scratched frypan

- and a bit of rust in the iron pan?

Those two pans are the only pans in the apartment? He couldn't use another pan? He couldn't throw the candy into the trash bin? Of course, he couldn't... he wasn't able to book for himself and his son by himself, his wife had to do it.... Jesus ! What's wrong with men today? 😄

Helen3
Level 10
Bristol, United Kingdom

Hi @Marie1588 

 

Please don't accept third party bookings They are against Airbnb rules and it often means there is a mismatch in expectations as the person booking is not the one staying which leads to complaints and poor reviews.

 

In this case I would explain to the guest that as mentioned on his booking confirmation if there was something wrong with the listing he could have reached out to you within 24 hours of arrival and you would have been happy to arrange for your cleaning lady to drop over a new pan/s.

 

Personally if I wouldn't be confident of a cleaning lady who left old milk and butter in the fridge and didn't notice scratched and rusting pans. And who also didn't discover sweets under the beds (sounds like they are not cleaning under the beds.

 

In your situation I would perhaps refund the cleaning fee or part of it.

 

Going forward don't accept third party bookings and if you are going away it's always best to have a co-host on hand for emergencies and to be on hand for guest inquiries. Finally I would refer arrangements with my cleaning lady.

 

Marie1588
Level 1
Halland County, Sweden

Thank you Helen3 for your input. Very helpful. However, do you mean that this was a third party booking even if they were family members?

 

Helen3
Level 10
Bristol, United Kingdom

If the listing was in the wife's name, I believe it would still count as a third party booking @Marie1588 . But perhaps check with Airbnb.

 

Also you shouldn't be communicating with the guest's husband by text. Keep all communications on Airbnb messaging so there is a record Airbnb can see of any conversations.

 

Summarise  your conversations to date on Airbnb and confirm that any further discussions should be kept on Airbnb and block the husband so he can't text you any further.

 

And of reflection I agree with @Mike1034. Don't refund the guest.

 

@Marie1588  The person who books has to be among the people who stay. Booking for someone else is called a third party booking and is against Airbnb's Terms of Service. And you won't be covered by Airbnb and they can refuse to help you out if it is a thrid party booking. It is completely immaterial if they are family, friends, etc. 

Block this guy's number on your phone so he can't harrass you anymore. Do not use text to communicate with him at all, only the Airbnb messaging. Ignore him unless he starts complaining to Airbnb, and they contact you, then deal with that if it happens.

And if he is telling the truth about the cleanliness, I'd refund the cleaning fee and have a serious talk with your cleaner. Leaving milk and butter in the fridge that someone else has used, and not cleaning under the bed isn't okay. Maybe she was slacking because you were away.

Mike1034
Level 10
Mountain View, CA

@Marie1588 Do not refund even a penny! A guest like this would do more damage to other hosts if a refund was given.

 

Wether a refund is given or not, it is not possible to get a good review from a guest like this. Just let Airbnb involved in the case. Just prepare to write a review with facts. And also prepare to write a response to the guest's review.