Awaiting Payment ABUSE!

[Robert973]

There's a problem that comes up frequently, where a potential Guest books a room, but does not have a valid form of payment. When this happens, AIRBNB's current policy allows the potential Guest to block the dates of the Host's calendar without offering a good faith payment that complies with the Cancelation Policy.

They can hold dates and block up the calendar, right up to the Check-in date, EVEN LATE IN THE DAY WELL AFTER CHECK-IN TIME, and then, suddenly cancel without any consequences. Normally, they should lose their first day's payment and half of the following days, but it's a loophole that can be used to avoid any loss in accordance with the Cancelation Policy.

This frequent scenario causes harm to the Host, whose calendar was blocked by the potential Guest without any responsibility or loss. I believe AIRBNB should never accept any reservation without payment, or at least, never do so within the 5-day period immediately before the Check-in time. This would comply with the Cancelation Policy and protect the Hosts from such abuse and harm. I hope they'll consider adjusting the Policy, as such.

[Catherine2318]

In my opinion, Air B&B is the worst hosting platform.  I ran my own Reservation Service for 24 years.  Never had as many problems as I do using this platform.  They always rule in favor of the guests.  Make it impossible to get in touch with someone who knows anything, and put the pricing so low you can't make money.  The problem is between them and VRBO, you can't get a private website to show up anymore.  Basically you are forced to use these platforms.  They make a ton of money but don't care if the hosts do or not.  Many of their policies and decisions are absolutely ridiculous! Worst site I have ever had to work with.

[Chris1537]

The only way Airbnb will listen is if money is talking.

We need to get together as many hosts as we can and pick a month where we all block our calendars and rely on other platforms. If everyone sent a message to nearby hosts, of the date, the action and reason behind it and asked them to spread the message, I could see it reaching almost every host pretty quickly.

Call it an airbnb host strike. Even if we could knock 20% off one months income for airbnb. They would realise we hold the cards really.

[Lisa1272]

I have had back to back Reservations like this lately, 4 now, it is terrible and particularly damaging when a guest does this on the same day and then they don't ever reply again, you lose that night for sure. If the reservation was for 2 nights, they are also blocking that next day for 24hrs. And so on. So you end up losing That same night and possibly the next, etc etc since they are blocking you for 24hrs from all potential guests. To be clear they have a glitch, in some browsers, in the details of the guest, it says the guest only has 1 hour, depending what browser you use or how yo open the reservation details you may see it's in fact 24hrs and every time you open you can see the hours counting down, and in other places it just says 1hr when it clearly isn't. I don't even try to call anymore because calling is like a 2 or 3 hour process that sometimes leads Nowhere. So when accepting a same day reservation now I FEAR. Ain't going to lie, Airbnb has become scary for Hosts, I am dealing with rude guests all the time and scare they will lie about me and get me in trouble with Airbnb. Scare of scams. Scare of bad guests. Scare of a lawsuit. Scare of having a guest in the property and not seeing the "couldn't collect the payment" email on time and hosting for free with no help from Airbnb. JUST SCARED all the time. I have tried using every browser, app, checking emails to see if they missed something and theres a SMALL difference between a reservation that's paid and one that isn't, so that I can decline the ones that aren't paid for on the same day or soon. I would still accept the ones that are days away since it won't affect me much. SO FAR NOTHING, there is no apparent difference between the emails, or the reservation details, the chat, NOTHING. Once you clicked the accept and get that red notification that says Awaiting Payment you are doomed. No way to cancel or go back. Nothing to do but to WAIT, beg and lose money. And on top of everything you don't even have the guest info to blow up their phone to pay. NOTHING. I fear for the future of this app. And 2020 sucks.

[Robert973]

I left AIRBNB because of their abusive and immature Case Managers who don't care about what's right or anybody or anything but their own egos. And I've never looked back. There's no justice in a company like this and I've got better things to do with my time than endlessly haggle with bullies.

[Katie88]

I've had this problem too. Is there a way for Airbnb to let hosts know that a potential guest does not have a valid form of payment before we agree to confirm their request? Or can Airbnb give hosts the option to block the dates or leave them open until payment is made? As a host, I want to have control over my calendar.

[Martin280]

I HATE THIS!! It happens to me about once every month, too. It's OUTRAGEOUS! If they can't pay then the room shouldn't be held!! Airbnb doesn't give us any refund either and we lose money. It makes me irate! 

[Nigel196]

When this has happened to me I just call airbnb and more times than not they have released my calendar. They are more apt to release it when the guest's booking date is within the 24 hour booking period. If the booking date is more than 48 hours out then not so much. If more hosts would contact Airbnb directly as soon as they see the awaiting payment notification they may eventually do away with it or at least cut the 24 hour window to 2 hrs or less. On another note I have also contacted the guest immediately when this has happened and in alot if cases they have paid. So to sum it all up attempt to contact the guest first and then immediately contact airbnb after for best results. 

[Sheryl-Ann0]

Thanks for the info. What phone number did you use to contact ABB? Thanks 

[Sheryl-Ann0]

OMG are you serious? I am undergoing that right now.  A guest has held up my account for 5 days and blocked the middle of the month.

[Jean6074]

I'm glad I'm not alone!! I am so sick & tired of this! Guests should not be able to book & hold my studio without the funds to pay for it!! especially same day. I spend time on the phone a couple times a week with Airbnb & the reps that cant cancel it as its not yet a reservation and I'm not able to cancel or withdraw my acceptance. Im so sick of this. What can we do to get Airbnb to change this? SO FRUSTRATING!

[Sheryl-Ann0]

I was able to have to have it resolved by ABB.  I explained that it was extremely unfair for a guest who has no money on their card to block a reservation because it impacts host earning as well as ABB's.  This guest was being belligerent and the convo was becoming hostile.  As a resolution, ABB cleared my calendar and the user was blocked.  Whenever, these situations arise, always contact ABB and thoroughly explain your concerns. They will  resolve your issues.

[Byron116]

This has happened to me multiple times and cost me hundreds if not more. I'm dealing with it now where the next three days are blocked, check-in would be today, but the "guest" has until tonight to book or cancel. Obviously another guest probably will not book tonight. This policy has got to go. You can't book if you don't have a form of payment attached. That's just common sense.

[Peta7]

So we only have to wait for 3 more hours for our listing to become available again and believe blocking a listing with ‘Awaiting Payment’ is just one of the many new tools placed in the hands of the relentless Airbnb guest.   

They are also easily able to hold a Host to ransom and to extort refunds against Policy or extended stays against will with the one-sided review system which could result in the Host’s suspension. 

Then by following simple instructions available on the Help Centre, are able to lodge fake complaints that will definitely impact on the listing of the unconforming Host whom refuses to change rules to suit the guests needs. 

This coupled with the level of competence of the CS department, will leave no place for ‘sissies’ on this platform, hosts will just have to be tough.....as in ‘T u f f’?  

PS

After our listing was blocked by another host as a guest for 3 days are we again able to recieve bookings after the host / guest withdrew less than an hour before deadline.  

This underhanded approach to booking appears to be a new norm in SA? 

There are many other contributions on the same subject, please search for " Fake bookings that block your reservations" in the Community Center. 

[Begum5]

I also suffered from this issue very badly, first time today. Holding the dates with "Awaiting payment": this policy has a completely wrong logic.

These days are the highest season in my country because of a long national holiday. A guest requested a reservation which has a check-in date of two days later. I approved him. After that he starts messaging like "my credit card has problems, can you let me pay in your place". I told him that it is impossible and against airbnb's policy, and suddenly figured out that he is trying to hold the dates for himself without a proper reservation. I think he knows our location somehow and trying to bypass airbnb and wants to come here directly. I wanted him to cancel but of course he didn't and did nothing for 24 hours. I immediately wrote to airbnb support to report this as abuse, but no one replied (it's been 28 hours now, still no reply!). Then after 24 hours, finally his reservation dropped and my listing seemed available again. But in a few minutes, the same guest send another reservation request. I didn't accept that of course but as I don't want to Decline it by myself either (because of acceptance rate!) I contacted airbnb again to ask help, this time by phone. Again, no solution, they just listened and said "I'll pass this to my collegues, I can not take an immediate action". Because of the date is just tomorrow, I had to decline it myself to make sure the listing will be available. Otherwise this abusive guest has a chance of blocking the days until the check-in time comes and never complete the reservation but knows that the place is still reserved for him somehow! This policy is so much open to abusive usage. I firstly want airbnb not to count these kind of declines as a decline that affects "acceptance rate", secondly change this policy immediately.

[Martha920]

This keeps happening and it’s completely unfair to the host. It makes no sense. Two days in a row this has happened to me yesterday and today. It’s simply not the right way to treat your host. We come out of pocket, we schedule accordingly and then we lose the booking all together. I don’t understand how this is the policy or why. If we cancel we get not only booking penalties but fined?? How is this fair?