Payout Problems

[Julieanna0]

As this is the second time and second time in a row that I have had payout problems, I thought I would mention it in the Airbnb community.  The last time I had guests, I noticed my payout had completely disappeared.  To be more clear, my guests were staying with me and when I checked there was no amount in the "pending" or the "completed" status under payments and payouts.  I had to call Airbnb and spend over two hours before something was done and the money was "found" and paid out.  I thought (hoped!) it was a glitch.  

I now have current guests staying who checked in this past Thursday.  As expected, I received an email Friday saying a payout had been issued.  However, after the trouble last time, I thought I would double-check.  Sadly, even though the email has a payout ID number, no payout has been issued.  I have spent a total of 3 hours on the phone with Airbnb today (Sunday) only to be told that there is no one available in any department that can help me, however, they can confirm that no payout has been issued and "someone will get back with me."  My guests have now been staying for 4 days of the 11 they have booked.  As I have another case (not related to payout problems) that has been open for 34 days now with no resolution, I am very concerned when I hear "someone will get back with you."

The first or second CS person I spoke with assured me if I was willing to wait on hold for another hour, they would get me to the "right" department to handle the problem.  Unfortunately, that did not happen.  I was told the department was inundated with calls and no one could possibly help me.  When I specifically inquired if other hosts were having problems with payouts, the CS rep told me they could not confirm that.

I'm feeling rather nervous,--is this something that is becoming a "new normal" for Airbnb now?  I'm curious to hear other hosts experiences, please.

[Sharon1166]

I am having the same issue right now.  Guests are currently staying.  AirBnb has always paid me on either the guest check in date, which in this specific case was Thursday, 9/10, or the following day which was Friday, a business day.  I received no notification of payment. 

I checked pay out transactions, nothing and upcoming payout tabs.  Last pay out was Aug. 1.  So, I checked "upcoming payout" tab.  It shows ZERO upcoming.  WHAT???!!! 

That is so egregiously wrong and FRAUD in every definition of the word.  

I notified them in 2 different places.  THERE doesn't seem to be a way to find human help.

This is so disgusting.  I will give them until Monday to contact me before I press fraud charges.

Has anyone else pressed charges?

[Sharon1166]

After an hour online chat, I get this message.

Airbnb Support3:54 PM

After carefully reviewing the issue you have raised, I've determined that this will be supported best a team that is better equipped to handle such queries and a dedicated specialist will get in touch with you to make sure you receive a proper and prompt assistance regarding this matter.

In the meantime, please feel free to respond to this message with any further questions or concerns.

So I ask:

Sharon3:55 PM

"Who" will be contacting me AND "when?"

and "How" will they be contacting me?

Sharon4:01 PM

With us being on this for one hour, these are fair questions for customer support to answer.

"Who" will be contacting me AND "when?"
and "How" will they be contacting me?

Why don't they answer my question?  IF indeed they have sent it to specialists. WHAT is that group called?  HOW will they contact me?  And, WHEN?  This is RIDICULOUS!!

[Sharon1166]

@Julieanna0 , @Maya415        As if by magic, I received a payout email at 11 pm last night...without a "supported best team or dedicated specialist" contacting me.

It is ridiculous to have to go through so much stress and hassle to just get paid for AirBNB using MY property!  They collected from my guests months ago.  Then, don't even acknowledge that I am due payment, when the guests are actually already staying in MY owned property!!

Btw, they keep sending me an error and won't post this. I keep re-entering it.  Hopefully, they will let it through at some point.

[Robin4]

@Sharon1166 

Sharon I am so glad your missing payout advice has miraculously popped up.

From what we are seeing on the CC there appears to be a lot of delayed payout issues at this time and although it hasn't happened to me (they have always paid me when they have stated they would), I am concerned enough about it to watch my transaction history very closely.

Payouts to me are always delayed by at least 4 days and up to 7 if there is a weekend involved, but, I have learned to live with that, it's what happens when middlemen like 'Worldpay' get involved in the process.

The Airbnb platform is evolving all the time, alterations to the programming are taking place daily and at times it seems like Airbnb do not research 'cause and effect' thoroughly enough when they introduce these changes. Enough of these payout posts have come here to suggest these hold-ups could be due to re-programming, so the best advice I can give is watch the state of your transaction history daily, don't just assume that next payout will automatically come.....follow it's progress, and if something does not look right get onto them like you have here Sharon. Almost always when you bring it to someones attention the problem will be fixed, just like it probably has been for you.

Keep us informed when that payout hits your account!

Good luck.

Cheers........Rob

[Julieanna0]

@Sharon1166  I'm having problems again with payouts.  Just curious to know if others are as well.  Going through all of the same BS,--"check your payout method" yada yada, when, of course, the real problem is they haven't released the payout. 

It is truly amazing that they are taking money from guests and NOT paying the hosts.  What are they doing with the money?!??  It's crazy!! 

[Julieanna0]

@Sharon1166 I completely understand your frustration.  I have found the absolute best way to get any help is to continually expose everything publicly on as many platforms as you can.  I think it would be a great if we could get a news channel interested in featuring a story about this.  There really is no excuse!  Airbnb is taking money from the guests upfront and then what?  It really is beginning to look more and more like a Ponzi scheme.  Maybe the FTC can help?

[Maya415]

Payouts dont come again.I had this issue two months ago and now it is happening again.

[Sahlee-and-Fred0]

We had a guest with zero reviews instant book. This was surely accomplished with a debit card with just enough funds (one can add by phone) to cover the initial booking. The guest extends/alters the booking just before check out. Extension approved and confirmed. AirBnB did take that payment to PENDING payouts but told us orally and in writing we can NOT be paid until the guest pays them first. Turns out, she was in town as a defendant in a criminal proceeding. We advised Trust and Safety to no avail. Point here is the payment algorithm is strict for initial bookings but auto accepts further bookings.

Caveat Emptor

[Amanda660]

My payments are slowing right down despite being having back to back booking since reopening in July.  Still not received payment from a guest who stayed at the end of August and current guests are 4 nights into a 5 night stay and payment still showing as ‘upcoming’.  This is making me really nervous.  

[Bridget84]

I am also missing 6 payouts since August.

I heard that Airbnb are trying to establish an IPO. Has anyone heard that? It is very worrying that this is happening to so many hosts. I am not confident in having guests stay now as it looks like this will be the norm in the future. 

[Julieanna0]

@Bridget84yes, Airbnb is planning to in December:  https://investorplace.com/2020/10/airbnb-stock-ipo-5-factors-investors-need-to-know/.   I cannot understand why a business that is profiting off of hotels closing down, (due to the pandemic), is unable to pay their hosts in a timely fashion, or perhaps not at all.  Either something is very wrong and there is some type of Ponzi Scheme going on that will eventually be uncovered, or something else is very wrong with their overall financial condition.  Interesting YouTube video:  "The Airbnb IPO Disaster Waiting to Happen" https://youtu.be/OE2CAKNd_tc.

This YouTube video is a MUST WATCH!  This guy actually explains how and why Airbnb could have class action lawsuits against them.  He was hired back in the Spring (April 2020) for marketing purposes and still hasn't been paid (October 2020).  

If anyone has friends or family who is in investigative journalism, this might be a topic worth looking into.  https://twitter.com/NoBoxes/status/1321249375868301315.  (Make sure they watch the YouTube video referenced above.)

[Rebecca181]

@Julieanna0  - Looks like this issue regarding missing payments has been making news here in the U.S. the past few months - How strange that this supposed "technical glitch" keeps happening - But not so strange that hosts who go to the media (or threaten to) suddenly get their money: https://www.cnbc.com/2020/08/11/airbnb-hosts-are-complaining-about-missing-payments-amid-covid-19.ht...

And here's a related blog post from May 2020 -  Be sure and read the comments, some of which are more recent: https://www.airbnbhell.com/airbnb-not-paying-hosts-even-for-normal-reservations/

Don't know about anyone else, but I'm not buying the "technical glitch" story, myself.  Robin mentions Airbnb is 'evolving'. I'd say it's the opposite: Airbnb is DEvolving, and it is a sad thing to see. 

[Julieanna0]

@Rebecca181Wow,--thank you so much for sharing this!  I'm not buying the "technical glitch" either.  There is something really wrong internally.  As for my most recent payout problem, someone finally contacted me and was extremely insulting.  He asked if I had taken a screen shot of the payment still showing under "Upcoming" that was dated and time stamped after I had received the email stating that a payout had been sent.  I said that I had not, however, he could clearly see the text messages between support (?!??) and myself where the CS person clearly restated that the payment was under "upcoming," which was why I was calling in the first place.  Basically he treated me as if I had made the whole thing up. 

What was really interesting was I had ended my conversation the previous night by telling the CS person I was going to post about it on Twitter.  (I did.)  The following morning, the payment had been moved to completed. 

Yes, Airbnb is DEvolving and I hope there is some enterprising person (or business) who steps up to the plate with better sense and management skills and really gives Airbnb a run for their money,--or lack thereof.

[Rebecca181]

@Julieanna0  Indeed. Sadly, being in a relationship with Airbnb these days is like being involved with a cocky, gaslighting, manipulative, and at times abusive 'partner'. There's a strong whiff of narcissism stinking up the entire organization and it appears to be coming from the top, which is why I removed my listing a year ago (specifically to protest the manner in which hosts were thrown under the bus by Brian Chesky after the Orinda Halloween shooting-murders - completely unwarranted and unnecessary; it was an ugly Public Relations show).

I don't know where it all went wrong, but I don't believe this ship can be righted. The apple appears to now be rotten to the core. I'm glad I caught the last year or two of hosting for Airbnb as it was originally conceived: A home-sharing platform with locals hosting strangers who often became friends. 

[Robin4]

@Rebecca181  @Julieanna0 

Bec, you are right, dealing with Airbnb is like living with a narcissist.

Here are the 10 classic traits to pick a narcissist!

* Narcissists are (on the surface) very charming and capable.

* Narcissists in a relationship will never compliment their partner.

* Narcissists will never admit they have made a mistake.

* Narcissists will always blame someone else for their problems.

* Narcissists will never say "I am sorry".

* Narcissists will have the need to check on their partners life at all times.

* Narcissists will tell lies to cover their tracks.

* Narcissists will not share...whats theirs is theirs, and whats yours is theirs.

* Narcissists will always claim to put things right when cornered, but never follow through. 

* Narcissists will never consider or put someone else before themselves (apart from their parents).

Does any of this sound familiar?????

I know because my youngest daughter is living with one.....and America is being run by one! 

Cheers..........Rob