The Host won’t give me my refund

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The Host won’t give me my refund

I’m not a host I was going to be a guest, I made reservations to be a guest with Holly and Chris in Cedar Rapids Iowa a month before arriving, my reason for going to Iowa was for work because I’m a travel nurse unfortunately my contract got canceled 4 days after I made the payment so I was no longer going to Iowa nor needing the host home, I tried to cancel but it was saying I wasn’t going to get but 197 dollars and 20 cent of my money out of 1,688.95, so I’m like no that can’t be true so I never did the cancellation because I want all my money, I contacted Airbnb Support about the situation and explain to them they said they reached out to Holly but she responded with she’s going by her policy I know people have their own business and go by their rules I get that but I’m not coming, it’s nowhere near time to come if I was, I explained and let Holly, Airbnb know my reason & situation why things happened the way it did , so I tried to reach out and explained what happened she also stated  the same thing to me, I’m like but I’m not coming to your home and I’m letting you know in head of time so why can’t you give me all my money back because that’s a lot of money to give someone when you’re not going to need them, I’m literally blown, I paid 1,688.95 up front and requested to get all my money back not only 197.20, now I’m going through this thing of giving me half of my money which I’m not going for, I just want and need all my money back and we can go on our way Policy or no Policy ( why pay for anything when I’m not coming to the property and I let them know in head to time soon I got the information). I was excited ,looking forward to coming but things happen, this wasn’t any vacation for me I was only coming for business to make money not give it away. 

1 Best Answer
Huma0
Level 10
London, United Kingdom

@Amelia348 

 

When you purchase something, be that accommodation or anything else, you are agreeing to the terms and conditions of that purchase and, in this case, it includes the cancellation policy. When that's a long term booking on Airbnb, it means that the first month is non-refundable. This information is on the booing before you complete it. That's what you signed up to so of course it's nobody else's fault. So, you're lucky to be offered 50% to be honest.

 

Personally, when a guest cancels for a valid reason, I will offer to refund any nights I get rebooked (minus Airbnb fees, which the host does not receive), if and when that happens, as I agree that it is unfair to take money from two different bookings for the same dates. This is totally optional though. The host is under no obligation to make that offer.

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17 Replies 17
Emiel1
Level 10
Leeuwarden, The Netherlands

@Amelia348 

 

When you make a reservation on Airbnb, at time of booking you agree to the cancellation policy attached.  Which is clearly explained when making the booking. Although a host can(!) provide voluntary more refund then calculated by the policy at time of cancellation, the host has no obligation to do so. Also Airbnb can not do more, unless there is a "extenuating circumstance".

But when the accommodation is not needed anymore because a work contract is terminated is NOT such a circumstance:

https://www.airbnb.com/help/article/1320

 

Next time maybe book a listing with a less strict cancellation policy. Please note if a stay is longer then 28 night, the "long term stay" cancellation policy will automatically apply.

 

I understand after some negotiation you are offered now 50% refund ?

Maybe best thing to do is to take this offer.

I feel it is a ACCOMMODATION and I’m pretty sure if you was  in this situation you would do & feel the same!!!!

Helen3
Level 10
Bristol, United Kingdom

Hi @Amelia348 

 

If I was a travelling nurse I wouldn't book accommodation under a long term cancellation policy that made me liable for the first 30 days should I cancel.

 

It is neither the hosts nor Airbnb's fault that you choose to make a booking with this type of cancellation policy knowing there was a risk your contract could be cancelled.

 

Most hosts will agree to look at a proportional refund IF they are able to rebook any of the days that you cancelled. Have you asked the host if they are willing to do this?

 

As other hosts have mentioned you could have made two, two week bookings say that had a flexible or moderate cancellation policy so you wouldn't have been liable (except for Airbnb fees) if you needed to cancel.

Gillian166
Level 10
Hay Valley, Australia

you've taken their listing off the market for a time, and now the host might not be able to book those dates. why should they take the loss of not getting bookings due to your life cirucumstances?

also, i'd suggest you ask the host to refund you if they can re-book those dates. they might not give you 100% back (and btw, airbnb will always keep their fees anyway) but I'd recommend staying polite with the host. this is your best pathway to getting a refund. 

Okay so it seems to me I’m the blame for everything that  happened, WRONG! I’m not making them take a loss for booking , because of my life circumstances and never asked them to (that shouldn’t even been said) I just want my money back since I’m not going and also letting the host know in head of time, so they can remove me from the dates I booked!!!!!   

Huma0
Level 10
London, United Kingdom

@Amelia348 

 

When you purchase something, be that accommodation or anything else, you are agreeing to the terms and conditions of that purchase and, in this case, it includes the cancellation policy. When that's a long term booking on Airbnb, it means that the first month is non-refundable. This information is on the booing before you complete it. That's what you signed up to so of course it's nobody else's fault. So, you're lucky to be offered 50% to be honest.

 

Personally, when a guest cancels for a valid reason, I will offer to refund any nights I get rebooked (minus Airbnb fees, which the host does not receive), if and when that happens, as I agree that it is unfair to take money from two different bookings for the same dates. This is totally optional though. The host is under no obligation to make that offer.

Thank You 

Every hosting situation is different so for some 1 month’s notice is fine and for others it’s not. You might well be ruining their chance at another booking. I can’t speak for them and whether they are being unreasonable 

i almost always do a refund, except for same day cancels. But my business is more likely to pick up last minute bookings. 

I just had this similar issue. I was booked for my first travel assignment and it got canceled over thanksgiving. I have the host like 3 weeks noticed but he refuses to issue me the full refund back and I am now eating the cost of $3k when it was out of my control that the hospital cancelled me and im furious because AMN is basically telling me I’m SOL. After promising me work with exclusive hospitals and then the double whammy is me now not even getting my money back with air bnb.  I am so angry as well and I think it’s wrong. I’m paying for a service that now I cant even use.  How is that right? 

@Gillian166 

 

I've read a few articles about these travelling nurses in America lots of host switch to them in low season or as an alternative to airbnb,

Some can be good but I also read a lot of problems where they have to cut their contract short and have to move on and as in this case wanting refunds,

The way I look at any guest who has had my calendar blocked when I could have gotten other bookings, I know in my case whenever a guest has cancelled at last minute I have never rebooked it, it has stayed empty thats what made us switch to strict policy years ago, and at the end of the day we are in a business,

Lots of host get listed with a company called Furnished Finder that specializes in travelling nurses. 

Maybe she @Amelia348 should register with them.

They give you all your money back when you get the host to agree. They suck

Huma0
Level 10
London, United Kingdom

@Maria16561 

 

Erm, no, that's not how it works. You sign up to a contract when you book, which includes the cancellation policy. Therefore, you are bound to whatever contact you willingly agreed to. The host is under no obligation to lose income due to your change of heart or whatever...

 

There are 'extenuating circumstances', i.e. certain scenarios, where the guest has a problem that entitles them to a refund outside of the cancellation policy. If your circumstance doesn't all within those extenuating circumstances, or you are unable to prove them, then you don't get to override the terms and conditions you signed up to.

 

It's not rocket science...

Marie7196
Level 2
California, United States

@Amelia348 I have a question for you. Did the host tell you about 30-day no refund prior to booking?

Huma0
Level 10
London, United Kingdom

@Marie7196 

 

I am not sure that is relevant, to be honest. The cancellation policy is displayed on the booking before the guest agrees to it. The onus should not be on the host to drum this idea into the guest's head.