Airbnb took $100 from my transfer without any explanation

[Mahdi22]

Hello Folks

I am relatively new in airbnb as a host.  I had total of $1222 ( after deducting Airbnb's fees). 

The $1222 were sent in 2 transfers

1)  $325 

2) $897

However what I get in my bank is totally different amounts.  So instead of $325   I got $274.  and instead of 897  i received 846.  Of course this is BEFORE deducting my bank's fees.  So in total we are talking about $100 missing out of $1222. This is a a total RIP OFF.   

When I called phone support the agent did not give me any clear answer and just escalated the issue.  I got an email about that escalation, so i replied with further details and I included attachments that show the amount i received.  However the case was CLOSED without even bothering to answer or address my concern.

Airbnb is NOT honest.

[Sandra856]

Hi @Mahdi22 🙂

I noticed you had a cancellation on your listing. When you cancel on a guest one of the penalties is a 50 or 100 $ ticket. You should get warnings about it when you try to cancel.

Make sure your calender and prices are up to date at all times in order to prevent cancellations. 

Best, Sandra 

[Mahdi22]

@Sandra856    when I cancelled the listing, the system clearly told me there will be no penalties fees since it's my first time.

[Sandra856]

@Mahdi22 I have never heard of a free first time cancellation policy - the system definitely penalized you otherwise you wouldn't have a "cancelled on a guest warning" on your profile.

You can as a new host educate yourself on how the system works - as a host one of the big no-nos is to cancel on a guest. This community is great if you want to learn. 

Best, Sandra 

[Ange2]

@Mahdi22     It used to be first time cancellation no penalty. They may have changed that (never rely on Airbnb customer support they often have no idea of policy, less changes in policy, and you will be given the wrong information,  it's always  better to look up the information yourself).

I would contact Airbnb again and tell them what you were told,  and  if you have documentation of Airbnb message saying that it was penalty free send it to them as proof.   I did it a year or two ago and was not financially penalized because it was the first time and that was their policy back then,  but I did get a note  "host canceled ...." on my listing because I could not get documentation of extenuating circumstances to Airbnb within 48hours.  Good luck!

[Branka-and-Silvia0]

https://www.airbnb.com/help/article/990/as-a-host-what-penalties-apply-if-i-cancel-a-reservation-for...

[Mahdi22]

When you receive this email ( 

We've issued you a payout of $897.15. This should arrive in your account by Nov 13, 2019, taking into consideration weekends and holidays.) 

In the email it clearly says   897.15    If there are any penalties, they should have been mentioned.  Common sense says that 897.15 is what I will be receiving.  

[Sandra856]

@Mahdi22 You have been billed 100$ for a cancellation. That’s it. If you as a new host did educate yourself before you started to host on all the basics you would have known that airbnb deduct the fee from future reservations. That is exactly what has happend. I don't know what excactly you expected? 

[Ange2]

@Mahdi22    Go to the transaction section of your Airbnb account, if Airbnb has taken 100 as penalty  it will be listed as an adjustment under payouts hopefully with the reason stated.

[Mahdi22]

@Ange2   Hi ange,  Yes I checked my payouts section.  There is not mention to the $100 or any adjustments or cancellation fees.  If there was any explanation, they i would have been fine. Buv i don't like is keeping things secret. 

[Ange2]

@Mahdi22    Odd - I have adjustments listed on my payout.  Another reason could be that your bank charged a wire fee (sometimes these can be exorbitant)  or could be exchange rate fees from Airbnb or your bank -  you might try calling the bank first and  if they did not charge it get onto Airbnb again and ask them to explain. My bank charges anything from $25USD to $50USD for every international wire transfer.

[Emiel1]

@Mahdi22 

If the email AND the Transaction History pages both mention 897,15 has been transferred, then it seems to me the missing 50,- is taken somewhere in the transaction process by ??. I have never received another amount then what Airbnb stated to be transferred. If missing money would be penalty fees, then the payouts would be reduced by this before transferred (and calculations would be visible in the transaction History pages).

[Mahdi22]

That is absolutely correct.  Openly speaking, someone stole my money from Airbnb.  I asked them to send me photo of SWIFT to prove they sent me the correct amount, but of course they didn't reply.

[Mahdi22]

$100  excludes my bank's fees 🙂   the transfer amount is further reduced by 10 Euro from my bank.

I think I am switching to another platform.  Because when you email support about this issue, and they close the ticket without answering you, then definitely there is something wrong. It could be some employees who are responsible on wiring transfers are doing this for random account.  And you can imagine how big profits would be considering the number of hosts.

[Sarah977]

@Mahdi22  There isn't some employee wiring transfers. It's all automated. 

When you made the cancellation, did you just do it yourself, without contacting Airbnb? Because in order for it to be done penalty-free, you have to conatct Airbnb to do it for you.

Sounds like they deducted the $100 cancellation penalty in 2 installments form 2 payouts, $50 on each.