Host overbooked and cancelled our stay!

[Jim2307]

We booked a 5 bedroom house for a family get together several months in advance, purchased airline tickets and pre-paid rental cars.  Then 32 days before our trip the host cancelled our stay because our host overbooked.  She offered an alternative property, but for only 2 of the 3 days we were supposed to stay, so that was an unworkable offer.  Now we had to scramble to find another 5 bedroom rental in a popular spring break location....  Needless to say it cost us $600 more to book something comparable this close to Spring Break.  For the price we are now paying we could have earlier booked a beachfront hotel, with a pool, a hot tub, and breakfast... but of course their prices have now gone up too.

Searching the internet, it appears that overbooking is a common problem with hosts within Airbnb (hence why they offer "Air Cover").

Airbnb doesn't offer their "Air Cover" benefit if the overbooking happens more than 30 days in advance.  Interesting that she cancelled on us two days before that deadline.

Airbnb does not provide a mechanism to give a bad review for a host for overbooking.  You only get to review a host after staying at their property.  So there is no way to discourage hosts from double booking properties in hopes of jacking up the rental price.

I searched Airbnb and the internet to find a way to complain to Airbnb Corporate and this community forum appears to be the only mechanism for customers to do so.  Hosts have ways to complain to Airbnb directly, but not customers.  Airbnb appears to be very host centric.  I also found stories on the internet of others who faced overbooking even within a day or two of their rental!

Airbnb gives her a "superhost" rating... my family thinks she's a terrible host, not a superhost.

Next time we're going to book a hotel and deal with real professionals.  I am going to be very vocal to anyone I meet about the risk you take when renting a Airbnb... you very likely don't know you have your rental for sure until you actually drive up and enter the property.

[Mike-And-Jane0]

@Jim2307 The host will (and certainly should) lose her superhost status as you need less than 1% cancellations to keep it. She will also be fined by Airbnb for the cancellation so they really should be able to pass this money to you.

Finally hosts have no different way to complain to Airbnb than guests have

[Joan2709]

Hi @Jim2307 

So sorry this happened. As @Mike-And-Jane0 have pointed out, this Host will incur penalties for cancelling your reservation. Not sure if travel insurance will help you recoup the increased price you had to pay for another listing. Might be worth checking into if you indeed purchased travel insurance for this reservation?

[John5097 · Accepted solution]

@Jim2307 

Sorry this happened to you. 

Airbnb is pretty strict about host canceling guest for the reasons you cited. 

This is their policy. 

https://www.airbnb.com/help/article/990

The fine goes up when host cancels within 30 days. 

This host is playing with fire and may have there account or listing suspended. 

[Jim2307]

Thanks to everyone for responding and to John for the link to Airbnb host cancellation policy.  It looks like our hosts action to cancel our confirmed reservation beyond 30 days makes us only eligible for $50.  I guess that's something towards the $600 more it's costing us for the alternative place we found.  Good to know there is at least some consequence for the host.