Next step on AirBNB - FREE CANCELLATION 48 HOURS AFTER CHECK-IN?

[Green-Area-Apartments0]

Hello everyone. In another downturn of AirBnb's customer service when it comes to host's rights i have come to this situation that would have seemed incredible and surreal only a few months ago.

Two months ago a guest booked my listing for a week during a major sporting event. Came, checked-in. At first he realized he believed there was a superior number of rooms, clearly stated in the listing. Then he decided to stay nevertheless. He then finds another appartment, while staying at my place, checks-out and cancels after two days. He then sends a huge list of nonsense to AirBnb saying how 'bed was too soft'. I'm host for 6 years with 4.7 rating. He then sends a request from the resolution center asking for a FULL REFUND. AirBnb at first tries to convince me to offer him a full refund. After i refuse today they suggest as 'fair and ideal' to offer him a 50% refund.

Do you believe this?

I don't know how far this can go in AirBnb mixing with our own business and property that we block on other platforms to receive AirBnb'S guests and in flouting their own rules which simply doesn't seem to get soft enough on the guests.

So to what are we headed, FREE CANCELLATION 48 hours not after booking but AFTER CHECK-IN??!

[Green-Area-Apartments0]

There is a growing sense of frustration within the community and that is rising with every new changes that are implemented without taking our opinion into consideration.

That is despite other obvious issues that we've been keeping silent for years going from Payoneer fees that take up to 15% of our earning or simply the fact that AirBnb keeps the money until the following day after the guest's check-in while certain stays might require huge upfront investments. 

The prevailing impression is that while responsibility should be evenly shared, 100% of responsability and suspectibility to error has been put on the hosts and 0% on the guests.

This is all going to be highly counter-productive at the end where both hosts and guest will feel like AirBnb has lost its compass and that we're marching through the swamps all while taking their time and money ultimately taking a huge toll on everyone out of issues that could be simply solved by having clear and unambiguous rules and guidelines.

[John1574]

still can't tag.

I began a post that got buried due to a typo I made in the heading.  Lizzie fixed it.

https://community.withairbnb.com/t5/Hosting/How-Do-You-Rate-AirBnB-for-Customer-Service/m-p/712486#M...

I made it yesterday but it's already down on page 10 or lower.

It's about people's experience contacting AirBnB's customer service.  Perhaps they should rate their performance and let us rate them per incident also.

I'm also interested in what CS does well.  Any great stories of how they came through and recsued a host or a guest.

Here's the link: https://community.withairbnb.com/t5/Hosting/How-Do-You-Rate-AirBnB-for-Customer-Service/m-p/712486#M...

I'd appreciate any help in getting it back up on the board where it can get some responses.

[Green-Area-Apartments0]

After a bit of reflection i came to the question of what would happen when a host cancels because he disliked the guest on arrival or puts him out after two days and decide to keep all money and even take-in other guests? Cause that's what happened here in a reversed role.

I think the entire system of roles and obligations is becoming severely twisted and disbalanced.

[Liza4]

Its happened to me to, more than once that a guest does a stay and calls to complain after a day or two for full refund over nothing.  One time was a famous golfer so of course I can loose a week booking during a peak time and nothing was wrong with my property.  Another was a holdover and the person didnt pay and retaliated and posted a false review that was horrible to damage me and airbnb allowed it. we have no rights and provide all the homes, liability . cleaning, reviews and refunds are not part of renting anywhere else?  im still so mad for being ripped off and not honored for what I provide to airbnb in a 1.5 million dollar home that has 120 reviews that one complaint that isnt even accurate warrants a refund by airbnb. we have the house , why are we not believed. One day I will share my story, just venting now its never happened to me in 20 years of vacation renting 5 homes. Now its possible anytime with airbnb. scary stuff for us who pay our bills with tenants or rent.  and put all our pride, time and furnishings and money into providing great accomodations.

[Green-Area-Apartments0]

Hi Liza, it would certainly be interesting to hear your story. Here is one of the replies i posted to AirBnb:

When it comes to rules and guidelines, i just would just like to add that in this case and cases such as this the guest should have contacted AirBnb immediately over any issue and provided relevant proofs.

Like this i can book a book place, cancel after two days then say 'there were snakes around in the place' or all sorts of nonsense.

Would you believe me?

Such things must be communicated immediately to the host and AirBnb and that should be the ground for any claim. 

The outcome of this case which is unjustly taking more and more of my time should be that the guest must be reminded on how AirBnb works i.e that you cannot make things up after leaving to justify a cancellation and that reading the listing prior to arrival and communicating any concerns with hosts are guest's obligations.

I'm happy if this can somehow make the community better and avoid similar cases in the future.

[Sarah1028]

Hmm, I've had a similiar situation this morning, I'm waiting to see whether or not i get paid as i have strict refund policy.

The guests booked several weeks ago for two nights, last night and tonight.  Clearly stated in my listing is that guests must arrive before 9pm.  He wrote to me and said they would arrive at 11pm, I wasn't happy but there was nothing I could do.   They finally arrived at 12.30!   I showed them the room and went back to bed.  Next morning guest 1 got up and had breakfast at the time they'd requested. hey showered and got ready, next minute guest 1 said guest 2 wants to leave, he was upset they couldn't have a shower when they arrived(they were free to use the other bathroom).  Sorry, but this is my home, I have a child asleep who has school tomorrow and I'm not prepared to have guests waking him up.

Airbnb have cancelled both nights of the booking at 12.30 this afternoon (friday)

Reading these comments i wonder if he can leave a review ?  Also can I leave one for him as they were noisy, rude (Guest 2 did not say one word to me!), and left a lot of mess.  All his messages have disappeared from my inbox.

[Sarah1028]

I'm not really that interested in leaving a review for him as long as he can't leave one for me.  Airbnb have now paid me but he is asking for a full refund, even though they stayed one night and had breakfast!

[Green-Area-Apartments0]

Horrible and such kind of situations are becoming more and more common on AirBnb.

Unforunately, as the requirements for hosts are reaching astronomical heights those for guests seem to be reaching bottom-levels.

[Jess78]

Alain,

WHAAAT? It is unbelievable how you have been treated, by both the guest and airbnb.

All these cases beg the question: What is the tipping point for hosts? At what point is there either a different service that will be preferred by hosts, or at what point will short term renting at all not be preferrable?

If the problems are prevalent and terrible enough, should hosts stop using the site as a matter of principle? People are now set up after years of depending on their income from this service, and they can snake in bad-to-horrible-to-unethical policy changes that all are forced to accept or beasically change the entire source of their income.

Alain, I think if I were you I would ignore all of these requests from the guests, ignore all of the comunications from airbnb about this guest, block him if you can, and move on. Ignore. Ignore. Ignore. That's what they have really done to you and you are well within your rights to do the same. If there is a bad review left, leave a very courteous reply to all your future potential guests and make him look like an **bleep** that he is.

[Green-Area-Apartments0]

Thank you Jess.

After a lot of discussion AirBnb recognized that there is a cancellation policy that needs to be respected.

The case has been closed.

[Green-Area-Apartments0]

PS: There seem to be another case like this in the making:

https://community.withairbnb.com/t5/Hosting/GUEST-REFUND-WITH-STRICT-REFUND-POLICY/m-p/724307#M17040...

This to me smells like an indirect outcome of the infamous 48 hours free cancellation. They opened a Pandora's box.

[Cathy170]

I am a property manager and have been setting up a home that I rent for the owners on this site.  They set the house up on another rental website and it seems to work much easier.  We are in the Caribbean payments, online especially are difficult.  No Paypal which has been a real pain.  We finally got the online payments set up on that other website and things have been pretty easy finally.   I have had a lot of issues trying to set up this website, cannot add the tax, which is going to be a problem I think.  Now reading all the issues with cancellations and refunds sounds a bit daunting.  Even if there has been a reason for a valid complaint from a renter of ours, the issue is dealt with immediately, and in one circumstance, an issue lasted a couple of days, we gave a partial refund that we felt was fair and the people were very happy with us.  We also have a strict cancellation policy.  A house is not a hotel that can easily fill a room at the last minute, so I am not sure this is a great way to rent someone’s home.  I am worried this may not be the best place to advertise after all.?