Extenuating Circumstances

Alex1101
Level 2
Jersey City, NJ

Extenuating Circumstances

Recently, one of my guests told me that he wouldn't be able to travel because he had gotten sick. That was 6 days prior to his check-in date. Since I have a strict policy I told him to immediately cancel the reservation and provided valid documentation of his extenuating circumstance to the Airbnb help center and if valid he would receive a full refund. The guest did not cancel his reservation, so a day prior to his arrival I, myself called Airbnb and request that they reached out to the guest to find out what was going on. Since he didn't respond to my messages I assumed he was coming to his 10 days reservation but I just want to confirm. Then yesterday, the check-in day the reservation was canceled by Airbnb and today I got the news that the guest was able to provide valid documentation of his extenuating circumstances, therefore, he was refunded 100% of the reservation cost. If I, the host, didn’t reach out to Airbnb myself about this case the guest, probably wouldn’t even have canceled it! I do understand about the extenuating circumstances. I just don’t agree with guests who know they won't be able to travel but keep holding their reservation until last minute. That’s just not fair to a host. We get everything ready to welcome them in and then boom! Nothing! Let alone the high chances of not getting rebooked right away or in many cases not getting rebooked at all! Airbnb should update its policy regarding guests that know they won’t be able to travel but are holding their reservation until last minute, in this particular scenario the host should get half of the booking cost or at the very least a part of it! Does anyone agree with me? 

14 Replies 14
Ava30
Level 10
Eureka, CA

 Completely agree. Filling a spot last-minute can be quite the challenge if you’re not in a high tourist area at the peak of the season. 

Fred13
Level 10
Placencia, Belize

Perhaps best not to educate a potentially-cancelling guest about Airbnb's 'Extenuating Circumtances' policy, nor putting the two in touch with each other and get too chummy by calling Airbnb especially the day before they are to arrive.  It was all too convenient.

Julie1077
Level 2
Iznate, Spain

I have a cancellation regarding an Extenuating Circumstance that should have started today and was cancelled 2 days ago... so I do not receive any money for the weeks booking?  even though they may have Travel Insurance and be able to claim off that?  I thought with the Strict setting it would cover me for this.... am I wrong?

 

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@Julie1077yes, You are wrong.

 

 

Then it is disgusting.... I would have been covered in any other cancellation but when it is of a desperate nature.... we all suffer, but not Airbnb!?!

 

@Julie1077 yes, exactly.

Airbnb gets to make the decision, but Airbnb is not the one who is losing the money.

 

That is a big part of why hosts hate the way "Extenuating Circumstances" works.

It would be another thing if Airbnb were giving away their own money... but they are not.

They are giving away the host's money.

Taxation without Representation.

 

Jaqueline8
Level 2
Newton Abbot, United Kingdom

Hi-I had a call yest.from guests booked for Aug.He said his wife ill -I won't go into details-and wanted to cancel.I was sympathetic and told him I fully understood-luckily I told him HE should contact Abnb himself to cancel-at the time I was not sure as no one had ever cancelled before-I am fairly new to ABnb-I have a ;Strict' cancellation policy.He wanted FULL refund-I agreed over the phone-abnb had sent him 50% and stated I was due payment of the rest the day after the guest WAS due to come,but that if I wanted to give full refund payment of the rest would be taken out of my next payment due.I am confused as the way they put it--ie-I have not had ANY payment in regards to this booking as we are paid 24hrs AFTER guests arrive-the guest had paid in full to abnb .I was due the £421 being half of booking charged, after airbnb had paid the guest 50%.So,do they mean they are paying this out to me,then taking it back??!!--why don't they just pay this refund back to guest now as they have the money?--Please can some one clarify all this,as I am worried that I will be out of pocket by agreeing this by £421!! Many thanks x

 

Jaqueline8
Level 2
Newton Abbot, United Kingdom

re my above post--just to clarify--I agreed to refund the rest of the 50% due to guests telling me about illness-and abnb had stated the amount of £421 to be paid by me -my point is I agreed and so did not expect any payout therefore but the way they are wording all this has me concerned as I have not 'agreed to pay'-him, I have agreed abnb refund the guest--as they are holding all the money,not me

@Jaqueline8 I agree; the way they explained it is confusing. Here is what I believe they are trying to tell  you:

 

If you did NOT agree to refund any more than 50%: you would receive £421 the day after the guest would have checked in. (For illustration's sake, let's say this is Dec 2).

 

If you DID agree to refund 100%: Airbnb would deduct £421 from whatever payments you next have coming (let's say, from your upcoming July 21 payment). Then, on Dec 2 they would send you the £421 back.

 

It does seem silly, but I think that's what they are saying would happen.

I am not sure why they do it this way.

John1080
Level 10
Westcliffe, CO

If I were to book as a guest on AirBnb, in a hotel, with a cruise, or any other type of accomodation and had to cancel a day before, even for a sickness or some other extenuating circumstance , I would expect to pay at least half. It would be too bad for me, but it would be what is fair to both me and to the host or company.

 

This is common sense and common in almost all industries and with all companies. AirBnb should consider how to be more fair to their hosts, who make up their business. 

Fred13
Level 10
Placencia, Belize

@Jaqueline8 Here is how it works. Guest cancels, gets automatically 50% (if outside cancellation window), when they do so you will see a prompt (Refund Guest in Full) or something to that effect. IF you press button, they will get their 2nd half (50%) and no that money will not be taken from your next payment, but from the withheld 50% of the guest.

Jaqueline8
Level 2
Newton Abbot, United Kingdom

Thanks for reply--they should make this clearer because it did say' this amount will be taken from your next payout 24 hrs after guests that cancelled would have arrived'--!

It is poorly written, everyone stumbles on that sentence.

K92
Level 2
Hong Kong

can we vote together to make Airbnb to change this extenuating circumstance cancellation policy together? it is totally unfair to the host!!!