Will airbnb refund their service fee when we refund our guests?

[Valerie283]

A guest of ours cancelled their bookings too late and we are then supposed to get the payout still.

The message from airbnb provides a link to refund the guest in full regardless.

We wonder if they also refund their service fee as well when we choose to refund the guest in full contrary to our choice of cancellation policy.

[Marzena4]

The guests should apply to Airbnb to do it, @Valerie283. If you refund them manually, it will be from your payout, not from Airbnb income.

[Valerie283]

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@Marzena4wrote:

The guests should apply to Airbnb to do it, @Valerie283. If you refund them manually, it will be from your payout, not from Airbnb income.

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Thanks @Marzena4!  What do you mean by "refund Manually"?

[Marzena4]

@Valerie283 Manually = using the option "send money"

[Valerie283]

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@Marzena4wrote:

@Valerie283 Manually = using the option "send money"

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Thanks @Marzena4.

We received an email message today as follows.

Is this like what you say?

Is this not an official request endorsed by airbnb?

It came with a message from airbnb as follows.

Your guest is requesting additional payment for an issue related to their Katoomba trip. You have until Tue, Mar 27, 2018 at 2:53 PM AEDT to respond to this request. Hosts with multiple unresolved requests like this one may be subject to review

Booking was made on the 15th March 2018, she was supposed to arrive yesterday the 23rd March.  She asked to reschedule on the 20th March and bleached the cancellation policy we have set.  We wonder if AirBnB could make a verdict on this.

[David126]

It is not endorsed, just a request by the Guest, you decline or agree.

I

[Paul154]

I'm showing my ignorance here. My guess is no.

They do not refund the guests money.

They have performed the service of creating a reservation.

The customer cancelled after it was a fait accompli.

They gave you your money, according to the terms of the contract.

They you decided to give the guests back their money is your decision to make, not theirs.

But I do wonder. I also wonder about the taxes that the guest paid. The guest cancelled, so they should pay no tax, but...

[Valerie283]

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@Paul154wrote:

I'm showing my ignorance here. My guess is no.

They do not refund the guests money.

They have performed the service of creating a reservation.

The customer cancelled after it was a fait accompli.

They gave you your money, according to the terms of the contract.

They you decided to give the guests back their money is your decision to make, not theirs.

But I do wonder. I also wonder about the taxes that the guest paid. The guest cancelled, so they should pay no tax, but...

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Thanks @Paul154.  We wouldn't like to and wouldn't have to as we understand according to the cancellation policy we have pre-set.  However I'm surprised at their shamelessness of putting up such option while they are not prepared to do their same.

[Sandra126]

They do not get the service fee from Airbnb refunded. If you click ''full refund'' (but I don't think you should until after this weekend when you know if it was covered or not) you lose your payout, the guest loses the service fee, Air has performed its service regardless of outcome and gets to keep its original share.

[Valerie283]

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@Sandra126wrote:

They do not get the service fee from Airbnb refunded. If you click ''full refund'' (but I don't think you should until after this weekend when you know if it was covered or not) you lose your payout, the guest loses the service fee, Air has performed its service regardless of outcome and gets to keep its original share.

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@Sandra126  We just got the message they had issued the money though we would not get it till a few days later.  They have already cut the service fee from ours.  Apparently they already cut the service fee from the guest's too.

[David126]

Yes and No, they refund the 3% ish that you would have paid but not the fee that the Guest paid, well last time I di it anyway.

[Valerie283]

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@David126wrote:

Yes and No, they refund the 3% ish that you would have paid but not the fee that the Guest paid, well last time I di it anyway.

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Well @David126, we're not sure what you mean.  They said they had issued the money minus their fee anyway. 

By the way, who is the community expert?  Is it someone like you?

[David126]

I charge $100

Guest pays say $112

I receive $97

If I refund in full guest gets $100, $97 I would have got $3 ABB would have charged me.

[Fred13]

"The message from airbnb provides a link to refund the guest in full regardless."

Guest fees are not refunded, Airbnb incurred the managerial cost already; unless it is an 'Extenuating Circumtances' event.

That button only means, if you want to ~contribute~ whatever you are getting from the cancelled booking, you are most welcome to do so, by the pressing of that cute little button they provided for your convenience. 😉

[Valerie283]

Thanks @Fred13 for the input.