guest violates rules but service centre issue full refund

Brian2430
Level 2
Toronto, Canada

guest violates rules but service centre issue full refund

I just had a bad experience with Airbnb superhost service would Iike to share with you guys.

 

I had a booking from Aug 6 - 11, 2 people living. On Aug 5, the guest texted me if he can put a foldable bed or live in my living room. I declined because I also live in the house and have another roommate, it's definitely inappropriate. Then the guest requested a full refund, I said I can consider a partial refund as courtesy, you can't cancel it at the last minute to get a full refund.  The guest seemed unhappy and then blackmailed me: if you didn't give me full refund, I will leave a bad comment to you! I contacted Airbnb superhost service, the lady told me any review will be removed because he threatened me. So I kept his reservation.

 

After he checked in for a few hours, I found there were 3 people living in the house, but my house rule is a maximum of 2 people and he also booked 2!  We had an argument about this, the guest yelled: what's the **bleep**ing problem with our 3 people living in one room?!  I contacted Airbnb Superhost service again regarding the guest's violation to get some help. A few hours later, I found the guest's reservation was canceled and the guest with another 2 people moved out.

 

Today I checked my account, I was so surprised that the guest got a full refund!  He lived in my house for half day, used bedding, and towels, and violate house rules (booked 2 people but lived 3 people without telling me earlier or permission), but he got full refund!  I contacted Airbnb Superhost service center to ask why he got full refund? why no one asked me? but the superhost service looks like a robot, continue said I'm really sorry but I can't do anything.

 

 

19 Replies 19
Brian2430
Level 2
Toronto, Canada

it is a 3 bedroom townhouse which I also live here. He asked to put a foldable bed in living room or sleep on living room sofa, it is definitely inappropriate.  The guest brought total 3 people living in the room he booked without telling me or getting permission.  In my booking page, it shows maximum 2 people, he booked 2 but there are 3. Even though, airbnb Toronto service gave him full refund without telling m, I feel so unfair. 

Emiel1
Level 10
Leeuwarden, The Netherlands

@Brian2430 

Did Airbnb cancel the reservation on their or on your behalf (check if no penalties are applied).

 

 

I sent Airbnb superhost service message regarding the guest has 3 people while booked only 2 and asked for advise. The superhost service never replied to me and I found the reservation was cancelled after a couple of hours. I thought they called the guest and canceled it. If Airbnb gave guest full refund, at least inform me, unfortunately I just knew it today. I lost at least that day’s host fee and have to clean the room again. But the trouble guest lost nothing, so unfair!

Airbnb canceled the reservation, not me or the guest

Helen744
Level 10
Victoria, Australia

@Brian2430 sometimes Brian it is a good idea to concentrate on what is happening and not the money .The day before on the fifth , you should have said a catergorical no and told the guest that as he had booked only for two and that  is all the guests you could accomodate, and that other people lived there ,including yourself and it was a homeshare not , whatever he thought it was, and then suggest that he cancel and your refund 'policy ' which he signed up for would apply . I know it is sometimes tricky in the heat of the moment not to be intimidated especially if you are trying to be a good host , but the warning signs were there . he played you and the system to get all of his money back . beware . H

Also Brian guests who have already arrived can get you to refund them and then also get a full refund from Airbnb . Its a loophole that some bs guests are playing .H

 

you dodged half a bullet . they always intended to make you pay .give them a review that actually points this out  H

It’s Airbnb canceled the reservation and issue full refund. If that guest canceled, there is no refund because of already checked in 

@Brian2430 unless Brian the guest can sufficiently bamboozle you to give them a part refund and then Airbnb to give them a full refund . There is a glitch  H

Guest never mentioned there will be 3 people instead 2 he booked, otherwise he won’t have chance to check in.  Also guest knows it’s a shared house not entire room. I just felt I was played by Airbnb superhost service centre. They didn’t ask me just give all refund to the trouble guest.

Huma0
Level 10
London, United Kingdom

@Brian2430 

 

I'm really sorry this happened to you and I hope you will get some sort of resolution/solution from Airbnb.

 

However, you keep referring to the Airbnb 'Superhost service or service centre'. There is no such thing. Airbnb tell you that, as a Superhost, you will get a dedicated helpline, but I have seen no evidence of this. What you get, in theory, is directed to the first available agent (the same agents everyone gets - you just might get through a bit quicker). That agent is likely to be outsourced and poorly trained with no authority to do anything at all. All they can do is pass on your case to another team and then you have to wait just like everyone else. 

 

I started hosting in my home in 2016, quickly became a Superhost and maintained that solidly until the last assessment, where I lost it due to a 3* review. I can tell you that I never received a different level of customer support when I was a Superhost than when I was not. If anything, I preferred the support I got BEFORE I became a Superhost, because I usually got through to the call centre in Ireland (which covers the UK) where the staff were excellent. Once I got through on the 'Superhost hotline' instead, I'd mostly be assigned to someone who spoke poor English, sounded like they were reading from a check list and couldn't understand basic Airbnb policy.

 

Sorry to tell you this, but being a Superhost gives you no advantage when it comes to customer service. All it gets you is lots of meaningless statements like, "We really value you as a Superhost and everything you do for your guests... blah, blah..." and then the same useless service.

Thank you Huma.

 

I contacted superhost service, but seems Toronto office can’t help that. They just said, I’m so sorry to hear that, but I can’t do anything. Blabla. I asked the name of the people who issued full refund without my permission, but they said sorry can’t disclose of that, then I asked which team made this ridiculous decision, and got another ‘can’t disclose this’. 

that isn’t a lot of lost on money, but I just feel so unfair in this case, the superhost service is also helpless and didn’t respect me. 

From this case, I realize you must cancel the guests who look will be a trouble, regardless what Airbnb service ambassador told you. 

Huma0
Level 10
London, United Kingdom

@Brian2430 

 

The problem is, when you as a host cancel the reservation yourself, Airbnb will penalise you: a fine, loss of Superhost status for a year, and it will appear on your profile/reviews that you cancelled a guest at such and such notice, but without giving a reason why you made the cancellation, which looks bad. 

 

More recently, Airbnb introduced a new policy which means that hosts will get fine a lot more, especially for cancellations that take place last minute.

 

So, no, it's not really a viable option because, not only will the guest automatically be issued a full refund if the host cancels, but the host will be charged extra on top!

 

Do double check that customer services did not process this as a 'host cancellation' with penalties to you. Check your transaction history page to make sure they are not going to deduct additional amounts from your future payouts. I hope that has not happened, but it wouldn't surprise me.

 

They once refunded a guest (who was not entitled to any refund under the cancellation policy) for her whole stay. Not just the unused nights, but for TWO WEEKS she had already spent at my listing. And this was a guest who hadn't complained about anything. I did manage to speak to the stupid CS agent who issued this refund, but she couldn't give me any explanation for her actions, nor did she care. She just told me to request the money from the guest myself, which is nonsense. I did eventually get my money back but I really had to fight for it.

Thank you Huma, it shows canceled by Airbnb. Guest checked in with violation, but Airbnb canceled the reservation with full refund without informing me. More ridiculous thing is the guest left a 1 star fake review to me, I contacted Airbnb service to ask to delete it because in the beginning the Service Centre promised to me any negative review will deleted. I contacted multiple service ambassadors and finally removed it.