Appeal to Airbnb's final decision

Teresa3
Level 3
Atlanta, GA

Appeal to Airbnb's final decision

We had an ABB guest who is supposed to stay with us for 7 days and wanted to cancel her reservation for the last 3 days after she moved in for four days.  We could not refund her for the remainder 3 days  according to the cancellation policy we published on ABB.  In order to get her refund, the guest made a false claim to ABB saying our internet did not work, and she needed to move out.  ABB refunded her for the 3 days based on what the guest's story.  When we found it out 2 days after, and told ABB that the guest's claim was false, and we have proof for it.  ABB case manager said it was too late, and she already made a final decision to refund the guest based on what the guest said, and we can not change or appeal her decision, and we can not talk to her supervisor either.  She sounded like she has the absolute power to make decisions for me with or without my agreement.  Does anyone know if there is way to appeal for the case manager's wrongful decisions?  

136 Replies 136

Has anyone used Fairbnbclaim.com?

 

@Tristan-and-Angela0  @Luke166 

I haven't actually used Fairbnb to put in a claim, but in the course of some research I'm conducting, I've spoken with them at length. To be honest, their website is pretty awful, and led me to suspect they might be a bit dodgy themselves, but after some fairly in-depth conversations with one of their top execs, I can confirm that they definitely know their stuff when it comes to the workings of the Airbnb platform. I think we'll definitely be hearing a lot more of them in the very near future. 

Update: 

After submitting a complaint with San Fransisco BBB office, ABB reopended and reviewed the claim.

ABB found that the case manager did not follow proper Guidelines and a full refund was made.. so good news after wasting 4 months of effort with a CM that was completly inadequate from the start.

 

@ Tristan and Angela,

 

Thank you for this post.  It's a common scam, and I apreciate the reminder.  Did you know there is a website that helps people who've been treated unfairly in this end of the business? (include the words fair and bnb in your web search).  You will find this to be a common theme.

 

I had a potential guest ask recently if I had bedbugs and I replied truthfully no and as she pressed on with her (written) concerns I replied with all of my safeguards.  In her subsequent commentary, doubting my acumen I discerned this would still become an issue...much like yours if I approved her stay.  I tactfully suggested that she might sleep more soundly at the local (insert large chain hotel beginnning with an M) which has to meet government mandates for this and also includes breakfast and waterfront views.  Her reply was they were too expensive (just $10 more than my place...and I provide more). 

 

I think you saved me and hopefully others from reliving your experience and this is another reason I do not instant book.  One can discern much about a guest in a few exchanges...not to discriminate for racist reasons, but to put everyone at ease for a wonderful stay.

 

I'm sorry for the unjust way you were treated.  This is an industry-wide scam, and I hope you will be able to find a work-around with ABB or the web resource I mentioned....and I see you were persistent and did, so congratulations and happy hosting with an added pool of wisdom to draw from!

 

 

Susan17
Level 10
Dublin, Ireland

Just for the record, under EU commercial and consumer protection laws, it's illegal for any company to arbitrarily terminate or override the terms of a contract, without first providing full and frank explanation to the aggrieved party, and allowing the right of appeal. 

 

 Complaints can be lodged to the EU Online Dispute Resolution platform, link below. (UK users still have access up until 19/04/2019)

 

https://ec.europa.eu/consumers/odr/main/?event=main.trader.register

Luke166
Level 2
England, United Kingdom

Oh wow, real Brexit effects... I did contact this Europa thing to clarify if as a 'host' I am a consumer or a trader. For some reason I didn't follow things through, I can't remember why. I wonder if anyone has actually gone through the ODR that Airbnb even explicitly say they are not bound by. 

 

As for Fairbnb, I checked them out. 

 

Maybe this Brexit date will motivate me to collate all the ridiculous cases with Airbnb that I have. Their method of hoping people just give up works...

Luke166
Level 2
England, United Kingdom

Yeas, I think the thing that tripped me up was trying to work out if I was a trader or a consumer in the EUODR's eyes. The person I spoke to just said something to the tune of 'don't know.... try one of them'...

Technically, a trader Luke. However, EU law decrees that there must be balanced, equal rights for all parties in any transaction, so the protections and safeguards that apply to one, mustn't be denied to the other. 

Amanda953
Level 2
Somerville, NJ

The Resolution Center is no help whatsoever! I was a guest of a host that put in for a claim that a mirror was cracked on a sliding closet door during my stay. The closet was too shallow for the hangers (that the host provides) and therefore the hangers continuously need to be readjusted and get caught in the closet door. I told the host this small crack most likely occured because of the wear and tear of the improper pressure applied on the doors with every single open and close. I recalled there being a small crack but the host claims it was so much larger...it doesn't matter...I declined the host's request to contribute the the $375 estimate he recieved so it went to the Resolution Center. The Resolution Center found me at fault and told me that the actual receipt came to $700 and therefore that is what they charged! I would like anyone to find me aluminium mirrored sliding glass doors that cost $700 to replace. I continueously have asked Airbnb to show me proof, an itemized receipt...anything that will show that the host only replaced the mirror/door that was cracked with exactly the same or similar doors (the host claims the doors were a year old - not that I beleive that since the whole place needed a little TLC - so they shouldn't be hard to replace!).

 

What prevents a host from purchasing upgraded doors or tracking system (since these had a hard time staying on track in the first place) and then sending the receipt to the resolution center that then charges me that upgrade instead of replacing the orginal!?! In addition the host asked me to "contibute" to the replacement...therefore I assume he understands this is partially due to the fact the doors did not fit right or the closet was not appropriate for these doors, and yet this has no consideration on the Resolution Center's decision.

@Amanda953 I am very sorry to hear that. Did you take a photo of the crack when you first noticed it? Did you tell the host about the crack? Did you have the photo of the closet doors? If you get evidence of fixing or replacing a door like costing less, you provide them to the CS. 

Of course, I immediately drop everything before signing in, inspecting for hairline cracks in the grouting and windows, debris in the ducts, and spraying carpeting with Luminol.

@Mike0 No unfortunately I did not, I only recall seeing it early on and noting to myself 'oh better be careful with that crack'. I am a travel occupational therapist and use airbnb pretty much consistently to live out of and I have seen small cracks and wear and tear consistently and I usually try to let the host know upon leaving but sometimes it slips my mind. This is the only time it ever escalated. I take a video of every place upon leaving and because it was not a floor to ceiling shot or that it didn't "show" the crack in the video, which I tried to explain it didn't show it because that large crack wasn't there upon leaving. I didn't highlight those doors in my video because at the time it wasn't anything to note and I completely just forgot about the smaller crack. If I noted every small crack or chip in every place I stayed at it would take a lifetime and sometimes you just miss it. I am more upset about the charge of $700 than anything. I rent out my own apartments and have bought doors very similar to this and the replacement, even if he had to buy 2 doors because they come in sets of 2 do not even come close to thi

@Amanda953 You have great reviews as a guest. $700 is ridiculously high. If you notice an issue with anything which you use frequently, you may need to pay attention and take photos when you travel. There indeed are some bad hosts out there who just wanted to take advantage of guests.

 

Hopefully you can provide a proof of more reasonable cost to replace the closet door. And Airbnb could come up with a more reasonable amount.

Ridiculous.

Amelda2
Level 2
Grenoble, France

I have same problem with Airbnb. 

One guest wanted to cancel his 4 nights reservation after checking in 1st day. For stupid reason: no privacy and taking false claim

 

One case manager said what to refund me half and aitbnb cover another half.

 

3 days later, another case manager completed took out my money of reservation of 4 nights to refund the guest!

 

Very very inconsistency and she said this is final decision. 

 

What can I fo?