Host asking for cash outside the app

[Liam1503]

Hi there,

I was just wondering what kind of punishment would a host receive from Airbnb for asking a guest to cancel a reservation and pay them directly instead of using the app? I am having some ongoing issues with a refund and the host is encouraging us to cancel (losing 50%) and paying him in person the other 50% in the future, instead of allowing us to reschedule using the Airbnb platform. 

I am hoping Airbnb will penalize this host and void his cancellation policy and we receive our money back. 

All the messages are on the Airbnb platform, I have the evidence.  

[Ian-And-Anne-Marie0]

@Sarah977 

We bestow the level of knowledge on the host here which many in this CC have been privy to over time. Even here, the confusion over Covid cancellations, even by CX could lead to the host to understanding one situation then finding the opposite. Date changes, booking date change in policy, extension of 'applicable periods', the overwriting of policy for the aquisition of vouchers... etc. So, if this dispute is based on an 'understanding' which then was overturned by fact, then that would be understandable and forgiven in the circumstances.

I would expect that an accommodation for 11, would be booked at least a year ahead and they would have been hit with an avalanche of cancellations - all - full refund. A bit of creative thinking here seems to have back fired, so the cancellation can only be made on facts.

[Liam1503]

Just to clarify, the host agreed to a 100% total refund, I have three messages from him stating this, no confusion there. Airbnb told us he didn't agree upon speaking to him, Airbnb encouraged us NOT to cancel. The host on the other hand IS encouraging us to cancel and rebook our flights for next year, arrive at his accommodation with his $2000 in our back pocket. What could possibly go wrong?

When the pandemic was announced and the world started to shut down, we reached out to the host because we knew it would be impossible to travel there. We have friends that are hosts, and after reading many posts on these forums we realized the large majority of hosts were refunding guests because of the crisis, it's the human thing to do. We were very happy to hear he was helping us, only then to be told it was a lie. When we realized getting our money back wasn't an option, we settled with rescheduling in 2021. After we spoke to the host about rescheduling we noticed he blocked out the dates we were looking at, another red flag. His reluctance to help, blocking out dates and requesting money outside of Airbnb have given me no trust in this man. 

Is it so wrong that we want to stay within the Airbnb app?

I have never encountered a host like this before, we have been using Airbnb full-time for the past 3 years,  over 200 bookings and I have nothing but excellent reviews from hosts. 

@Anonymous you can keep your judgements about me to yourself.

[Sarah977]

@Liam1503 As far as blocking the dates for the new dates you were looking at, that seems perfectly reasonable and necessary- that's what I'd do if I were looking to alter the dates of a reservation.

If they were left open, it means someone else could book them, if I used Instant Book, during the time I was trying to negotiate with the guest.

Then I would open them back up again when an agreement was reached, so the guest could actually book them, or, in the event that the guest and I were in agreement about having the new booking happen outside the platform, they would have to remain blocked for the guest so no one else could book them going forward.

That part isn't suspicious at all.

[Liam1503]

It was suspicious, all his dates were free and then after he denied the rebooking he blocked all the dates we were looking at. I have to question his motives as this whole experience seems to be shady.  Why block them on Airbnb but tell me it's available if I pay him outside of Airbnb?

[Ian-And-Anne-Marie0]

@Liam1503 

Just to clarify, the host agreed to a 100% total refund, I have three messages from him stating this, no confusion there. Airbnb told us he didn't agree upon speaking to him, Airbnb encouraged us NOT to cancel....arrive at his accommodation with his $2000 in our back pocket

Something is very fishy about this.

Airbnb would benefit from approx. $580 service fee taken out of your cancellation payout if you cancelled. You will not get 100%. Airbnb would keep $580.

If Airbnb say NOT to cancel, there must be good reason for it. If it is a regular host you are dealing with and not a 'pro' host with multiple rental units and a 'special arrangement' , that $580 plus $102 will be heading Airbnb's way if the booking went ahead. Airbnb are backing the host for whatever reason justifies that $102 payment.

[Liam1503]

Airbnb actually have agreed to refund all the service fees to us, the service fees were $800 so it was a little victory on that part.

[Ian-And-Anne-Marie0]

Airbnb are paying you back their $800 service fees for a cancellation thats not a cancellation yet? How is that working? Something very dodgy is going on here, and you still don't have your 50% back from the host. Whats happening with that?

Edit: You have not fully paid, so the host will not get the full amount, only, if lucky his cancellation fee which you agreed with and at the moment you can still travel (?) I'm guessing you won't be paying the remaining 50% and considering the first 50% a loss unless Airbnb can get that back for you?

[Sarah977]

@Liam1503  If you had tried to alter the dates through the Airbnb platform, the host has to approve an alteration- it wouldn't just be automatic, so he could just decline the alteration- he wouldn't have to block the dates to prevent you from booking them, so I can't guess his reasoning for blocking them, other than what I stated above.

[Liam1503]

It seems very obvious what the host is doing. He wants the money in his pocket ASAP. If we cancel or don't show up in August he gets paid. If we reschedule off the app and make arrangements to come next year, he gets paid, win or lose he gets paid. 

If he was a decent human being and fulfilled his job of being a host, he would allow us to come next year and reschedule with Airbnb. If I wanted a rouge, shady landlord I would have used Craigslist to book an apartment. I never thought this would be the outcome of using Airbnb. 

[Helen350 · Accepted solution]

@Liam1503 Your host is doing nothing wrong. YOU do not intend to complete the August 2020 booking, YOUR choice. So going by the rules, YOU cancel & you get 50% back (but lose service fee) & the host keeps 50%. THAT'S the rule, you accepted when you booked!

It might be as @Mike-And-Jane0 say, allowing you back next year off platform for 50% of normal charge (cos he got the other 50% THIS year) would be doing you a favour, saving BOTH of you money in commission fees. It's NOT shady; many hosts let on multiple booking sites & through private arrangements. THIS booking has been made through Airbnb, whether you travel & stay, or accept the 50% refund.... NEXT years booking is not part of this.... once you've stayed this August or got a refund your Airbnb contract is over.... Airbnb does not own the relationship between host & guest  forevermore, once the CURRENT booking is concluded. So your host is doing nothing wrong in suggesting a private arrangement in future.... And if he doesn't honour it next year, you've still lost nothing, cos the cancellation policy states you get 50%/host gets 50% when you cancelled this year.

It all boils down to you being angry (& vindictive) cos you're not getting your way... And you're losing money, not cos the host is bad, nor shady, but because the RULES of the cancelation policy say the host is entitled to 50%! - Your bad!

You may yet be lucky.... If you hold the booking a bit longer, the EC policy may be adjusted in your favour!

P.S. Please try to see things from the host's point of view..... Please don't be malicious & vindictive, nor an entitled customer, - we're a community, remember?! 😉 

[Mike-And-Jane0]

@Liam1503 Irrespective of the rights and wrongs of the situation If you reschedule through Airbnb the host will receive nothing until you check in next year. By cancelling and booking separately for next year he will get half his money this year and half next year. I guess that cash flow could be the difference between losing his home or keeping afloat.

It looks to me that you have a straight choice:

   Cancel and lose 50% 

   Reschedule outside of Airbnb and lose nothing.

Of course if relationship with the host is now broken and all trust is lost you may now have only the one choice.

[PaddySeventeen0]