Every guest that cancels has "extenuating circumstances"!

Donald28
Level 10
Lithia Springs, GA

Every guest that cancels has "extenuating circumstances"!

I'm tired of guests cancelling last minute, contacting airbnb, claiming "extenuating circumstances" and airbnb simply refunds them (in full) regardless of my "STRICT" cancel policy... that they (airbnb came up with!) and I choose to use. It's not MY policy, it's airbnbs... yet they never stand behind it.

 

The moment a cancelling guest contatcs airbnb about a full refund for a booking cancelled within the limitations of their own policy, airbnb is already siding with the guest and emailing the host with a "don't you feel guilty enough" email about how I should choose to offer a full refund. 

 

If there really are "extenuating circumstances" that would allow the guest a full refund under airbnbs strict cancellation policy... shouldn't the HOST be able to see the documentation too? Since airbnb takes the money from the host (not its own pocket), the host ought to be able to see this supposed documentation right? 

 

I'm tired of airbnb always siding with the guest on a cancellation. 

 

Either you have a policy or your don't. Have some cojones and stand behind your policy or just get rid of it altogether airbnb. 

 

 

11 Replies 11
David126
Level 10
Como, CO

All I can suggest is that you think of it as a cost of doing business when using ABB and increase you reates a bit to take into account the odd cancellation.

 

Also one of the reasons I would not take longer term bookings on ABB, much harder to deal with.

David

I believe airbnb should think of the "odd cancellation" as a cost of THEM doing business & NOT push the cost off onto the HOST like they do.

 

If airbnb wants to override it's cancellation policies and refund a guest in full, they should do it out of their own pocket, not the hosts pocket. 

 

Pretty simple. 

Peter1436
Level 2
New South Wales, Australia

This is the point. If Airbnb as the parent company with a reputation to uphold chooses to grant a refund out of goodwill, then it should take responsiblity for the refund. Such goodwill means Airbnb generates the loyalty, not the host (as the guest will likely never stay with them again). 

 

I can’t see where the extenuating circumstances policy states that the host is liable for the refund in such scenarios at all. I would be rather surprised that this is how they choose to do business, given their reputation as being a fair organization.

Sarah977
Level 10
Sayulita, Mexico

@Donald28  Well, that would mean airbnb would have to start treating hosts as valuable and adult enough to trust with information relating to a guest cancellation. But we are children from whom the truth must be kept (for our own good, of course).

I don't know about you @Sarah977, but I don't want to be a child again (sorry Airbnb), and feel quite grateful for having been born when I was.  I think we have gotten to lived under the best of times. 😉

Fred13
Level 10
Placencia, Belize

   Perhaps the fact that guests do get granted 'Extenuating Circumtances' is why they cancel,  so the easier Airbnb makes a gift of it, the more cencellations hosts will have.  True.

    I am not sure what is the percentage of guests wanting a full refund under Airbnb's infamous 'Extenuating Circumtances', and actually getting it, it would be interesting to know what that number  really is. 

   The problem for hosts perhaps lies with the very short notice of cancellations operating with the common Strict and Moderate policies. It would help hosts so much more if they were given at least 30 days to find a booking replacement.  

    Over 4 years, I have encountered about 5 cancellations that have qualified for a full refund under that clause (3 being very suspect), but have had about at least 15 situations in which guests have lost their 50% of their booking fee, so it has even out in my case. 

   And yes, Airbnb does favor the guest, no doubt.

   

It's important to note that Airbnb NEVER refunds the "service fee" that they charge to the guest no matter what "extenuating circumstances" the guest has for cancelling.  So, in short, Airbnb has no reason to not make the refund to the guest.  They always get their money out of the guest, so there is nothing that Airbnb loses when doing a cancellation and refunding the host's money to the guest.

I agree that hosts should be able to review the documentation that guests provide (do they have to submit documentation?  I know that hosts do when we cancel a guest) Airbnb when the guest cancels.

Seems to me that, no matter what, when a guest wants a refund because THEY have cancelled the reservation, ABB always gives it to them.  That has been my experience at any rate.

1) I have seen ABB refund fees tens of times,  including to me last week.

2) I've had ABB side with me about refusing a refund,  at least 10 times.

3) ABB is just not going to take on the potential legal liability of providing you with documents that are covered by privacy legislation.  Sorry,  no way,  not going to happen,  you trust them or you don't.

Kenneth12
Level 10
Chicago, IL

Should you be able to see medical or other private documentation?  No.

Do you want that liability,  including compliance requirements?  No.

Do you think ABB is offering or forcing a discount outside the rules?   Call them on it,  then.

Kev0
Level 2
Arlington, VA

I just posted about a truly eggregious example of this that I suffered.  Guest has admited that they had no extenuating circumstance and agreed requested/received an extension to their stay weeks after receiving the document that was supposedly the "extenuating circumstance".  It cost me 4k.  It is really insane how poorly they treat hosts.

Pete69
Level 10
Los Angeles, CA

And stories like this are why I will NEVER use Airbnb or VRBO to lease my entire home longer term. I'm not gonna get hung out to dry after signing an apartment lease. It's direct deposit and a signed lease or else....