bad Airbnb mobile website

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Martina75
Level 1
London, United Kingdom

bad Airbnb mobile website

Hello Dear Reader

 

I was on my Ipad last Monday. I was trying to have a conversation with a host about booking the venue but wasn't ready to book it at the time. I kept getting a window pop up getting in the way of everything else saying VERIFY VERIFY VERIFY and then had to find a passport scan and uploaded it and pressed ok. And somehow I had booked the place even though I hadn't meant to. What the hell happened? And now I've cancelled it and I've lost £51. Not happy, and confused. Most likely will spend that bit extra and use Booking.com from now on. And share that with everyone I know on facebook! A bit of a rant, but I see no contact number for any Airbnb representative and so it must mean that we have no real support from them except to vent here in some virtual bubble. Happy Friday!

1 Best Answer
Ira4
Level 10
Athens, Greece

@Martina75 hello. 

 

I can understand your reasons to be upset and I am sorry that this happened to you. I must tell that I also have found many problems on Airbnb application and I think it should be improved in many ways. 

 

I would suggest you to contact Airbnb directly (maybe call them on the phone) and explain what happened. 

You can use that link to see the numbers: https://community.airbnb.com/t5/Community-Help/Contact-Airbnb-A-Community-Help-Guide/m-p/16165#M728

 

Also, you could explain to the host of the listing you accidentally booked and ask if he could refund the amount to you. If it was me, I would refund the guest, if the cancellation was done immediately after the booking and the guest explained to me that it was a mistake. 

 

In any case, I just had a look at your profile and saw that you have traveled a lot with Airbnb and have great reviews. So, I am sure that you already know the advantages of Airbnb. I would be disappointed too, but I would think that the dramatic explosion of people had caused some disorders that they will be fixed in the future. 

I would suggest, give a second chance to Airbnb, contact them directly and have in mind to use more Airbnb.com than the Airbnb App for important actions, like booking. 

 

 

Ira​

  • For anyone who wants to contact Airbnb, see this thread:
 
  • Let's all give thumbs up to hosts that help us!

 

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14 Replies 14
Barbara175
Level 2
Grindelwald, Switzerland

Hi Martina
i don't have an answer why this happened to you.
BUT I needed to get in touch with Airbnb about another problem and their service was fantastic . I can't remember where I found the Hotline phone number but I sure got a lady in Germany on the line and she solved the problem for me in no time. Try that number in Germany and see if they can you a GB contact. +43 5 084 900

Good luck! 

Barbara

Thank you Barbara, herzlichen Dank! Have a fabulous weekend 😄

Ira4
Level 10
Athens, Greece

@Martina75 hello. 

 

I can understand your reasons to be upset and I am sorry that this happened to you. I must tell that I also have found many problems on Airbnb application and I think it should be improved in many ways. 

 

I would suggest you to contact Airbnb directly (maybe call them on the phone) and explain what happened. 

You can use that link to see the numbers: https://community.airbnb.com/t5/Community-Help/Contact-Airbnb-A-Community-Help-Guide/m-p/16165#M728

 

Also, you could explain to the host of the listing you accidentally booked and ask if he could refund the amount to you. If it was me, I would refund the guest, if the cancellation was done immediately after the booking and the guest explained to me that it was a mistake. 

 

In any case, I just had a look at your profile and saw that you have traveled a lot with Airbnb and have great reviews. So, I am sure that you already know the advantages of Airbnb. I would be disappointed too, but I would think that the dramatic explosion of people had caused some disorders that they will be fixed in the future. 

I would suggest, give a second chance to Airbnb, contact them directly and have in mind to use more Airbnb.com than the Airbnb App for important actions, like booking. 

 

 

Ira​

  • For anyone who wants to contact Airbnb, see this thread:
 
  • Let's all give thumbs up to hosts that help us!

 

Martina75
Level 1
London, United Kingdom

Hello Ira and efcharisto! I will try this and report back. I'm also a bit sad that the payment was taken out of my account within 24 hours and my refund will take a week to come back to me. Where is my money hiding...?! I will mention this to them as well. I actually asked the host to cancel and she said she couldn't do that. I think she's new and maybe doesn't know how. Have a wonderful weekend 😄 

@Martina75 yes, mention them everything. I think they will do something for you. 

 

I just want to mention something about host cancellation because many guests might not know, which it is natural.

When we cancel a booking as hosts, we get a series of penalties. First, we cannot become a Superhost for a whole year, second, we get an automated post on our listing's page like a review saying that we cancelled the booking and third, we cannot have another booking on those specific days!

So, probably that's what she meant when she said she couldn't cancel. However, in your case, I believe she should refund the amount to you. 

 

Have a wonderful weekend too! 

 

 

Ira​

  • For anyone who wants to contact Airbnb, see this thread:
 
  • Let's all give thumbs up to hosts that help us!
Martina75
Level 1
London, United Kingdom

@Ira4 wow, penalties, I didn't know this. I haven't heard of a super host. Makes me giggle and think of you wearing a superman cape. ;D

@Ira4

Your money is hiding in the air(bnb) - it is one way to make money and they do take every opportunity.

Martina75
Level 1
London, United Kingdom

Dear Reader, read on...

 

Thanks to this community being active and super helpful. I used Ira's link to get the UK number.

 

I have just got off the phone with a fabulous soul named Holly. She totally got my predicament, ipad small screen, pop up boxes, confusion, and I await from the cancellations team their estimation of my mistake of booking when I actually wasn't booking but just checking availability and asking the host for information. (At one point I went back in to check the dates and it said it was already booked so I thought the host had booked someone else in while I was looking. So confusing!)

 

I mentioned I would likely only book using the desktop site in future as maybe I'm not using the mobile site very well. 

 

Relieved I can go into my weekend with this behind me and a restored faith in the process of Airbnb and that there is a vast community of people that are helping each other. 

 

Where's that glass of wine?

 

Cheers!

Martina 😄

 

 

@Martina75  @Ira4

Not to mention we get pushed way down in the search results if we cancel as a host.  

But I cannot see why the host should make a refund and be out of pocket in this case.  The only "mistake" the host has done would probably be to allow/activate instant book.

@Marit-Anne0 no, of course, it is not a mistake of the host. Maybe I haven't written it properly. I mean that if I were her, I would regard it fair to refund the amount because the cancellation of the guest would take place immediately after booking.

@Martina75, cheers!!! 

 

I am so glad you took that action and it had some result! I wish for the best!

Community is very important, I have also learned it recently, and people like you who can understand its value need to stay with us. 🙂 

I am not saying that to promote my listings, but of course if you ever visit Greece, you are welcome to come and see me wearing my cope. 😛

 

Enjoy weekend! I would love to visit London soon! 

 

 

Victoria57
Level 10
Strathpeffer, United Kingdom

@Martina75 it's worrying that you haven't spent the time to look round the site and understand yuour responsibilities as a host re cancellations and penalties. The information is here. You also need to spend understanding some of the basic information about what super hosts are and how to get that status. Don't just go into hosting blind, do the research!

@Victoria57

Martina is not a host - she is a guest.

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