disappointing Airbnb host experience

[Mimi-and-Mamdouh0]

Very disappointed with Airbnb service as a host! We demand Airbnb to pay for this reservation! 

According to Egyptian law, any Egyptian couple needs marriage paper to be accommodated in the same room, but 2 days ago, we had an Egyptian couple wanting to check in without marriage paper so we rejected them to check in as the check in record goes to the policeman and we will go to jail if we accept unmarried couple. 

As our refund policy is strict and they asked for refund, we refused, then they contacted Airbnb saying that it’s not written on our listing that local law applies. (Obviously we are hosting in this country and local law should apply and they are LOCAL too! They know well about their country law) After some time, I received a call from Airbnb support saying that the reservation has been cancelled and she is calling me to see if she can remove the penalty for us because it’s a country law issue. I explained to her the situation and she got back to me that the penalty is removed but we will not get paid  even our refund policy is strict because Airbnb cancelled the reservation as it’s country law issue. 

Regarding what happened, 

Firstly, we didn’t agree to cancel! And we just received a call saying that Airbnb is trying to remove the penalty without even informing us the reservation is cancelled first?! 

Secondly, as I was not informed that the reservation was cancelled without our agreement, I got told that Airbnb is trying to remove the penalty for us, is it normal? Where is the penalty from and what it’s about ? We didn’t get informed. Especially we are the one who is trying to keep things right, we got shocked from what she said! 

Thirdly, I asked the support why we will not get paid as we are following the law, she replied me that “we will not get paid  even our refund policy is strict because Airbnb cancelled the reservation as it’s an country law issue”  It doesn’t explain anything! So What is the issue about ? And why we shouldn’t get paid? She just repeated the same thing like as if it’s universal rule, didn’t explain anything. 

There should be why and how. The issue should be both side, if the issue is about us, then we shouldn’t get paid like she said, but if the issue is about the guests, then they should follow the cancellation policy and pay or even get penalty . We shouldn’t get paid if we are disobeying the country law violating the guests’ right and Airbnb cancelled the reservation (so it’s a country law issue like she said), and we pay the penalty. I believe surely it’s not because the guests do not obey the law, and we are getting penalty because we are the ones who are following the law and trying to keep things right as no one wants to go to jail?! Actually they are violating our right and they should pay penalty!  

Airbnb cancelled or the guests cancelled, we should get paid according to our cancellation policy. 

Fourthly , we were not happy with that the reservation was cancelled already. What made us angry more is that one day after we received a notification from Airbnb to review these guests and the guests receiving the same notifications. Why are they supposed to review us if they didn’t even check in ?!  And we are also worried they will leave us a bad review as we didn’t accept them to check in. We contacted Airbnb again and the reply is again “there is nothing to be done, the system is like this, contact us if they leave any review and we can see if we can erase it” this is ridiculous and unbelievable! We got cancelled by our guests who don’t obey the law and didn’t get our payment and they got to review us in the end even they didn’t check in the room?! All of this because we are obeying the law to keep us away from troubles form local authorities and jail. What kind of Airbnb system is this?! Very poor system I have to say. And the support is not being helpful either! 

Airbnb should pay for our loss on this reservation and block them from reviewing!

[Branka-and-Silvia0]

Yes, they should but they don't.

Even if your guests throw a party and trash your home so you have to call the police to escort them out , you can ask Airbnb to cancel the rest of their stay without penalty for you but your guests will still get refunded for the rest of their stay.

They wouldn't be refunded only if they cancel.

So if the guest has to cancel because their plans changed - they will not be refunded, but if they misbehave and you have to kick them out then they are rewarded and refunded.

Of course, you are angry and every host would be and of course, this is not right but this is Airbnb. Airbnb rewards bad guests on the host's behalf.  Welcome aboard.

[Helen350]

@Mimi-and-Mamdouh0 There are many posts here in the CC about how Airbnb have sided with the guest, and not helped the host.

HOWEVER, I think Airbnb are being fair & reasonable here. You say you rejected the couple because an unmarried Egyptian couple sharing is illegal & punishable by jail for you! You HAD to cancel & so did Airbnb. So you should NOT get paid cos you did not host! It's not the same as a couple CHOOSING THEMSELVES to cancel at short notice; in that case cancellation policy should apply, because it's the guest's fault if they book & then change their mind. You should be grateful that Airbnb cancelled the booking; - When a host cancels there are financial penalties if you cancel more than 3 times a year, and even 1 cancellation from you means no Superhost status for a year.

Regarding the review, the prompt to review is autogenerated by the algorhythm. But only for bookings completed/started & same day cancellations. If the cancellation was more than 24 hours before no invitation to review will be issued. If the cancellation was within 24 hrs & a review invitation is sent, then Airbnb can remove any review they write - but you must ask!

I recommend that in future you ask all Egyptian couples if they are married when they inquire or book... Any unmarried Instant Book reservations, & you ask them to cancel, or ask Airbnb to cancel... And do as Airbnb suggest and remind Egyptians that unmarried couples may not book because it's the law! 

[Helen350]

https://www.airbnb.co.uk/help/article/1405/airbnbs-nondiscrimination-policy-our-commitment-to-inclus...

Note this ^ policy states "Airbnb recognises that some jurisdictions permit, or require distinctions among individuals based on factors such as national origin, gender, marital status, or sexual orientation.and it DOES NOT REQUIRE HOSTS TO VIOLATE LOCAL LAWS..."

Bottom line: You accepted a booking that is illegal according to the laws of your country. So I guess that makes you at fault?!

[Ange2]

@Helen350    I disagree about Airbnb being fair & reasonable.  The couple were local, knew the legal prohibition about unmarried couples sharing a room but they decided not only  to ignore it but put the host in an untenable position, and of being sent to jail if he hosted them. Even if they were foreign they should have checked up on local laws before traveling.  The guests should be held responsible for their decision and the host should have been paid as per strict cancellation policy.  Airbnb are being unreasonable and unfair by penalizing the host for the guest's irresponsibility, and in effect rewarding the guest for being irresponsible and putting the host's well-being in jeopardy.

@Mimi-and-Mamdouh0   I would write any local laws in your rules and add it in every message to guests for good measure. If it happens again tell the guests they have to cancel for breaking rules, that way you need not involve Airbnb and you will be paid because the guest cancelled.  The guest can hardly claim extenuating circumstances as inability to break the law.  If you call Airbnb it will always refund the guest if it does the cancellation, even when it is the guest's fault for ignoring rules, laws, changing their mind or what have you.

True, that review rule is insane but it is finally being addressed, effective December 11th, 2019.   https://community.withairbnb.com/t5/Airbnb-Updates/Making-reviews-more-relevant-and-useful-for-our-c...

[Robin4]

@Mimi-and-Mamdouh0 

Guys, I totally sympathize with your situation but, the thing you have to consider is, Airbnb are a booking agency....they put 'A'  the guest in touch with ' B'  the host and it is not up to Airbnb (as an American company) to decipher the laws of each of the 190 countries around the world they are active in.

You did the right thing in not breaking your countries law by hosting an unwed couple but, it is not up to Airbnb to cover your losses. Knowing the strident nature of your country's  laws means, you should not enable guests to book who don't conform to those laws. 

It should be mandatory for you to sight a marriage certificate before accepting a booking! Under no circumstance should a host in Egypt use Instant Book where a guest can book without being formally verified by you as the host. To a lot of us in the rest of the world that may sound draconian, but you must first an foremost adhere to Egyptian law....that is your responsibility, not Airbnb's.

It's a bit rich for you to reject them when they are on your doorstep and tell them their money is gone when you were quite happy to accept their booking without checking if it was legal for them to stay.

As it is, you are fortunate that Airbnb have chosen to see this case as an extenuating circumstance and have chosen not to penalize you....they could have, the guest wanted to stay, you are the one that refused them!

As I initially said I am sorry you have been caught up in this where you have lost a paying booking but, you can't blame Airbnb for something it was your responsibility to legally establish before accepting!

Cheers.......Rob 

[Anonymous]

@Mimi-and-Mamdouh0   It's usually going to be the case that if the host has to deny entry to guests due to not meeting the stated requirements, Airbnb's default resolution is to terminate the booking without penalty to either party and refund the guest for the unused nights. This would also tend to be the case if you refuse to accommodate a guest because they attempt to bring a pet to a no-pets household, or report after booking that their party size exceeds your maximum. And it would apply just as well, if the guests had willfully broken your rules during their stay and been forced to leave early.

I'm not saying this is fair or unfair, but either way, complaining is not going to get you different results. Be aware that your cancellation policy is not likely to be applied when the cancellation is not voluntary. Therefore, your best way to minimize losses without taking legal risks would be to verify before confirming a booking that the guests will be supplying the required documents, and decline any applicants who don't assure you that they meet the criteria. 

[Sarah977]

@Mimi-and-Mamdouh0  Do you state anywhere in your listing description that a marriage certificate is legally needed for couples in Egypt? If not, I suggest you do that, along with stating that you will have to refuse entry to those who don't produce such a document. I know you said these were Egyptian guests, so I should think they were well aware of the law, but maybe they think it doesn't apply to Airbnbs and international guests would probably not be aware of this requirement at all.

[Laura2592]

@Sarah977 yes, I for one had no idea that such a policy existed in Egypt. If this is a law that is different from what you might find in most of the world (and it is) you really should state this in your listing. If you had expat Egyptian guests on travel who had been raised elsewhere theoretically they are subject to this rule and may be totally unaware. We have a good friend who is in grad school in the US who holds and Egyptian passport despite living most of his life overseas, currently living with an American girlfriend. I am sure he would be ignorant of this requirement and very upset if he ran into this sort of issue while on travel. 

[Helen3]

It applies in many Arabic countries @Laura2592  and in those where Islam is the majority religion.

I think it's always a good idea to check on local laws around issues such as this before booking to stay in a country your are unfamiliar with.

In this case I think it is very likely the Egyptian couple would be familiar with local laws regarding staying in paid for accommodation.

@Mimi-and-Mamdouh0  although I appreciate your frustration, in situations like this Airbnb will not allow you to keep the cancellation fee. Best to remind guests in your listing and on confirming bookings about this regulation, so you are not faced with last minute bookings.