How do you file a complaint against a host?

[Tammy37]

Had a confirmed booking, had already paid, then the host said he wanted $100 in cash on arrival as a surcharge.  We disagreed, but eventually cancelled, since we knew he would eventually cancel us out so he could gouge someone else.  

Because we cancelled, we have to eat the service charge.

Two questions:

1) how do we file a complaint against this host?

2) How can we petition to get the host to eat the service charge?

thanks,

Tammy

[Letti0]

@Simon515   I don't think it's the host that's keeping your $162. I would bet it's the AirBnB Service Fee at 17.5% that you did not get back. You need to take this up with AirBnB and stop bothering the host who refunded you in full even though I am pretty sure by what you said she had a Strict Cancellation Policy and did not have to refund you more than 1/2 of the nightly rate. You need to read before you book both AirBnB's rules on the Service Fee's which are not refundable after 48 hours of the booking and the hosts cancellation policies, in addition I am sure if you had put the correct guest count in to begin with you would have seen the extra guest charges that applied. In my House Rules it's stated that I charge $20 for each guest over 6. 

[Simon515]

Hi Letti I cancelled within 2 hours of making the booking.

i requested the $162 from the host and she rejected it without any reference to Airbnb fees.

airbnb refunded me $677 immediately after I cancelled

[Letti0]

@Simon515  I am still convinced this is the Service Fee's. You have to ask AirBnB for the Service Fee's back they don't just give them to you and they are only refundable 3 times a year within the 48 hours of booking. So call AirBnB for the return on the fee's. 

AirBnB Australia +61 2 8520 3333

[Victoria567]

This is a matter to be dealt with directly via air bnb by telephone asap and not communicating directly with the guest.

Let air bnb deal with it.

[Sarah977]

@Simon515  Hosts have no obligation to phone you or answer your calls (especially when you've cancelled and the host has refunded you)- all communication is supposed to stay on the Airbnb messaging platform and Airbnb in fact encourages hosts to stick to this.

[Simon515]

Then why have their contact number on the site??

[Sarah977]

@Simon515   Hosts and guests have each other's phone numbers for emergency situations or non-contentious issues, like the guest is driving around and can't find the place, or can't get the key to work, or phones to say they're at the airport and will arrive within the hour.  

It is advised, for both hosts and guests, to keep all other types of communication within the Airbnb messaging system so there is a record for Airbnb to see should it come down to a "he said, she said" affair.

So while hosts are certainly expected to respond to guest messages, and vice-versa, they don't need to answer your phone calls or text messages, especially when you've already cancelled your reservation and are trying to argue or accuse.

[Luzaan0]

Hi

i accidentally made a booking with a host. I then cancelled the booking immediately. Airbnb refunded the service fees immediately, but the host refuses to refund me at all. She has a strict cancelation policy of 7 day notice, but this was a short notice booking of about 45 hrs before arrival. So basically, this was a non-refundable booking....which was never stated or brought to my attention. I the asked the withdraw my cancelation so that we can atleast have accomodation for our family. She denied to accomodat us. Under australian law this is unla, as every booking confirmation has a grace period. Her grace period is 48 hrs but it must be 7 days before the date of arrival. Considering the short notice of my booking (45hrs before), I would thinks she would be more considerate. The booking and cancellation all was done in less than an hour. 

[Luzaan0]

I wish someone could just help me. She obviously suffered no inconvenience. And I humbly asked her to consider refunding our family. She then said I must please halt contact with her and that I am harassing her. How do report such a host as to warn others. If a booking was made and cancelled within one hour, surely the request can be considered null and void?

[Sarah977]

@Luzaan0 

"Never stated or brought to my attention". The cancellation policy of listings is clearly stated on the listing information (of every listing), which you obviously failed to bother to read.  Whose fault is that? Why do you expect that it should have been brought to your attention?

And what do you want to warn others about this host? That they choose to stick to their STATED cancellation policy, that you agreed to when you booked? 

And you have zero knowledge of how much inconvenience you caused the host, yet you assume "She obviously suffered no inconvenience." Maybe when you booked, with only 45 hours lead time, the host right away had to get in touch with their cleaners to arrange for them to work, maybe the cleaners had to juggle other jobs to accomodate that, only to be phoned back an hour later reversing the whole thing. 

And how do you "accidentally" make a booking? I understand how hard it is for you to be out this money, but you seem to think others should be responsible for your irresponsibility.

[Luzaan0]

Thanks for your input Sarah. Of course I am not at all being unreasonable about this, I will be willing to compensate the host for any costs incurred due to my negligence. Even maybe one night’s reimbursement. But to withold the entire amount, after humbly apologising for the misunderstanding. There were many things that she did not disclaim clearly on the advertisement. She stated that the property has 2 rooms. The advertisement stated ‘large beautiful house’ private room. Of which I assumed that I booked the 2 rooms. The fact that we booked for 2 adults and 2 kids....then when my husband checked the reviews, it was said that they live inside the house and are very easy going and don’t mind people in their space....it was then that we gathered that they will be living with us in the house. In which room??! It was not stated that there are more than 2 rooms. This is a scary consept when you have young kids and no physical barriers, sharing bathrooms with strangers. We then immediately apologised and cancelled the booking. The host was extremely rude, and when we realised that she was not going to refund us, we then requested to reinstate our reservation, and she then refused. I have been put into contact with the specialized team at airbnb. Thank you for your kind guidance. I am confident that the airbnb team will assist in an outcome that will be a win/win for both of us. 

[Christos46]

Good luck with Airbnb helping you. No such thing!!

[Ethel18]

Luzan,

I know, they are aweful, thieves, and this lady, she is in Mexico, and clueless. I hope other people look at this site before booking through AIRBNB.

I'm going to file a complaint with BBB, and I am bringing it to the attention of my lawyer.

[Ethel18]

OH YAH, AIRBNB IS TH E WORST COMPANY OUT THERE. T HEY STEAL YOUR MONEY, THEY DON'T CARE THAT LAND LORDS HAVE POOPY WATER IN THE SINK, TOILETS DONT FLUSH, SHOWER DIDN'T HAVE ANY FLOW. I WENT TO VA BEACH FOR WORK, AND THIS HAPPENED TO ME. I HAD TO LEAVE TO COME BACK HOME BECUASE IT WAS SO UNSANITARY AND AIR BNB IS STILL TRYING TO GET THEIR FINGERS INTO MY BANK ACCOUNT.

THEY ARE DISGUSTING, AVOID THEM AT ALL CUASE, CROOKS, THEIVES.

[Ethel18]

THEY ARE ACTUALLY TRYING TO GET 5 THOUSAND DOLLARS OUT OF MY CHECKING ACCOUNT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I HAVE A PICTURE OF THE FILTHY WATER, MY BOYFRIEND WAS THERE AS A WITNESS, I PAID FOR THE FULL MONTH OF JULY AND WAS THERE FOR ONE WEEK. I LEFT BEFORE AUGUST, I COULD NOT SHOWER, AND TOLD THE LANDLORD AND HE BLEW IT OFF. HE WAS CREEPY, WHO SAT UPSTAIRS AND SPIED ON ME, COUNTED MY ADULT DAUGHTERS WHOM CAME FOR ONE WEEKEND TO SPEND WITH ME AT THE BEACH, HE REPORTED THE PLACE SLEEPS SIX, WE WERE FOUR, ME AND MY THREE DAUGHTERS, HE BITCHED ABOUT THAT. ??? WHAT DID HE THINK? MY DUAGHTERS, NOT MORE THAN SIX, FOR A WEEKEND OUT OF AMONTHS PAY! DISGUSTING PLACE, DISGUSTING HOST, AND AIRBNB, WATCH OUT, THEY KEEP TRYING TO GET THIER SLIMY FINGERS INTO MY ACCOUNT, I HAD TO BLOCK THEM, IT HAS BEEN THE WORST EXPERIENCE OF MY LIFE. THEY SHOULD GET THE HELL OUT OF AMERICA.