When Airbnb Offers to Cancel on Your Behalf With No Penalty or Loss in Payout

[Blake75]

I just had a recent experience with a guest. The woman made a reservation for 14 night trip and failed to mention it was for 4 men and she wouldn’t actually be staying in the home. Needless to say the men broke 2 of my house rules and caused a community disturbance. After I was notified of the first violation I  called into Airbnb to have it notated on the account and specifically said that I did not want them to leave but I wanted it to be documented.  Within the hour I was notified of a second violation and I called back in  Airbnb offered me the option to allow the guests stay or cancel the reservation on my behalf with no penalty or loss in the payout since third party bookings are not allowed (which I didn’t even know till that conversation). Naturally I opted for airbnb to cancel on my behalf and l expected those promised to be upheld especially being they were made to me on a recorded call that I myself was recording as well. 5 days afterwards when 3 substantial pay outs had not been paid to my account I called in only to see a minus -$1777.04 on my account the full amount of that guest who violated Airbnb’s policy and my house rules stay. Mind you the 4 men were in

my home for an entire week. Till today no one has been able to explain why this minus is on my accounting preventing subsequent payments from coming through and 2 supervisors have listened back to the recorded call where I was told my strict cancelation policy would be upheld and I would not lose any money from the reservation. As a matter of fact I was told that the guest received money. 

I have been a superhost for almost 2 years and I’ve never encountered this. Can someone please explain to me why the company would break their word to me after I’m risking the safety of my home and the items in my home to work alongside and accommodate total strangers 

[Kelly149]

What abb means when they say “no penalty” is that they won’t put bad marks to your account or charge you a fine for cancelling. It does not mean “kick the guests out and keep all the reservation $$”. 

When a guest leaves, so does the money. 

But you should have been paid for the time they stayed 

[Blake75]

No I’m the recording I literally was told airbnb would cancel on my behalf and I would not lose any money that was already paid out to me because my strict cancelation policy would be upheld. If there was a way for me to attach the recording to this I would. Like I said after the first community violation I simply called in to have it notated and said I’m not asking for the guests to leave. After the second community violation when I called back airbnb informed me that the guest made s third party reservation which is against airbnb policy completely they want me to rest assure the person I’ve been speaking to is who shows up st my door and BECAUSE of that airbnb could cancel on my behalf with no penalty (which I know what that means) and NO LOSS in the pay out that had already been issued to me 1 week prior because my strict cancelation policy would be upheld. 

So thsnks fir your response nut thats what was saif on the recording. And like I said the total amount of 1777.04 is currently sitting as a minus On upcoming payouts preventing subsequent payouts from coming through. If after you pay your mortgage on your home pay for the furniture in the home stages rhe home sonevrry guest from every country comes and feels welcome pay your electricity and utility and for the maids carpet and furniture cleaning you welcome a guest who doesn’t disclose that they aren’t even the ones staying until the day of check in then the men who are in the house throw a loud party causing 1 noise complaint but you let that go then they cause another to where you get multiple phone calls then airbnb promises you this and says they’ll take over then this happens would you come on here and say oh I don’t expect to keep the payout I received while they enjoyed my home for an entire week after it was promised to you? On a recorded call that you also have a copy of? 

[Blake75]

I was categorically told 

“your strict cancelation policy would be upheld and you will not lose any money that was paid out” I even asked “so I am entitled to the entire payout I received nov 30th?” and airbnb said yes because a third party reservation is a violation of our terms of usage for guests. We can cancel this right away on your behalf” and I simply said okay..

not JUST that I wouldn’t be penalized. 

So you see where my problem lies? 

Im a single woman who subsequently was harrased by one of the men staying he would return to my home after airbnb asked the one who reserved to contact them (since airbnb has no info on them) and ask them to leave. Everyone sees the name and just assumes it’s a guy. 

[Blake75]

Glad that I was finally given what I was promised... after MUCH ado

however I’m extremely disappointed to know that a guest could violate airbnb policy with a 3rd party reservation; have four men in my house who broke 2 of my house rules and they were still somehow fully refunded after a weeks stay in a 3 bedroom house. 

[Sarah977]

@Blake75 Glad you got paid. Going forward, you should really set in place some way to know who shows up for a booking- that it is the same person who booked. Whether that is meeting  them personally, having a co-host who does, or having a camera on the entrance, there should be something that will alert you to this sort of thing. Airbnb has no way of knowing if the party that shows up includes the person who booked. That falls to the host to monitor.