What happens if host changes terms after booking?

Answered!
Kenneth12
Level 10
Chicago, IL

What happens if host changes terms after booking?

I'm currently in a listing in Atlanta which I definitely booked as an "Entire place."  It looks like the host doesn't understand ABB much,  and changes their terms for different dates.  They're currently listing the place as a "private room" with "shared bath" at half the price,  which-- is a bit uncomfortable and ambiguous.

I'm wondering if there's anywhere that ABB documents this in what guests are sent?  As far as I can tell,  nothing in the itinerary or what guests are emailed,  documents the terms at time of booking.   Am I missing something?

A little follow-up:  I paid $90/night and I see the host is now listing as a "private room" at $45/night,  so I suspect this is just a bit of confusion-- maybe they even decided to change what they are doing.  Probably no big deal,  but it's a little wee bit creepy to be in a place with no shared host,  but a lot of locked doors heading who knows where,  but clearly not locked on the other side,  and a note scrawled on a whiteboard that someone else may come in and use the bathroom.

MORE FOLLOW-UP:  messaged the host before going to bed.  It appears exactly as I suspected:  listing was "entire place" when I booked,  they've now changed it to "private room" etc.  Not exactly a great experience,  alas-- but hardly the host's fault.

Previous follow-up:  Oh well.  My substantive question is whether the terms of listing at time of booking,  are recorded and documented somewhere.

1 Best Answer
Lizzie
Former Community Manager
Former Community Manager
London, United Kingdom

Hello @Kenneth12,

 

Sorry to hear your stay isn't going quite to plan. As you have already said here, you should have this information on the intinery email confirmation your receive from Airbnb when you book. I've just checked one I have booked and I have these details stated. 

 

If it has changed since your booking has been made and are unhappy about this, plus you are unable to rectify this with you host, I would recommend contacting our Support Team and discuss this. 

 

I hope you can enjoy the rest of your trip to Atlanta. 

 

Lizzie


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Looking to contact our Support Team, for details...take a look at the Community Help Guides.

View Best Answer in original post

14 Replies 14
Sandra126
Level 10
Daylesford, Australia

wow. That's my unsubstantive answer and you should definitely be accorded a refund for the 45 if you stay, or all if you choose to leave. Just wow.

I believe records of changes are tracked from an issue I had earlier, years ago.

Ute42
Level 10
Germany

.

Hi @Kenneth12 ,

 

airbnb is recording each and every change a host makes in the listing with date and timestamp. They know exactely what this listing said when You booked it. You have to get what You booked at the time of booking. Call them.

 

@Kenneth12

I know this doesn't answer your question but I did notice before that when I edited my house rules, the most recent version was shown in the itinerary for a guest that booked before the edit took place.

In my case, the edit was minor adjustment in wording and the order but it did get me thinking that hosts could at any time add new house rules which were not shared with the guest at the time of booking! - and the newly added rules would be in the guest's itinerary! 

Imo allowing these types of changes to show and be reflected on a booking that was confirmed prior to the change is wrong! 

Hi @Jessica-and-Henry0:  under the circumstances,  it sure was confusing.   On the guest end,  it looks like while ABB may have a record,   the guest doesn't,  and if a big change is made,  they will see no record-- so when I went to check,  after seeing signs on the wall,  I found a reservation that looked like a room in a shared house,  not the "entire place" I'd booked.
That certainly seems a flaw to me!

@Kenneth12  I hope you will say something to this host, its not right what happen to you booking an entire apt then get a private room with shared bathroom. That is dishonest!

Best Syl

Hi @Syl11, I do not believe that was the host's intent. Their intent appears to have some times when they're offering an entire place,  others when they're offering a room and shared bath.   Obviously,  they should be using separate listings -- I'll try to message them to that effect,  but they may not understand.
It worked out,  but with signs on the walls meant for people who booked the room alone,  and the oddness of the setup,  it was a weird experience (and kept me up before today's flight,  which had the added excitement of being an emergency landing back to Atlanta) and not a sleepful one.

Kenneth12
Level 10
Chicago, IL

A little follow-up:

My original reservation email does reflect an entire home/apt.  The reminder sent a few days before,   shows "private room."  Yep, sure a problem on ABB's side.  (And a guest,  would only have record of items reflected in the reservation email contents.)

The original reservation is the one that matters in your particular situation. 

Branka-and-Silvia0
Level 10
Zagreb, Croatia

@Kenneth12maybe that's why so many of our guests show up with printed version of booking confirmation mail in their hands.

Deb125
Level 10
Lahaina, HI

A host can either rent a room, or the entire place.  You may have rented the entire place.  I have a friend that has 2 listings on her place.. one as a room when she's there, the other as the entire condo, when she's not there.. that maybe what you've booked.  ASK the host for clarification, you can email them any time. 

Yes - actually they are - and the rules are that what you booked is what you are supposed to get - any changes to the listing after you booked only apply to future guests and bookings from that point on. so say you booked the entire place on Monday and on Tuesday the hosts changed the listing to private room - they are still required to give you what was listed at the time of your booking and Airbnb can see this. Had you called them they may have re-booked you elsewhere. 

Lizzie
Former Community Manager
Former Community Manager
London, United Kingdom

Hello @Kenneth12,

 

Sorry to hear your stay isn't going quite to plan. As you have already said here, you should have this information on the intinery email confirmation your receive from Airbnb when you book. I've just checked one I have booked and I have these details stated. 

 

If it has changed since your booking has been made and are unhappy about this, plus you are unable to rectify this with you host, I would recommend contacting our Support Team and discuss this. 

 

I hope you can enjoy the rest of your trip to Atlanta. 

 

Lizzie


--------------------


Thank you for the last 7 years, find out more in my Personal Update.


Looking to contact our Support Team, for details...take a look at the Community Help Guides.

Printing a full and complete copy immediately after booking is your only recourse. Best I can tell everything remains in flux. 

Not ideal. You’d think a technology company could do better

Kiley5
Level 2
Buford, GA

Bottom line, this shouldn't have happened. As soon as the entire place was booked, the host should have blocked availability of the private room.  Seems like they were double dipping.