need advice about "experience" screw up

[Donald28]

Hi folks. I had my very 1st airbnb experience today! It was one group of 2 people who booked and arrived and another group of 4 people who drove an hour and arrived on time BUT since they couldn't or didn't complete the verification process on the rinky-dink airbnb app, airbnb canceled their reservation. 

So this family of 4 (who has never used airbnb before) is standing in my driveway and I tell them that airbnb canceled their reservation, show them the email from airbnb and they were super disappointed. 

The guy pulls out his phone, gets on the airbnb app and tries to complete his sign up process in front of me. He can't because it hangs up at the "verify work email address". He's stuck but still wants the experience for his family. Especially, after driving an hour through atlanta traffic. It's not his fault that the app is so shoddily designed that he can't complete the process easily or at all. 

I tell them it's ok and to come in anyway. We'll figure it out. He offers to pay me via paypal. I agree and tell him to just pay me the amount I would have normally gotten AFTER airbnb took their 20% cut from me... $36 each. He said he paid me and asked me to check but honestly, I kind of forgot and was a little too trusting maybe? 

So, they leave at 2pm, 30 mins AFTER the experience is supposed to end (I let them stay an extra half hour because everyone was having so much fun!). A few hours later I sit down at the computer to check my paypal. I find out there was no payment made! I honestly think he made a payment (he did it while standing in front of me and then told me to check to see that I got it) but he probably misspelled my email address or something minor. 

The problem is... I don't even know this guy's last name or phone number so I can't reach out to him! If I at least had his last name, I could g 00 gle or look him up on face b 00 k.

I call airbnb support and explain the situation and they are completely unhelpful. They won't even give me the guys last name. The CSR is indignant and acting like I got what I deserved because I tried to accept payment outside the airbnb platform. It's like they're happy that I am not getting paid because they know they won't get a cut of it. I didn't try to cut airbnb out. The cut themselves out by having an app sign up process that has waaaay too many steps. I only asked the guests to pay the amount I would have gotten AFTER greedy airbnb took 1/5th of my money!

I know I will chalk this up as a learning experience but is there some way I can find out the guys last name at least? It's not in any of the emails airbnb sent and not on my dashboard or messages anywhere. 

[Helen3]

I am not sure what you expect Airbnb to do in these circumstances @Donald28. Obviously they can't disclose this person's details to you.

It was up to you to make sure you took whatever identity you needed when you decided to accept a direct booking and to ensure the payment had gone through.

[Donald28]

Yea, yea, yea... I get it. I messed up. I'm a pushover and I'm too nice. 

What do I expect, you asked? Well... I am a 10 quarter superhost with 350+ five star reviews since 3/2017 and I've made airbnb a ton of money. I was hoping that airbnb could extend me a little courtesy and provide me with the guys last name. But nope! 

Helen, you're right... I should have just told the family of four that was standing in my driveway to leave and drive that hour back to their home.  Next time I'll be that absolute uncaring jerk and do just that.... (probably not though). Thanks for your support!

[Mark116 · Accepted solution]

@Donald28   I am almost always disappointed in how airbnb handles things, but in this case, this is your fault for not getting his name or any other identifying information and airbnb 1000% will never give  you any such information for something that doesn't even relate to them.  They won't even give it to you for a police report, LOL.  

[Donald28]

The situation DOES relate to them (airbnb). If it wasn't for airbnb, these 2 parents and their 2 kids wouldn't have been standing in my driveway waiting to enjoy my "experience".  If airbnb is going to cancel a newbies guests reservation, they need to make 1000% certain the guest is aware of that fact and doesn't show up at the experience anyway. It's not MY fault they showed up.

It IS my fault that I did the kind, human thing and let them stay for the experience anyway. I didn't think it would have been right to let their kids be disappointed and make the adults drive an hour home for nothing. 

So while I understand airbnb can't give out guests user info to just anyone, in this instance, I feel it would be OK since the 4 guests did actually enjoy the full extent of my experience... or if they refuse to allow me the info needed to try to get the funds from their customer, they should pay me out of their deep pockets. 

Am I so far off base here? 

[Donald28]

airbnb is working with me. They're trying to contact the guest that came and did our full experience but so far, no luck. 

I've asked airbnb to pay for the 4 guests experience since it is not my fault that the guests showed up at my home AFTER airbnb canceled their reservation. If airbnb is going to cancel a reservation they should 100% make sure that the guests are aware of it so they do not go to the experience anyway.

Airbnb created a very uncomfortable and awkward situation by canceling the reservation at the last minute and not making sure the guests understood they had been canceled & should not drive an hour to the canceled reservation. 

All I did was try to make an uncomfortable, awkward, airbnb blunder into a win-win for everyone. By me, letting them enjoy the experience, they will more than likely use airbnb again. As first time airbnb customers, if I had turned them away, they'd probably never use airbnb again.