Cancellation - Extenuating Circumstances

[Linda153]

Can everyone out there run on this conversation who has experienced cancellations where AIRBNb have refunded the guest in full due to

Extenuating Circumstances Policy.

It is so strange that within two weeks I have received two cancellations both stating that there was a death in the family.

AIRBNB have contacted me by stating that they might refund in full although I have selected a strict policy and the entry is in 2 days time.

The person I discussed this with at Airbnb has stated that it is only fair that they refund on extenuating circumstances provided the guests provide them with a death certificate or obligatory.  This is really unfair to the hosts, really two days prior to entry.....  and further more can anyone falsify a death certificate.

My question is how does AIRBNB proove that the documents submitted are true documentation, does AIRBNB really investigate?

There have been other blogs about this and it seems that this occurs frequently so my understanding is that there is absolutely no check system and anyone can submit a certificate etc. 

No other site offers this, I will definitely be accepting rentals from other sites firsty as my first option.

Can we get a response from all hosts on this matter, I would like to see how many cancellations have been refunded due to this type of situation. It would be in everyones interest too.

Hope to hear from you all

Kind Regards

Linda 

[Mike77]

1 time in two years.

Mike

[Gerry-And-Rashid0]

You have been particularly unlucky to have it happen twice so quickly - but it's not that unusual really. People die, fall seriously ill all the time - and it's part of their policy to allow cancellations without penalty in those limited circumstances. We have been hosting for a year and have had one cancellation due to a car accident. 

You could argue people should have travel or other insurance to cover them for these eventualities I suppose. But AirBnB allows both hosts and guests to cancel under extenuating circumstances, so I guess it balances out. And for hosts that also includes things like emergency repair work, etc.

(As for forging death certificates, I am sure it is possible to forge anything but I doubt it that people go to those lengths on a regular basis)

[Jessica101]

If Airbnb paid out hosts when extenuating circumstances forced them to cancel a reservation, I would agree. But hosts don’t receive insurance from Airbnb to protect them from cancellations. So it’s really just one-sided insurance and entirely at the host’s expense.

[Kenneth12]

There's not a judge in the country who would be happy with needing to deal with a small claims claim against you in these circumstances,  and likely would we be very liberal towards any extra claims from the litigating party.
ABB is helping you out here with a best practices policy.  Refunding people who have a death in the family is good business policy-- and it's also a no-brainer for anyone who's taken basic contract law.  Don't fight it.

[Deborah1]

I think sometimes as hosts we can forget how it is from a guest's perspective. My mom has been quite ill for sometime. I have tried to go on with my life including traveling occasionally. If she were to pass, I would hope that I would not be out the entire price of a trip and that a host would be understanding and refund at least a portion of my money in that situation.

[Lewis26]

I think though that as a traveller with a seriously ill close relative that it should be your responsibility to make sure you have travel insurance that would cover you in such instances instead of a host being out of pocket when there is no such protection available to them. 

[Gail-and-Beth0]

If you know that your mom is ill, and your travel could potentially be impacted, why not purchase travel insurance?  Why should another individual lose money (a property owner with a mortgage to pay) ...so that you don't?

[Sally-Ann6]

Unfortunately most travel insurance claims require you to demonstrate that you've done everything possible to recoup your losses directly from the provider (accommodation, flights etc) before they will pay out on the claim. 

I am in exactly this situation, not due to a death, but due to an accident with my travelling companion (my sister and her children) which has brought a whole deck of cards tumbling around us.  The travel insurer will pay no problem, as long as I provide evidence that I've genuinely tried to get refunds (full or partial) and these have been declined.

Of course, I don't know for sure, but this may vary across insurers.

[Wilton1]

This happened to me just now when guest cancelled 2 weeks reservation just hours before arrival. I'm using monderate cancellation policy but 'extenuating circumstances' overrides it and I got 0. I bet as a host, we'll see this more and more as people discover this loophole and start abusing it. Providing a proof never be a hard part. And the judgement is solely on Airbnb, host only got informed the decision without consent. This is the weirdest policy and what's the point of cancellation policy if it could be override easily?

[Noelle6]

The part where Airbnb is the sole judge, without much input from the hosts, judging sometimes in a subjective manner....i'm having a hard time with this.

the part about severe weather is what i'm struggling with.  Airbnb does not define "significant" or "severe" weather situations. 

so this position of theirs is definitely making me rethink listing with them.  (the position of being sole, subjective judge, perhaps not invoking "reasonable" standards that the outside world would.)  It just seems to me like Airbnb favors the guest more than the host.  And i keep hearing stories like this.

[Andrew90]

When trying to understand corporate or human behavior think about it from incentives.

Listings and most transactions concentrated in cities
More hosts than travelers in most cities now
3% fee from host
10% fee from traveler (plus interest on float where this on collected interest)

On top of that success begets success and Airbnb is getting all the press (good or bad), people used to VRBO now they Airbnb. This is attracting more hosts and travelers.

It's becoming more and more of a Comodity business snd we as the suppliers will see the pressure are prices are pushed down.


Don't think the grass is greener elsewhere VRBO / HomeAway and others are migrating to the Airbnb model and are getting more and more traveler centric.

[Andrew90]

Also think from human perspective. Yes some people will cheat but most people are honest.

While I'd argue perhaps an something prorated tied to cancellation policy say 80% refund would be more fair if less than 7 days prior to checkin or during stay. (5 for moderate, 24 hours for forcible?)

Also look at it as pay it forward. You can help someone now in tragic situation perhaps and it can lead to a chain reaction of kindness. 😉

[Pilar1]

I've just had a cancellation invoking this policy just about 1 week before the arrival date. This is the first time it has happened to me in about 2 years (not continuously must admit) so was curious to know what others have experienced and trying to find info on how to deal with the refund. I am not sure if the reason they give (grandma’s illness) is legitimate and what sort of proof is required by Airbnb but by the looks of it we are left out in the cold when it comes to this issue. Just wondered how other hosts would deal with this.

[Amy38]

I mostly live on long term rentals.  On the theory that grown-ups know where they are going to be for a while, I require 2 year leases.  Sometimes people need to leave for varying legitimate circumstances and they can as soon as I get a new tenant which is not hard in my area.

That being said, the Abb guests I have had all seem to know where they are in the world.  I have had only one cancelation and had no question  that it was legitimate.

.  As abb grows, the scams will too.  But I do think illness and death is a constant factor for the Boomer generation in particular.

If you think you are being serially scammed, try putting a strongly worded house rule concerning the issue of unavoidable cancelations. Something to the effect that you know life happens and that with a notarized death certificate, you will gladly accept their cancellation, otherwise your policy is in place. Add this to your first message to them and they will be warned that you are not going to roll over.