Disappointing AirBNB cancellation policy

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spicykebab
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Disappointing AirBNB cancellation policy

Post by spicykebab »

I've been a reader of this forum for some time and have now decided to register in order to contribute with 'something'. This is my first post so excuse me for any wrong doings.

Just wanted to share what i find an unacceptable policy by AirBNB who seems to trample our own judgement of whether or not to refund in each particular case. In most cases i tend to be very forgiving and if the guests come up with a very believable story i tend to refund them at least partially.

This is the case of a woman wanting to cancel one week before arrival due to "some health issue", our policy with AirBNB is always set to strict meaning i always have 50% "guaranteed", so i though. I had told this lady that if i did manage to find another guest to take that week i would fully refund her less some administrative costs. Well it happened that i couldn't re-book the week and so i was prepared to receive the 50% from AirBNB until i got the following email one day past the arrival date:
My name is XXX and I am a member of the Trip Experience team at Airbnb. I am writing in regards to your cancelled reservation XXX with XXX.

XXX has recently suffered of a health condition that does not let her travel. She provided us with official documentation from the hospital.

In the rare instance where extenuating circumstances arise, a guest may need to cancel a confirmed reservation. In this instance, Airbnb may override the host's cancellation policy (flexible, moderate, strict) and make refund decisions. Such cases will be contingent on proper documentation, where valid, and include:

There's a death in the guest's family
The guest has a serious illness or there's a serious illness in their family
There's a natural disaster in the destination country
There's political unrest in the destination country
The guest has jury duty or other similar civil obligations

Since XXX could prove with signed medical documentation that she is suffering from a serious illness we had to apply the extenuating circumstances refund policy to his reservation.
Your guest has been refunded in full. As such, we will not be able to provide you a payout for this reservation.

Be reassured that our extenuating circumstance policy is there to protect both guests and hosts and it works both ways.

In the rare instance where extenuating circumstances arise, a host may need to cancel a confirmed reservation. In such cases, we may elect to forgo the cancellation penalties outlined in our Terms of Service. Such cases will be contingent on proper documentation, where valid, and include:

Death in the family
Serious illness or serious illness in the family
Natural disaster in the country
Political unrest in the country
Property damage
Maintenance issues that affect the ability to host

I hope this information is helpful. Please let me know if you have any questions or concerns.

Thanks for your understanding, we apology for any inconvenience this cancellation might have caused.

Wish you a good day,
Needless to say i am shocked and disappointed. I totally understand she had perfectly good reasons to cancel but this is a business like any other and this has costed me money without me having any fault. I thought this is why companies sell travel insurances and cancellation insurances, if she hasn't bothered having one why do i need to pay for her misfortune? I wonder if she got her money back from the airliners, i don't think so.

I am utterly disgusted with this situation and i am considering that next time i need to cancel some guests' booking for whatever reason i can just forge a medical bill saying my uncle is very ill and i need to assist him in the hospital to avoid being penalised. I wonder if it will work my way just as well as it worked for her, i have serious doubts about it.

Anyway, i just wanted to share this so that you all know not to take for granted your AirBNB's refund policy. :?
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Cassis
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Post by Cassis »

Wow - that's outrageous. As you say, what is travel insurance for if not to cover circumstances like this? :shock:

I've always been a bit nervous about AirBnB's policy of not paying a red cent until after the guest's arrival - even more so now.
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Robin S
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Post by Robin S »

Hi Spicy and welcome to the forum :)

Yes, agreed, that is a real disappointment. Was the booking for a week?

I think a lot of ABB's policies are still very focussed at short term "amateur" owners and it's on occasions like this that owners get let down. I'd respond very firmly to the message stating you are dismayed they have overridden their own cancellation policies and that you will be very publicly denouncing their action with other owners. Liability for cancellations has to fall with guests. Who more often than not don't have relevant insurance for their trips :(

I've been very happy with ABB to date from a user experience perspective but obviously haven't had to interact with them yet. Proof's in the pudding etc.
la vache!
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Post by la vache! »

Thanks for posting that Spicy.
I think the decision to fully re-imburse the guest stinks. Is there no way you can claim some sort of compensation from AirBnB for the loss incurred?
Surely travel insurance is there to cover all of the 'extenuating circumstances' they quote, it shouldn't be the decision of AirnB to play God. Especially because they have lost nothing!
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apexblue
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Post by apexblue »

and of course AirBnB refunded their commission fee....

Do they have a FB page so this can be circulated?
It is better to remain quiet and have one think you are stupid, than to open your mouth and remove all doubt....

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roxytoo
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Post by roxytoo »

So she claims off her insurance (if she has it) AND gets it back from airbnb?

I've got a listing with them so I'm just off to cancel it, not that I've ever had a booking let alone an enquiry, I just can't believe it, who do they think they are?
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French Cricket
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Post by French Cricket »

roxytoo wrote:who do they think they are?
Well, yes, quite. And what struck me about that phrase, roxy, is that an enormous number of the posts on this forum are about exactly that, in one form or another and with one listing site or another.

I've never used ABB, either as host or guest. I certainly wouldn't now.
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CSE
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Post by CSE »

Our opinion of Air BnB is run by amateurs to serve amateurs. Had a bad experience when trying to book a stay via that website.
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Post by FelicityA »

Reading this, I am seriously considering taking off the tiny amount of space I have advertised with them as I think this is a ridiculous stance. Why should you lose out and those were not the terms you signed up to? Must check what the terms are and if it allows for this in the original thing we agree to when putting property on their site? I don't remember them saying it was all without cost for guests if they had a calamity and to hell with owners who have saved the space....

I have never had a booking through them either and only one enquiry. She had such trouble getting verified with them (my fault as I insist on that) that she did not book through them but googled :roll:

It is a pity that AirBnB cannot write proper English either. I started to think this was some sort of scam the English was so bad but can't see how it could be so it must be them. Evidently trying to promote that warm and cuddly feeling towards guests....but not owners. So sorry for your experience, spicykebab. I would fight it tooth and nail. As others say, what about her travel insurance?!
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apexblue
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Post by apexblue »

We do very well from AirBnB and have a pending New Year booking which I'm now pondering whether to accept.

Looking for Live Chat on the site which we used whilst in the US last month but not available in UK.
It is better to remain quiet and have one think you are stupid, than to open your mouth and remove all doubt....

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spicykebab
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Post by spicykebab »

la vache! wrote:Thanks for posting that Spicy.
I think the decision to fully re-imburse the guest stinks. Is there no way you can claim some sort of compensation from AirBnB for the loss incurred?
Surely travel insurance is there to cover all of the 'extenuating circumstances' they quote, it shouldn't be the decision of AirnB to play God. Especially because they have lost nothing!
Well, they claim to have refunded their fees as well. I tried reasoning with them but since it is in their T&C's i have no chance of getting a compensation. It serves as a reminder to ditch ABB bookings in favour of other sources from now on.
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greenbarn
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Re: Disappointing AirBNB cancellation policy

Post by greenbarn »

The attitude from AirbnB is unbelievable; but this, of course, makes everything all right......... :roll:
Be reassured that our extenuating circumstance policy is there to protect both guests and hosts and it works both ways.
so as spicykebab suggests, if an accommodation provider decides to pull the plug on the guest for what AirbnB deem an acceptable reason, the guest is hung out to dry. Never mind all the other arrangements in place and the need for alternative accommodation....

Is this policy in line with a business contract between a guest and an accommodation owner acting in a professional manner, or is it aimed at a fairly casual agreement between somebody on their travels and a property owner looking for a bit of pin money on the side?

The message seems pretty clear.

Worth remembering perhaps how AirbnB started - as Airbed and Breakfast, a means to find a room with maybe an inflatable mattress and a bit of toast in the morning for travellers on a very tight budget. I thought they'd made real strides to shed that image and move into the mainstream holiday rental business, (albeit with short city breaks as their most likely market) but this episode suggests the opposite.

They don't fit my market profile and I wouldn't have used them for that reason; now I have rather more important reasons for not using them.

Sympathies to spicykebab, AirbnB have shafted you. :evil:
la vache!
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Re: Disappointing AirBNB cancellation policy

Post by la vache! »

greenbarn wrote: They don't fit my market profile and I wouldn't have used them for that reason; now I have rather more important reasons for not using them.
Interesting - without exception all the AirBnB guests I've had have fit the profile of other guests I receive, i.e. middle classish, well educated, very nice cars etc.
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apexblue
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Post by apexblue »

Started a conversation with AirBnB on their FB page about this if you want to add your comments.
It is better to remain quiet and have one think you are stupid, than to open your mouth and remove all doubt....

The biggest mistake we make in life is thinking we have time.
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greenbarn
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Re: Disappointing AirBNB cancellation policy

Post by greenbarn »

la vache! wrote:
greenbarn wrote: They don't fit my market profile and I wouldn't have used them for that reason; now I have rather more important reasons for not using them.
Interesting - without exception all the AirBnB guests I've had have fit the profile of other guests I receive, i.e. middle classish, well educated, very nice cars etc.
Interesting indeed. I suspect that from a location and pursuit standpoint we're outside their likely target market - same for most of the big sites now though.
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