Very slow payouts

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Mark398
Level 3
Buckfastleigh, United Kingdom

Very slow payouts

Hi, I am in UK - I am really really fed up, frustrated and angry at the payout system from AirBnB.

 

The payouts have become really late and I have to chase and chase AirBnB to get them at all. I have actually stopped taking new bookings as this is so bad. Just wondering whether other people are having the same issue, particularly in the UK?

 

If so, I'd love to hear from you, as I note that AirBnB is regulated in the UK by the Financial Conduct Authority. If there is a pattern of bad behaviour on late payouts, I am minded to raise a formal complaint with the UK FSA - AirBnB no doubt think I am powerless.

 

Well, I am prepared to take them on with the FSA unless they get their act together. In this day and age it SHOULD NOT take over 14 days or more to get a payout from when it due. Really bad.

1 Best Answer
Katie
Community Manager
Community Manager
London, United Kingdom

Hi @Laura1920 @Steve41 

 

I'm so sorry to hear you've had this issue. Could you let me know if you've now received your payouts and/or if you can see them scheduled in your Transaction History?

 

As you may have seen on other threads around the CC lately, there was a technical issue which affected payouts due between 18-20 July. The Payments team identified the issue and it is now fixed, so if you still can't see any record of the payment in your Transaction History then it could be that your payment is being affected by a different issue, so do let me know.

 

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150 Replies 150
Rob252
Level 1
Christiansted, U.S. Virgin Islands

Just had my first two bookings 

2 separate booking same dates same rate 

both guest paid out the same but I got differed amounts.  That makes no sense. 

Then I have only been paid for one.  

I called Airbnb and tried to get an answer as to why I have only been paid for one.  Then was told I would be paid next month.  I told him that was unacceptable and wanted to speak to a supervisor and then he hung up on me.  I called back and spoke to a lady how is trying to find out the answer. I've been on hold now for 26 minutes. This service sucks.  

 

Rick199
Level 1
Colorado Springs, CO

 I’m not sure what is happening but I had a guest check out on May 28 and didn’t see payment on the 31st so I called and was told the payment would be made on the 1st, today is 6th of June and still no payment, so I called again. Was told a ticket would be put in for an inquiry. No urgency in the individual on the phone seemed like this Is happening often. Homeaway can fill my place if Airbnb can’t make payments. What is going on???

But Homeaway take 30 days from booking to pay!! That’s unless the booking was made 30 days prior to the stay, then it is paid out day after check in. I find this unbelievable. I have now had two lots of guests come and go and no oayment for either. 

As mentioned previously, great interest to be made on this money holding it 30 days.

Rick199
Level 1
Colorado Springs, CO

 Instead of leaving a negative comment about Airbnb payment policies I will clear up the situation.  Due to a guest that had an extended stay of over 90 days and then had to shorten their stay over payment was made to me, the host. Which simply means Airbnb was owed money from my next two guests and they are in the process of collecting The debt. However, better communication on Airbnb’s part to send out a notice on what the shortfall was and collection will be made would have been very beneficial on the situation.

That doesn't mean that AirBnB are paying out hosts way more slowly that they used to. 
Which they are. 

Aamir7
Level 2
England, United Kingdom

have been hosting with Airbnb for over 5 years now - never had a problem till this month.

We have had travellers from ALL over the world. It has been an amazing experience.

We haven’t been paid monies owed since 30th May. Despite several calls, emails and messages nothing has been resolved. This has now mounted to £6000 which means I may become bankrupt as a result of non payment of mortgage/utilities etc.

We were contacted approx 5 weeks ago that unless we updated our payout method our payments would be stopped.

We tried to update - to no avail. Contacted Airbnb who told us that we needed to cancel the payout method and then re add the same for it to work. This we did as instructed by Airbnb. We have used the same payout method now for the last 5 years with no issue.

Our payments stopped on the 30th May and the payout is still down as pending verification 3 weeks later.

We have been told the same story over and over again.

We cannot fathom why it is taking so long to verify an account they have been paying into for the last 5 years.

I will lose my property if this continues.

We are a small family business and cannot sustain such a loss in payout. 

Yes Airbnb does this for larger payouts in the four figure category

File a Claims action, this get into the Hands of hopefully a compentant Lawyer on their end that can sort who is the screw up in Airbnb or a thief in their Bookkeeping Dept!

Rod82
Level 2
Port Lincoln, Australia

Hi Aamir,

I had a similar experience about the same time. Every day they delay payment equates to possibly milions of dollars profit on the short term money market and would not be surprised if the delay was stratigic at the expence and inconvienience of hosts.

 

 

Deborah175
Level 9
Berkeley, CA

Disaster Alert: I made the mistake of hosting a two-month rental through Airbnb for overseas guests. They were fully prepared to pay both months up front, along with a security deposit. But I needed a commercial lease to satisfy their home government-funded institution. So I went through Airbnb. NEVER AGAIN.

 

I’ve been hosting since Airbnb started, and have been a Superhost for a long time, but had no idea they capriciously only do payouts monthly for longer stays. My guests’ home institution now has to hassle with two payments instead of one. Their original bank card expired in the meantime, so I lose a day there, and get to wait until my mortgage and all of my bills (on auto-pay) are past due (and so will overdraw all of my accounts) to receive the second payment. I’m on “vacation,” but now have to fret over finances.  I got put on hold when I asked to speak to a supervisor for 30 minutes, and then the agent came back on the line to say they were all in a meeting, but she’d follow up in 16 hours!!! The real kicker though: the email Airbnb sent me said that IF they could not receive payment from my guest for the second month, I’d be on my own!!! They said they’d have NO LIABILITY!  I’m 4,000 miles away and I drove here. WTF??!! Fortunately, I’d vetted my guests.

 

The second month began on the 6th of July; Airbnb is now telling me that my second payment won’t hit my bank until the 13th. The phone agent was obstreperous, telling me that if I need payment faster I should contact my bank. Yet Airbnb still hasn’t paid out the funds to my bank. No matter how many times I explained that I’d not received the payout email from Airbnb, the agent kept repeating that I could call my bank, like a robot. How can my bank do anything if Airbnb hasn’t paid me out??

 

By the way, my bank manages to shift money to another bank for me in a single day. Why can’t Airbnb accomplish the same thing? Because they’re exploiting us, their business partners. It’s beyond unconscionable. Never, never, never will I ever use Airbnb for a longer rental again. Avoid this pain like the plague. Don’t think you can plan a trip and trust Airbnb to manage the financial aspects of your rental. Use a property manager and get your funds and security deposit up front. 

I am newish to Air BNB and this is a joke. I understand why they do it to make more money with the funds however I am pulling the house off this platform as of the end of Dec.

 

Funds should clear anywhere around the world in 24 / 48 hours.

John218
Level 2
Melton Mowbray, United Kingdom

I haven't experience late payments from Airbnb until today.. and they are not very late yet, just 3 hours.. but it is concerning, which is why I Googled it, and found this thread.

I appreciate that Airbnb handles a huge volume of payments daily,  but that is precisely why they must make sure they look after us-the hosts- who make their money for them.

It is a symbiotic relationship, but somewhat asymetrical. I am a loyal Airbnb host, and don't list my places anywhere else, but the loyalty needs to be reciprocal.

Tony134
Level 10
Sarasota, FL

All my payments have been late the last couple of months.

Payments are supposed to be made and were originally made same day guest checks in. Now they just aren't.

 

If Airbnb found a single way to boost the bottom line that isn't at the expense of hosts in the last two years, I haven't seen it.

Larry77
Level 1
Crossville, TN

I called customer service yesterday to complain about late payouts.  I was told that they process them the next day unless it is a weekend.  They said nothing has changed.  I call BS!  I went online to my bank account and checked when deposits were made in the past and until about six months ago they were consistently deposited in my bank account in two days or so after checkin.  Now it is 7-9 days.  I have not changed my bank account.  Everything is the same as always.  I agree with most everybody on this thread, in today's banking system where everything is electronic, payments only take 5-10 days if you want them to.  I can schedule a payment for any utility or credit card and have them money credited to my account the very next day.  Airbnb is going to piss off too many of us super hosts and ruin things.  They better clean house and fix things!!

 

 

Sgegede0
Level 1
Midrand, South Africa

I’m having a similar problem in South African, My payouts are currently on 11days and I’m yet to receive any of my payouts. I’m seriously contemplating closing my account with Airbnb as this not satisfactory business practice.