[Updated: March 13th] Coronavirus outbreak: Information on Airbnb’s extenuating circumstances policy coverage

[Airbnb]

Last updated: March 13th, 2020

As more information about the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak becomes available, Airbnb continues to prioritize the safety and well-being of our community of hosts, guests and employees around the world. 

As this situation evolves, we strongly urge you to review your local government’s travel guidance and health advisories and take necessary precautions to protect yourself and your guests when hosting or traveling. 

Following governmental and health authorities guidance and recommendations, Airbnb is offering impacted hosts and guests with eligible reservations the option to cancel their reservations without charges through our extenuating circumstances policy. We’ll continue to evaluate and update this policy in line with official guidance. 

Airbnb understands that you may have concerns, and we’d like to encourage impacted hosts and guests to reach out to our customer support team (https://www.airbnb.com/help/home) with questions or to get help with canceling reservations.

More details about our extenuating circumstances policy can be found here. 

Read the FAQs here: Answers to your hosting questions about coronavirus

[Tracy609]

Airbnb now owes me 750$ for giving a guest a full refund when my policy is strict.

[Jay503]

We will be leaving airbnb as hosts if they don’t remedy their unfair actions.  Our guest cancelled BEFORE the updated extenuating circumstances policy for US.  We had an agreed settlement of 25% refund.  The policy was just updated 3 hrs ago 24 hrs after guests scheduled checkin and yet I just received letter stating airbnb was granting the reservation a 100% refund.  Total BS!  We should at least be getting 2 nights worth of fees.  I am completely disgusted with all of this.  We hosts are left flapping in the wind.

[Sarita35]

There's a lot of us similarly impacted. AirBnb just emailed me this updated extenuating circumstances policy for U, that was released today to  justify refund they made weeks ago that complied neither with their old EC policy nor with host cancellation policy.  I think hosts need to file a class action suit against AirBnb as they are violating their own rules and and host cancellation policy. 

[James1790]

@Sarita35 , @Jeff589 I don’t believe one can change the terms of contract to apply retroactively. This is inherently unconscionable. It’s unlikely this would hold up in court. I suggest three options.

1. Someone should create a change dot org petition or similar. Something where we can connect as hosts and pool resources.  Something that will make it visible to the media so that it will readily.  Something that will come up on the first page of google results when AirBnB is searched. 

2.  A go fund me page to retain an attorney to investigate class action potential. At a minimum, it would be helpful to have an attorney put out a press release regarding an impending lawsuit. A go fund me page will also have the same effect as #1 with regard to search engine visibility. 

3. Finally, consider filing a small claims action. Most states have limits 5-10k. Airbnb cannot compel arbitration in a class action. Further, they may not send an attorney to the court. They have to send a lay representative from the company to appear in your locality or hometown court. If they don’t show up, you automatically win and can collect on your judgement. Most state, this costs less than  $50 to file and about two hours of your time at court.   Any agreement not to sue or compel arbitration will not stand in small claims.

We have the power to hit them back both individually and together. Let’s pool resources to do this. 

[Sarita35]

After a lot of back and forth, AirBnb finally gave me the 50% due, so I am good for now on this case. @Jeff589 

@James1790 

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[Anja39]

Do you have recommendation of an alternative site to use? I am also a host and am done w airbnb.

[Sarah225]

If guests cancel due to fears about coronavirus and travel restrictions it seems that hosts bear the whole financial loss.  Guests are fully compensated and Airbnb does not lose either.
Might it be more fair, as such cancellations are nobody's fault, for the fiscal burden to be shared more equitably: for example, guests could receive partial refund which would allow hosts not to lose everything and Airbnb still gets some amount for organising that.

[Daria83]

Or like many other companies have done (i.e. airlines), the guest gets credit toward the next reservation, and the host still gets that deposit to be used in the future.  There are so many other ways to deal with this issue.  

[Carlos793]

There is not ONE case of coronavirus in the county of San Bernardino, yet airbnb gave a 100% refund to a guest. What gives Airbnb the right to flat cancel rather than allow the host and guest to communicate and find a common beneficial solution? The guest was in town for a concert, so not a medical personnel. I feel like Airbnb want to come off as the "good guy" to the guests, since it is not their financial burden, no mortgages to pay, property taxes, etc. Must be nice to collect and at crunch time to throw their hosts, which are their livelihood, under the proverbial bus. Hope that there is a lawsuit about this.  A "strict" policy apparently has no merit. Hosts are dispensable. 

[David6707]

This is why Airbnb is garbage. VRBO protects it's hoats by cracking up their policies.  What we don’t cover
Please be aware that our Book with Confidence Guarantee is designed to protect you from fraudulent listings and misrepresentation. It does not cover cancellations due to events outside of our control such as disease or government actions.

[Lisa1222]

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[David64]

It's about time Airbnb responds to the Virus outbreak. The grief you put me through as a host that had to cancel a reservation was completely unnecessary. Your late to the game an have showed that as a host I mean nothing to you but as a cash generator for your platform. Not better late than never.

[Cindy854]

I am still waiting for my refund of AirBNB service fee of $122.58. This was a cancellation due to quarantine of coronavirus persons from seattle, and covered under AirBNBs stated policy of full refund. I did not get a full refund, because AIRBNB did not return my service fee. I called support and they said someone would handle my credit and contact me. Nobody from AirBNB has handled this. Full refund means full refund and not to be AirBNB refunds none of the fees. This was a national and state emergency. Please handle the refund due me. At least respond. Been a week since I began trying to get my full refund and AIRBNB chooses to ignore all request. Please respond. At least respond. Please tell me why full refund to airbnb means less their own fees. Why are you holding my fees???

[Ozan49]

Lake house. Lough sillan lodge. Holiday home

Due to Coronavirus, government has announced the closures of schools, institutions, etc till 29 March and advised people to stay at home in order to minimise the risk of spread as seen in the link(www.gov.ie/en/news/7e0924-latest-updates-on-covid-19-coronavirus/)  This is announced at 13th of March, due to this we wanted to cancel our reservation and called the host-Gary on 13th of March, he said he understands the situation and wanted ask to call back the next morning. Meanwhile we get in touch with AirBNB and informed them the situation, and they understood our concerns. The next day we called Gary several times, messaged him, however not only he does not answer our calls but also he blocked our number. We tried to call from another phone and he opens the call that time and he told us to cancel from AirBNB and not agrees to refund us the full payment. Considering all this alarming in Ireland, we really could not understand how inconsiderate a person like Gary can be,

[Cindy452]

I am a host of several properties. And I got several cancelations. Airbnb is giving a full refund to the guest. But what about the hosts. What we will do with no layouts income. How we will pay our expenses. Why Airbnb is not on our side too? We both are facing this situation guests and hosts. Airbnb should give only 50% refund to guests and give us 50% of our payouts. Please, hosts, need help too.