URGENT HELP NEEDED! Current guest refuse to pay for extra service booked.

[J157]

Dear All, 

I currently so stressed out with this situtaion i have with my current guest. Please help advise if you have any solution or any prior experiences as such.  

Guest asked for extra service (airport pick up/send off service) of which i recommended the airport service company that i personally use. I sent them the quotation, guest agreed and so i went ahead to book the service for them and sent payment request through resolution center. After which she had some payment issues with currency which i asked her to enquire airbnb support instead as host do not collect any payment from guest directly and that airbnb support would be able to advise her better on payment issues. 

Days later, guest told me that she had paid for the service and asked me to check and to make sure that they are in. I replied guest that i received email from airbnb that shows that the payment is delayed and that airbnb is working to resolve the issue. I once again, told guest not to worry and that i have already booked the airport service for her. 

A few days later, i messaged guest about the email i received from airbnb support that guest declined the payment request and asked guest how will she be making payment for the airport service. There was no reply from guest since her last message, telling me that she had paid and asked me to check and to make sure. 

And on the day of her arrival, 5 April, i sent her the airport pick-up and check-in instructions and told her to contact me when her plane landed and that i have arranged for the driver to pass her the keys. Guest’s flight arrive after midnight and the driver waited for guest for almost 2 hours at the airport. And at 6 April, 3am, i received a call from my house’s voicecall intercom from guest saying that she has arrived at the house. I told her that her driver is still waiting for her at the airport since 1am and that the house key is with the driver. As it was already midnight, and our conversation was over the voicecall intercom, so i cut our conversation short and told guest to wait at the house while i inform the driver to drive from the airport to the house to hand her the keys for her to check-in.

The next day, i messaged guest to settle the payment for the airport service. But guest is now claiming that she had informed airbnb that she has cancelled the airport service. I tried my best to explain to guest that she booked the service with me and so should be informing me if she would like to cancel it. Airbnb is only helping collecting payment for this and that airbnb is not the one providing this service.

At no time did guest inform me that she would like to cancel the service. And the last time she messaged me, she said that she had paid for the service and asked me to make sure that they are in. And of which i did the booking for her.

And even after i asked her about the payment; and on the day of her arrival, when i informed her about the driver picking her up; the driver is already waiting at the airport; and etc. Guest did not at all mentioned about cancelling the service or rise any questions. Why would i be still telling her about the airport service if she have cancelled the service? Guest did read my messages but just simply choose not to reply.

I have explained to guest that i will cancel the airport send off on 9 April. But asked for payment for the 5 April airport pick up service of $50. The service was booked for her and the driver waited at the airport for almost 2 hours. And thereafter have drove all the way from the airport to the house to hand guest the keys for check-in.

Now guest is refusing payment and said, " i dont have any duty checking your text", exact quote from guest. It was obvious that guest did read my messages if not she wouldnt be able to call me from the house's intercom. 

This situation is making me so stressed out. I did this out of goodwill to help guest to book and coordinate the airport service and made the booking under my name so that guest can enjoy further discount. And for this goodwill deed, i now owe a payment of $50 to the airport service company that guest refuses to pay.

Guest is saying that i am making the trip uncomfortable. Which makes me feel uncomfortable too and very worried when they are now staying at my house. I fear that they may damage my house as revenge.

I have since contacted airbnb but have yet to receive any replies from support. Please help advise if you have any solution or any prior experiences as such. 

Thanks in advance!

[Branka-and-Silvia0]

oh, @J157 it sounds like a nightmare guest and I can totally understand you are angry, I would be too. I hope you will review her accordingly.

I don't know what to tell you except we organize guest transfers completely differently. We call a driver/taxi company, order a ride for our guest at the exact hour and the guest has to pay the ride to the driver directly. Never had any problems.

[J157]

Hi Branka and Silvia,

Thanks for replying.

I am actually more worried than angry. From the tone of guest's writing, she just give me the feeling that she will damage my house in revenge.. which is making me so stressed out. I am actually thinking if I should cancel her reservation right away and remove her from the house, in fear that guest might damage more stuff at home. I know there is deposit and host guarantee and etc, but the time and effort and the distress to see your lovely home in damages.... And as I am having back to back bookings now, I also fear that my next guest booking will be affected too.

I will definitely review her behaviour accordingly.

So far I never ever have any issues with payment through resolution center. Just this guest who sent payment and then for some reason decide to tell airbnb to overide and cancel it without informing me. I should have foresee trouble and ask driver to collect cash payment from guest directly when driver drove from the airport to the house to hand guest the keys. But because the booking is done under my name and I have a credit account with the chartered company (I am a frequent traveller), so the driver did not collect cash upfront. And when booking under my name, my guest enjoy further discount too and are appreciative of it. 

Question here, anyone knows if it is possible to claim this with their deposit? All our conversation are through airbnb messaging and there is evidence and etc..

[Branka-and-Silvia0]

@J157 

you can request money through the resoulution center and if she refuses or doesn't accept then , after 72 days you can involve Airbnb. If I understood you correctly you have already done that and she refused, so involve Airbnb.

If you can prove she threaten you with damaging your home you can contact Airbnb and ask them to cancel the rest of her stay and then kick her out.

She will be able to leave you a review and to rate you but it seems she is nuts and you can't avoid bad review anyway

[J157]

I just check my support case that i open previously with airbnb. the case was closed without any reply. Does this means that airbnb support is not willing to be involve and mediate? See attached photo. 

[J157]

oh man, what a **bleep**ty situation i am in now. 

guest have not threaten with damaging the house. but you know, sometimes you just have a feeling from the tone of their writing. i wish i could screenshot the conversation with guest for all to see. but it is pretty long though.

i am seriously thinking of cancelling their reservation and kicking them out of the house. anyone done that before? after cancelling their reservation, how long would they have to leave the house? any other repercussion for host, other than needing to refund guest for the remainder unstayed nights, bad review and superhost status?

[Branka-and-Silvia0]

@J157 

Did you request the money through the resolution center and then involved Airbnb... of you just contacted Airbnb support? You should request it through the resolution center.

If you cancel the guest's stay in the middle of their stay then they should move out immediately because they are trespassing.

I am not sure if you would be fined for canceling ( in addition to the penalties you already mentioned) so maybe some other more experienced hosts would know better.

[J157]

I request the money through resolution center. But guest refuse payment via message. so the 'involve airbnb' button is not available yet. 

I have also contact airbnb through support. but the case was closed hours later without any reply. i have just open another case asking for a reply even if support are unwillingly to mediate. i just need a reply so that i can decide if i should kick the guest out or not. i just hope to solve this issue as soon as possible and move on. 

[Lisa723]

@J157 I would post this screenshot on their facebook page.

[Branka-and-Silvia0]

@J157 

the best support is via Twitter ( Airbnbhelp) and Facebook. I hope they will not make any damage, I am sorry for your trouble 😞

[J157]

Dear All,

just to update you guys. Support has open a case for me with a delicated manager, but there is still no reply yet.

And last night, guest out of sudden messaged me that she send the money. I also received the automated "so and so accepted your request for money" email from airbnb.

But hours later, i again received an email from airbnb saying that payment is delayed due to an error when airbnb tried collecting payment from guest. Same stunt the guest did the first time. MY GOSH! 

Guest is checking out soon today and i am hoping for the best! 

[J157]

@Branka-and-Silvia0, @Lisa723 

thank you for all your replies! 🙂