Hai, I am helpless and would like seek for help to get refund

[Florence775]

Dear Sirs,

I am hopping much to draw from Airbnb management attention to solve my problem that have been 8 days passed, and still can't solve my Refund issue.  

The case is just very simple, but keep on through system central help, helpers come and go, leaving enquiry page waiting and waiting.  Everyday I keep on check in the message whether can get somebody or specialist come and just solve it, but just left very disappointed that no solution.

Talking about my story:  Actually I have heard and got recommendation from President of Airbnb in my country to log in airbnb system to book unit to stay for my year end holiday. This is first tried i use the airbnb system to book 1 unit to stay for my family in Johor Bahru, check in 25 Dec and check out 26 Dec.  I use my husband credit card tie to the system to pay although my husband at the beginning worried and mentioned better use cash or just look for hotels to stay as more safer and easier.  With my insisted, so at the end i first booked 1 unit to stay, and the system insisted must pay first before I allowed to book.  So i just follow the system required, press book & pay (code HMTHAKSA3M), however it almost pass 1 day, but the host didn't response to accept and I also need to make fast decision to look for other units so that my family won't have no place to stay when drive for 4 hours but cant get place to stay. Therefore i have asked in the Help Centre on how to cancel to booking, and straight i also look for other potential units to book so that we have secure place to stay when we reach there.  Without my knowledge, the units i booked also auto deduct paid from my husband's credit card paid to 4 other unit !!!! 

       1 unit host responded  to me and give me house key password, I felt so weird as we didn't thought the money can pay the host, and why the host can send key password to me. At the beginning I just thought is the last cancelled unit, so the money automatic paid to another unit. Frankly speaking, I am disagreed that money just simply deducted from credit card that tied to the system and payment can just easy deduct from it without I knew about it.  At the end, we just check in the unit (code: HMJR442CSD) that have sent the key password. To my horrible experience, the unit is not provided with good conditon with broken sitting hall table, soap dispenser, no soap provided, not good function toilet, itcy bed sleeping and spoilt TV.  However daily charge is expensive (RM183.95) that the same value of money, we can get better service in hotel with breakfast provided.  However, we just accept what we have and go though unpleasant trip experience.  However it is not the end, when we use the toilet for poo and use the toilet paper provided, the toilet get clogged. The host immediate ask us to compensate for it!! If toilet can't get people use for poo, then why is the toilet use for? If toilet get problem and can't use for poo, then there must be clearly mentioned and give the notice and not charge us after happening something that is not we purposely spoilt it.  I have decline in the system for compensation.

However it is still not the end stories. After we checked out, when my husband checked the credit card statement (luckily he check soon after check when went to pump fuel for car).  To my tremendous frighten, airbnb automatic deduct money from my credit to pay to 4 unit i just intend to book but not my will to pay for it!!  I never thought that it can happen. When I have paid, in the system there is not pop up message to ask my reconfirmation and clearly ask the permission to pay if i click again. I click because the work 'reserve & pay', for me that is i book and pay deposit, but the money should not go to the host and money can refund back.  But after i deal many...many...times in the Help Centres, helper come and go,... no solution.  I have to personally deal with the 3 other hosts that I never stayed in the unit, and 2 of them made immediate appologied to me as they mentioned actually on that days their unit were not available and they didn't know the money from me just paid to me. Immediatelly they responsed and paid to me, if Airbnb not refund, they willing bank in to me my payment.  I am so much appreciated to them, I also return money to 1 host that he paid me thought airbnb has banked to him. I didn't taken his money as airbnb mentioned not allow me deal with host.  Code HMMKSLTDSG (RM183.95 has responded) and Code HMPNSBNW9YJS (RM183.95 has responded).

However, only left 1 host pretended and mentioned he still not got any call from airbnb to explained about this case, he mentioned I pretend to claim from him, he refused to responde (code HMEZ58038H, host Yap, refuse to response, RM137.96). It is just left 1 host refuse to response and not answered my message.  I have tried keep on text in the Airbnb Support boxes seeking someone come to solve it.  I believe airbnb can earn billion of money, with only RM137.96, can't even refund or compensate to me if host refuse to response.  I know the money is still kept in Airbnb. I just can't understand why even RM137.96 (money is just so little to airbnb as compared to what overall have earn), why there is no immediate solution to me, until now, all helper  turn up and know is I am seeking for help, just mentioned wait, and wait..... I don't know how long I can get somebody from Airbnb come to help, or just pretend to ignore my message and i can’t get my refund, then silent for it.  For me, the money is not much, but it make me felt I was been bullied and was taken advantages to eat up my money, and pay to the host take want to take advantage on guest.  I believe, we have consumer right, I am not take any money that not belong to me, but I felt that this is the money (RM137.96) that SHOULD refund to me due to I never agreed auto deduct from credit card and the allogant host never send message to ask me or send key to me if i without my knowledge that have paid to him.

With my so much explanation, I really host Airbnb as biggest homestay apps in the world, can come to help and solve my case immediately as I have wasted for 8 days keep on following up to the case until get refund, and affect my working at all.. I have get much more losses over just RM137.96 (waste my working times and have good holiday trip).   I will try to fight my consumer right for it, I hope Airbnb not just let robot system to judge my request, but can flexibe judge it and refund to me. 

My sincerely and now in very depress hope the help from Airbnb mangement to look into these matter.

[Sarah977]

@Florence775  Your lengthy post is rather hard to decipher, but you booked on Airbnb without bothering to inform yourself of how any of it works, nor read the messages you got when you booked multiple places.

First of all, you Instant Booked- as soon as you do that, you are charged and your reservation is confirmed automatically, the host does not need to "accept". Only when you submit a Request does the host have to either accept or decline it. 

Then you Instant Booked multiple places for the same dates, meaning you blocked the calendars of what sounds like 4 listings, without cancelling any of them, so the hosts were unable to rent those dates to anyone else.

There is also wording that pops up if you try to book multiple places that tells you that you could be charged for all the reservations, wording which you seemingly ignored.

I'm sorry you've lost all this money, but it is entirely due to your own inattention to the booking processes on Airbnb.

[Florence775]

Thanks Sarah for the reply.  Up today, I still can't get refund from 1 host refuse to response.  I reserved for several unit because for the experience the first host didn't response almost up to 24 hours, and I am worried can't get any place to stay as we drive to very far place.  For backup place, i reserve for several unit for secure.  I didn't realised once i reserve, the money auto charge to my credit card paid to 4 other hosts.  We take 1 unit to stay.  2 hosts mentioned their unit not available but money still paid to me, luckily they are honest and paid me back.  Another 1 host arrogant query me I didn't booked or stayed at his unit, so he refuse to refund, he thought I make story to claim his money.

I hope the Airbnb system can improve for the welfare of guest, please provide more verification from guest before they realised the money deduct from their credit card.  It is first time, I online payment go through this without any verification from me to pay out.

If can't get back money that belong to me, I just treated this as expensive lesson that never allow 'tie' credit to any online system that you never familiar with.

[Florence775]

Sorry miss typing: LIne 5 : We take 1 unit to stay.  2 hosts mentioned their unit not available but money still paid to THEM (not me), luckily they are honest and paid me back.

[Sarah977]

@Florence775  "I hope the Airbnb system can improve for the welfare of guest, please provide more verification from guest before they realised the money deduct from their credit card.  It is first time, I online payment go through this without any verification from me to pay out".

Look I'm sorry you lost some money, but you still don't seem to understand. The system doesn't need to "improve" in this regard. Guests do not generally have any difficulty understanding what happens when they Instant Book- that they are booking a place and will be charged for it on the credit card they have on file with Airbnb. Nor do they expect the host to answer if they Instant Book and just go ahead a book yet more places. 

You did not bother to inform yourself of how to book on Airbnb, but all of that information is readily available for guests. You are trying to blame the system and a host who won't refund you for what was simply your own lack of attention in finding out how the system works. 

If it was that confusing, millions of guests would not be able to successfully book on Airbnb, which isn't the case.

[Florence775]

Hai Sarah, 

I did have read and asked in the Help Centre before i proceed to make the mistake.  It is misleading me, throughout the process as the whole process not so smooth for me.  I have spent 2 days to read and tried in the system before i move the first step to reserve.  This all thing can be avoid and won't happen, if:

i.  The first unit I booked response to me not so late until almost 1 day also not response, as I cant wait for his reply for 1 day, then tried another unit, if not reply also need wait for another day  ( this make me make wrong decision to book several unit as worried)

 ii. The rest unit I booked don't give any feedback before check in time, so that at least I can be alert and cancelled early

I know all is the fault for me as don't understand the system. By the way, it is unlucky for me to go through not smooth journey through airbnb booking.  I didn't have changed to meet good host for my first trial use Airbnb booking.

[Huma0]

@Florence775 

It seems like you confused instant booking with requesting to book:

https://www.airbnb.co.uk/help/article/85/how-to-book-instant-book-and-regular-listings

When you instant book, the booking is automatically confirmed and Airbnb will process your payment. The host does not need to approve, nor message you straight away. Also, it means the listing is reserved for you, the calendar blocked for those dates and so no one else can book it.

You did not need to do anything else at that point. Your booking was confirmed.

Instead, you chose to book three other listings, thereby also blocking the calendars at those and preventing other guests from booking those dates. By the time you realised your mistake, it was after check out, so obviously those hosts had no opportunity to rent the units to anyone else for those dates.

Airbnb collect the payment from each booking. From this, they take a fee from the guest an another fee from the host. The host gets paid their share a few days after the check in date. So, if you did get a full refund from Airbnb, Airbnb would only be losing those fees. It is the host who will lose the rest, which is their income. 

As you booked the rooms, those rooms were reserved and held for you. Why should the host refund you for your mistake, thereby losing income?

To be honest, I doubt that the hosts who did refund you actually had other people booked for that date. It's not possible for two separate customers to book the same listing on the same dates. The Airbnb system doesn't allow it. More likely, they realised that it was easier to refund you then have the hassle of dealing with the situation you created. I would count yourself lucky that they did this because they certainly didn't need to.

You should have familiarised yourself with the booking system AND the cancellation policies, which are specified for each listing, before booking multiple properties. That is your responsibility, not the host's. As @Sarah977 said, this is not complicated. Every year, millions of guests manage to do it without problems. 

I myself have hosted hundreds of guests and I've only ever had one guest who did not understand the difference between instant booking and a request to book.

I am sorry you have lost money, but it was your mistake. You should not expect other people (the hosts) to pay for it. So, yes, if I were you, I would treat it as a costly mistake and count yourself lucky that you got most of your money back.

[Mark116]

@Florence775  I can't understand why you booked multiple properties for the same time and never cancelled any of them!!  You are lucky that any hosts refunded you because until you cancel the dates are blocked on the host calendar and they can't rent to anyone else.

[Sarah977]

@Florence775  "

This all thing can be avoid and won't happen, if:

i.  The first unit I booked response to me not so late until almost 1 day also not response, as I cant wait for his reply for 1 day, then tried another unit, if not reply also need wait for another day  ( this make me make wrong decision to book several unit as worried)".

You still do not understand. While many hosts will send a message to a guest after they book, Instant Book does not require a response from the host.

When a guest Instant Books, they then have a confirmed booking.