Airbnb stealing money from hosts

[Ana1386]

Hello,

I have a big problem with Airbnb and I don’t know what to do. It’s been more than 2 months since they are taking 30% of every booking that I have for USA taxes! The only problem is that I live in Paris and my flat is here! So nothing to do with USA!

First time when I contact them they refund and said that there is an error and that I should wait a couple for days, make another request and they will refund me like they already did. 

I trusted them but on the 1st August when I did the request again, the case manager said that he doesn’t see these transactions and after I’ve sent him the proofs with all the transactions history he closed the case!!! It’s been more than 2 weeks since then and almost everyday I am calling them but I don’t get ANY responses except that someone will contact me!

They have to give me more than 4000€ so I think that tomorrow I will go to the police as I don’t see any other solution. Did anyone else have the same problem? It’s just unbelievable! 

[Branka-and-Silvia0]

@Ana1386if you don't want Airbnb collect your taxes then you should enter your French VAT number

click on your profile photo on the upper right corner / edit profile... then scroll to VAT number.

here is what it says: For European Union users or users in other countries for which VAT applies, VAT will be assessed on our Service Fees. If you live in a country where we need to charge VAT, you will not be charged VAT if you enter a valid VAT ID Number. Visit VAT FAQs »

[Ana1386]

Thank you for your answer but it is not normal for Airbnb to collect taxes for USA even if I didn’t enter my VAT number yet. The proof that is not normal is that they told me that this was an error and they refund me, first time 🙂

[Kathie21]

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@Branka-and-Silvia0 wrote:

@Ana1386if you don't want Airbnb collect your taxes then you should enter your French VAT number

click on your profile photo on the upper right corner / edit profile... then scroll to VAT number.

here is what it says: For European Union users or users in other countries for which VAT applies, VAT will be assessed on our Service Fees. If you live in a country where we need to charge VAT, you will not be charged VAT if you enter a valid VAT ID Number. Visit VAT FAQs »

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No, thats not the problem.  Most hosts won't have a VAT number as they won't have a business registered for VAT.  If you are regstered for VAT, entering the number means that Airbnb won't collect VAT on their service fees (to the host), as the host would be entitled to reclaim them.  Nothing whatsoever to do with US taxes.

[Ana1386]

No, they clearly said the first time that this is an error and it’s not normal what happened, they refund me, sais that they will solve the problem and now they don’t even reply. 

[Jeff158]

@Ana1386 before you moved to Paris did you live in the USA and therefore your airbnb account is based in the USA

[Ana1386]

No, I never lived in USA, not even visit it 🙂

[Kathie21]

Do you/have you used a VPN that is hosted in the USA?

[Andrew157]

We are in the UK and we trade with airbnb in Ireland  Our son now lives in Dublin so each time I visit I am tempted to turn up at the office on Royal Canal basin and try and get a free latte. 

Anyway I thought that in Paris you would also trade via airbnb Ireland. I have an email somewhere explaining the set up. 

[Ana1386]

You can see that the person who took care of the case said that there was an error, that they will fix it and that I should not be worried because they will refund me.

Since the 1 August I’m calling them almost every day and NOBODY contacted me! Every time they are saying that it’s not their department and that someone will get in touch with me.

I’m beginning to be really worried because there are 30% every day that they are keeping and it’s getting to be a lot of money... what should I do? I still have 3 flats on airbnb, fully booked but I’m thinking to cancel all the reservations. I really can’t deal with it anymore, it’s too frustrating... unbelievable!