What do I do when the guest requests an invoice?

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Camelia0
Level 3
Bucharest, Romania

What do I do when the guest requests an invoice?

Hello. 

I recently had the situation in which a guests requested an invoice. I have told to ask for the invoice directly to Airbnb, but he told me that Airbnb issues the invoices only for its commission and that for the rest of the amount I (the host) should be the one issuing an invoice. 

Which doesn't seem right. As Airbnb is the one cashing in the money and then making the payment towards the host.

Could please somebody explain me how the invoicing system works? What should I reply to my guest?

Thank you.

Camelia.

1 Best Answer
Emma-and-József0
Level 3
Visegrád, Hungary

(The Hungarian Tax Authority also confirmed this standpoint.)

 

So here are my assumptions:

 

Key information in this topic:

https://www.airbnb.co.uk/about/company-details

 

In my case Airbnb has a:

 

website providing entity, that issues the commission invoices:

Airbnb Ireland UC, private unlimited company

8 Hanover Quay

Dublin 2, D02 DP23, Ireland

 

and a payment providing entity, that provides the payment service for the Hosts, (like a POS Terminal provider):

Airbnb Payments Luxembourg S.A.

4, rue Henri Schnadt

L-2530 Luxembourg

Airbnb is only entitled to issue invoices after its commissions (Airbnb Ireland UC, private unlimited company), but not for the actual accommodation service providing fee itself, there Airbnb only acts as a payment service provider for the Host (Airbnb Payments Luxembourg S.A.).

 

The process briefly with so called: Split-free pricing*:

  • Guests pay the full amount to Airbnb, card is charged by Airbnb Payments Luxembourg S.A..
  • Guest and Host commissions go to Airbnb Ireland UC, the remainder amount goes to the Host from Airbnb Payments Luxembourg S.A. (via Payoneer etc.)
  • Airbnb issues for the Guest a half invoice (Airbnb Ireland UC) and a half “payment certificate” (Airbnb Payments Luxembourg S.A.). (!!!) (And this is the reason why this “invoice” is super confusing, since it is a half payment certificate… -.-)
  • Airbnb Payments Luxembourg S.A. sends the remainder amount to the Host, the Host issues an invoice to the Guest about the accommodation service providing fee, that fee also includes Airbnb’s Host commission amount (!).
  • Airbnb Ireland UC issues an invoice to the Host about the Host commission, with this invoice the Host can deduct this amount from His revenue as an expense. (Also VAT reimbursement, but I don’t want to overcomplicate it. XD)

 

It’s that simple. XD

 

Thus again, in reality 3 invoices will be issued in the process:

  • From Airbnb Ireland UC to the Guest about the Guest commission.
  • From the Host to the Guest about the accommodation service providing fee, that fee also includes Airbnb Ireland UC’s Host commission amount (!).
  • From Airbnb Ireland UC to the Host about the Host commission, with this invoice the Host can deduct this amount from His revenue as an expense. (Also VAT reimbursement, but I don’t want to overcomplicate it. XD)

 

And again the reason why the “invoice” that Airbnb (Airbnb Ireland UC + Airbnb Payments Luxembourg S.A.) issues is super confusing, is because that “invoice” is a half “payment certificate”.

That is why both the website providing, Airbnb Ireland UC, and the payment providing entity, Airbnb Payments Luxembourg S.A. are on it.
Hence the footnote:
“Airbnb Payments Luxembourg SA ("Airbnb Payments") is a limited collection agent of your Host. This means that upon your payment of the Total Fees to Airbnb Payments, your payment obligation to your Host is satisfied.”

 

Thus we can state, that the invoicing process doesn’t always follow the payment process directly.

If there are payment collection agents included in the process, these agents will not be issued any invoices by the Hosts.

Another great example to better understand, when a Host would use a POS Terminal to receive payments that is operated by a commercial bank, Guests would use the POS Terminal to pay, thus the payment service of the commercial bank would be used (just like Airbnb Payments Luxembourg S.A.), but You as a Host would not issue an invoice to the commercial bank, but to the Guest.

 

Unfortunately Airbnb does a terrible job explaining this, and neither their customer support team - who usually I am barely able to understand due to strong accents, (of course They don't have Hungarian speaking agents, phone number etc., which is already a shame, taking into consideration how many listings are there in Hungary...) - knows this pretty good...

 

Extra information and fun facts:

 

What makes it even more vague, that in fact the Guests are able to download a so called "invoice" from trips page - where They can actually add invoicing details later ???, I mean how legal is that, changing invoice details after the invoice is issued. XDXD Jess, man. Very professional.

How Payoneer Inc. (https://www.payoneer.com/) as Airbnb’s payment service provider, which Hosts receive Their amounts from comes into this picture? 

Please just don’t ask.

Difference between receipt and invoice:

  • Receipt: No buyer details on it, usually issued for private persons.
  • Invoice: Buyer details on it, good for cost deduction, VAT reimbursement etc. 

 

*please refer to:
https://www.airbnb.co.uk/account-settings/payments/service-fee

Now They even have:
“Simplified pricing: Airbnb will deduct 15% from each payout. Guests won’t be charged a service fee – the price you set is the price guests get.”

Which is maybe even a terrible choice since as far as I know Airbnb is not even able to issue a proper commission invoice for the Hosts. XDXDXD
I called Them, answer: “We don’t have that option.” XDXDXD
Airbnb Ireland UC, private unlimited company

8 Hanover Quay

Dublin 2, D02 DP23

Ireland

Very professional, thank You. 🙂

József

View Best Answer in original post

41 Replies 41

Just picking up this thread a little late after checking this out for myself.

It is correct that Airbnb only invoices for their own charges, as this represents their own income which they will have to account for tax on.

The income they pass on to the hosts (less their charge to the host), is income they have collected on behalf of the host, and therefore not something they are required to invoice for.  This represents income that the host will have to account for as part of their own year end tax return.

So, to the point about invoicing for business travellers.  They will be able to get an invoice from Airbnb that will cover the element of their total charge that relates to the airbnb booking charges.  The host should then invoice for the balance of this that they have been notified by airbnb that they will receive.  Hosts that are not VAT registered can invoice the gross amount, but if the host is VAT registered then they should invoice for the gross amount but include on their invoice the amount of VAT that is included within this, and also their VAT registration number.


@Carlota24 wrote:

ike to know something. From my understanding even though you receive the money from airbnb and we do pay airbnb...when airbnb gives you the money do you then make an invoice for that money that you receive? Because what i am understanding is that all this money (and there are hosts making millions) that is circulating on airbnb is not paying any taxes! So if airbnb doenst make invoices to the clients and neiuther do the hosts, this money result untaxed right????


 

Yadira22
Level 10
London, United Kingdom

Hello @Jerry273 

 

Just to add to this. If a guest wants an Airbnb invoice for their stay this is easily attainable. 

 

They would need to go to the guest side of Airbnb, click the specific stay and under the headline of « total cost » there is an option (in blue) for « get a receipt) and something similar to the below will appear (all confidential information has been blocked). 

Thanks 🙂

5E497F55-0910-4DEF-8DD4-AD7848F6FB11.jpeg

 

Guests that are private persons, no companies, can not issue invoices, even if they pay taxes. The clients that need invoices should better address a hotel or inquire before booking if the guest can legally provide an invoice

Jakub21
Level 1
County Donegal, Ireland

Hi,

 

Just talked with Airbnb about this as I also need the invoices for my business travel expenses.

 

In addition to Airbnb services invoice, they are issuing a document named Airbnb Travel Receipt. This document has detailed payment breakdown including the accommodation fee. It's possible to add bussines details to it (buyers business name, address and tax no) under Add billing details when viewing your itenerary.

 

This should be enough for the accountans as it has both seller and buyers business details and itemized fees listed.

 

 

Heym Jakub, thanks a lot for  your update, it really is useful!

Hi Jakub,

Do you know to which party the Travel Receipt is issued?  Host or guest?

Or is it in a place where both parties can see it?

 

Thank you!

hello Jakub, your post is very helpful! I would like to request a small favour from you if possible. Could you please share with us a picture of that document with all breakdown expenses to whow it to my accountant? Of course you can cover all details on it, like company name, etc... just the form of that document is what i need!

thanks in advance!

I added my details in there, but it doesn't show in the Payment Receipt, only in Airbnb's VAT invoice.

Hi Camelia,

 

I know I'm bumping an old thread, but I noticed that in our invoicing service Invoicebus, some users issue an invoice for Airbnb. I think in some cases invoicing app can solve this.

 

* Disclaimer I'm the owner of Invoicebus and posted this for educational purposes, not to solicit Invoicebus usage. There's are 100s invoicing platforms that you can use free of charge, just try googling for them.

 

Best,

Dimitar

@Dimitar9

 

I can see your service would be useful outisde the ABB system, so I have bookmarked it.

 

But for AirBnB business AirBnB provide the invoice.

David

David, thanks for clarifying that.

@Dimitar9

 

Just a thought and I realise this may not match your business model.

 

One of the reasons I originally signed up for AirBnB is that there was no regular fee, thought if it did not work for me, well nothing much lost.

 

Also my business is seasonal and I do not like paying monthly fees when I have no business.

 

I certainly am much more likely to use a service such as yours on a usage fee basis rather than a regular fee. If I find I am using it a lot then would no doubt switch over.

David

This is an old thread but is the first one that popped out when I had this problem in 2018, so I'm posting the solution I found.

 

Actually you can get the full travel receipt but it's somewhat buried in the abnb interface.

 

For the easy-to-find, abnb fee only receipt you do: Travels menu -> Choose travel, and there is a large "view invoices" dropdown box with that invoice. I was stuck here.

 

For the full receipt, once in the previous trip page, you click on the "view itinerary" red button on top of the property photo and under the host name. In the new page there is a "Reservation code: WHATEVER. View receipt" small line under the big "You're going to DESTINATION" and before the itinerary info. Clicking on "view receipt" will take you to the full detailed receipt, which also has a "print" button. Avoid the "print" button in the itinerary page, since that just prints the info on that page.

 

Hope this helps someone in the future.

Noel56
Level 1
Terrigal, Australia

I wanted to understand how Airbnb are getting around not charging VAT in the Phillipines for the total cost. This would be the same in most other countries. They only appear to charge VAT on their service fee. 

 

From what I am guessing is the way they avoid charging VAT on the total proce is that they only invoice for the service fee and expect the host to invoice and if required charge VAT on everything apart from the service fee.

 

Why would they be doing it this way? I am assuming to keep the cost down for the guests as much as possible e.g. almost 12% less. How all the funds can go through their account and not have to collect VAT on it I don't know. The major hotel booking chains appear to have to charge VAT.

Effrosyni0
Level 1
Athens, Greece

Hello everybody. 
I have the same issue with AirBnB. I created a business account and I arranged a business trip and when it was about time to ask for my invoice of the total amount they told me to get the receipt and add my business details. But this is not call INVOICE and there are the invoice details of Airbnb. They still issue an invoice only of their fee. 
They should know that in many countries in order to claim the expenses you need invoies and NOT receipts and they should inform the customer in advance! It's very crucial for small businesses. 
Does anyone know if this legal?