Covid-19 Extenuating Circumstances Policy

[Keira22]

Hi fellow hosts,

I am wondering if someone can shed some light on our current situation with a guest initiated cancellation as it applies to the Extenuating Circumstances Policy on Airbnb's website.

Our guests cancelled their trip 4 hours before check-in because they tested positive for Covid-19. Assuming they took the test 1-3 days before the results came back, there should have been ample time to discuss the possibility of a canceled trip and we could have discussed re-booking etc. Instead they waited till the last minute. Normally that is no big deal; we have a strict cancellation policy.

Airbnb has instead decided to give the guests a full refund and us absolutely nothing. Eventually after some back and forth they have offered us $100 which is almost more insulting. As per the Extenuating Circumstances policy "Reservations for stays and Airbnb Experiences made after March 14, 2020 will not be covered under our extenuating circumstances policy, except where the guest or host is currently sick with COVID-19." Fair enough; Airbnb is going to refund the guest. It doesn't say anything about taking that out of the pockets of the host. In fact they actually say 3 times on the page that "The host’s cancellation policy will apply as usual."

Am I missing something? It sounds like Airbnb is saying that they will reimburse the guest and that the host's cancellation policy will apply. Yet, when the situation arises they are deciding to take from the host and give that to the guest. Anyone else have a simliar experience? Can someone explain the logic behind providing the guest a full refund and us nothing (or $100 after belly-aching)?

Looking forward to hearing back from you all.

[Fred13]

@Keira22 You can find 100 posts started on this forum on this very subject in the last year. Airbnb's Extenuating Circumstances is a clause that really was being abused by them before Covid-19 and certainly abused after it started, and even to this day.

Today, the host is still the one taking most of the risk of a reservation via Airbnb coming to fruition or not. Even when Airbnb refunds the guest's fee to the cancelling guest, they still got to use their money for free till they did so. 

Personally, I no longer trust Airbnb. I now see them as complimentary, not the main participant in my hosting. 

[Keira22]

Hi @William810. Thanks for your detailed reply. However I am still of the belief that the monies are owed to us. Our cancellation policy states that if you cancel within 48 hours you do not get a refund. Airbnb is offering this EC Policy, not us. Therefore they should be the ones to shoulder the burden of refunding the guest.

However it all makes sense to me when you really think about it. They don't care to keep hosts as well looked after as guests. It is a lot easier for guests to go to another platform, and it is a bigger market to access than the host market. Seems to me that we as hosts do most of the work, take most of the risk, and then Airbnb doesn't stand behind us.

@Fred13Thanks. This is all becoming pretty clear to us as I just mentioned above. This situation in addition to another one where we are having a difficult time claiming monies for damages is making us rethink our relationship with Airbnb; much like yourself.

[Helen3]

Sorry you are not correct on this @Keira22 

when you sign up to host on Airbnb's platform one of the T&Cs you sign up to is that their EC policy overrides your cancellation policy.