Host of cottage didn't declared dog rules prior to a month of stay booking. Do we have the right to refund?

[Nora1080]

Where do I stand with my booking now I'm here as a guest and my host is giving me no rooms for my dog to move around or enjoying the cottage when we booked the cottage, there's nothing stated that dog under special strict rules. Not allowed on carpet and none upstairs in the bedrooms. The cottage is huge and my dog only allowed in the kitchen and lounge. Not in dining room, any carpeted area and both bedrooms upstairs. I paid thousands of dollar only to find out these rules 24 hours before I arrived (about the carpeted area) a d the whole upstairs during arrival! 

I'm stuck in this airbnb with a dog that restless thst used to roam around our huge mansion and if I knew we don't get our dogs to stayed in this house welcomingly, we would never book it. How can you say dog friendly when the host is saying we can't have our dog in any carpeted area and not upstairs. It's our temporary home from settling back home abroad and it's been so stressful. It's only my first night here.

Where do I stand with cancellation to find another airbnb and get my 3 weeks refund on good faith as I feel the owner mislead us. I've seen more airbnb detailed where dog should be and cannot go but none detailed in their cottage list and to be shoved with the rules to our face upon arrival is very disgenuine and didn't give us the power to choose as cunsumer.

Where do we stand with cancellation based on misinformation? 

[Mike-And-Jane0 · Accepted solution]

@Nora1080 All rules should be stated in the listing. Are you sure there was nothing defining where the dog couldnt go? If so then ask Airbnb to cancel free of charge.

[Nora1080]

Hi Mike and Jane, 

Yes I'm sure there isn't a space c on detailed rules on the airbnb and I fact if I check it again now, still nothing this details concerning dog mentioned! Just big standard pets are welcome which is shocking!

I have reached out to airbnb and their initial response are very compassion. Just waiting for them to tell me where do I stand, my take I want to stay and just gives me the flexibility. I'm here for 30 days, this is our temporary home. For our dog to be honest excluded this much is cruel. 

[Helen3]

If the host didn't declare these restrictions in their listing then yes you should be able to cancel penalty free.

What did the host say when you raised these concerns with them when they notified you about the restriction @Nora1080 

[Nora1080]

I want to know where we stand first before asking her and my husband don't want to have a bsr of it. She look like she's not having any of it before we can make a case. 

[Mike-And-Jane0]

@Nora1080 I wouldn't contact support again until you have discussed the matter with the host. If you do they may just cancel your stay by mistake.

An alternative approach is to ignore the host and just work to the advertised rules on the listing. Do take screen shots of these urgently in case the host updates the rules.

[Joelle43]

Hello @Nora1080 

So that you have all the information at your disposal when dealing with your host and Airbnb, your reservation falls into Airbnb's long term policy which is different to a hosts normal cancellation policy and as such you have to give 30 days notice unless you can get the hosts approval as your stay has already started.  Hopefully they will be agreeable to a refund in your case:

https://www.airbnb.com/help/article/1361

Best of luck

Joëlle

[Branka-and-Silvia0]

@Nora1080  Unfortunately, Airbnb hides the House rules all the way on the bottom of the page, just before the footer , under the "Things to know" and "Safety and property"

To make things worse, additional house rules are hidden behind the "show more>" links. Hosts are not happy about it and asked for it to be placed more prominently but to no avail.

99% of guests aren't aware of these and they are surprised like you are, so you should check if some pet rules are hidden there.

[Nora1080]

Unfortunately I don't know how to share snapshots here but her hidden rules are shown but nothing mentioned about not able to stay on furniture, carpeted and certainly all upstairs....I've checked. Shame I cannot share snapshot here.... 

[Joelle43]

Hello @Nora1080 

To share a photo here on the CC there is a camera icon in the message part just above where we write our message, click on that to share by uploading your photo.

[Nora1080]

 

This is what stated on their listing....

This is what on their guest book upon arrival and during their greeting to show around the house. We thought the carpeted area is in just one room but in most of the house! 

 

[Udo6]

Such hosts, who do not communicate booking-critical rules in time, leave me speechless.

Ok, hosts can accidentally forget to share important information in a timely manner. As a consequence, however, hosts should own up to their mistake and do everything they can to actively minimize the impact on the guest. There are ways to do this.

But hosts who intentionally wait to communicate important rules until it's too late for guests to react infuriate me and I don't think they deserve a place on Airbnb.

With such behavior, they harm their guests and the entire community.

[Nora1080]

I agreed. We consumer should be given choice before confirming our booking 

I think it's shady.