@HostAirbnbVRBO Glenn, I asked for a death certificate because I’m confident that there was no death in the family and that the guest is trying to scam me.
I think it’s really unfair that Airbnb puts the host in a position to decline the full refund instead of explaining to the guest that death in the family has been determined by Airbnb not to be an extenuating circumstance. Airbnb plays the “good guy” and makes it seem that it’s reasonable for the guest to request a full refund. I’m not part of the Hilton family, I depend on bookings to pay for the cost of owning a property and I’m in no position to give the guest a full refund.
@JohnF I have followed your instructions and reported the message from the guest. Further, when Airbnb contacted me, I asked that the guest be blocked from contacting me and booking my place. And, believe it or not, I was asked to send a screen shot of the nasty guest message – the message is in the Airbnb’s platform and Airbnb has access to it, so why ask me to send a screen shot?
Thank you @MissMiami . I strongly agree with you that Airbnb should not put you in this position, where you look like the bad guy.
IF somehow the family comes up with a death certificate, which could be counterfeit, I am supposing that that could be determined (these records are a matter of pubic record). But if they do, and even if it somehow it were authentic, I would still make the argument that it is irrelevant, that seeking the certificate was a way for you to be accommodating to the request from Airbnb customer service, but that regardless any death is not an extenuating circumstance per Airbnb’s own rules.
It is disingenuous for Airbnb to pressure a Host to act inconsistently with its own policies. Airbnb is, or at least was, in the travel insurance business. If not, it could link up with one who is. It is Airbnb, which controls the platform, that is in the best position to protect guests by educating guests on its platform and offering or referring guests to those who offer travel protection for just these circumstances, free, discounted, full fare or not at all.
When Airbnb fails to do provide the guest an easy mechanism to protect itself the burden must fall on those who could have protected themselves from a financial loss in unfortunate circumstances: the guest. This must be a learning moment for the guest who could have bought travel insurance but didn’t, and for Airbnb who could have offered that insurance, discounted it or even given it away, but didn’t.
We each must take responsibility, even in, maybe especially in so-called ‘life events’ such as death. Too many people choose to be uninsured in the event of a disability, a death or other situations and then prey upon the emotions of family, loved ones, the government when we can only wish they had asked help paying the insurance premium rather than seeking to make us their unpaid insurer of last resort.
When people simply fabricate these events to grift a discount or refund, for them must be reserved a place in one of Dante’s circles of Hell. Cancellation policy: unavailable.
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Hello
Personally I would never get involved with discussions with guests about cancellations. I wouldn’t have asked for a death certificate. I would have simply confirmed to the guest that I was sorry to hear they had a death in the family and that any cancellation via Airbnb will be processed under the cancellation policy they booked under. And that should they want a refund over and above what they would be entitled to under the policy they booked under, they should contact their travel insurance company regarding their eligibility to make a claim.
You can ask Airbnb to block the guest from contacting you and you can also go into the message and report it to Airbnb.
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Agree—to take this one step further the guest actively chose to forfeit refunds for a 20% discount. The guest could’ve enjoyed a more relaxed cancellation policy and CHOSE not to. They knew there was risk involved.
This really boils down to the guest taking responsibility for his actions/decisions.
Airbnb doesn’t want more bad press by a guest ranting about no refunds for a death in the family.
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@Helsi When Airbnb reached out to me to reconsider the guest’s plight and authorize a full refund, I asked the “Ambassador” if the guest had presented a death certificate. I did not realize that Airbnb would convey to the guest that I had asked for a death certificate.
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Any job in the USA requires copy of death certificate, obituary naming the employee as a survivor or death notice to creditors to receive bereavement pay
I worked with a person who claimed a grandmother died every few months. Different managers. She continued to get 3 paid days off until finally someone asked for the documentation—opps.
Yes. I think Airbnb prefers to put the blame on the host rather than taking heat (undeserved) for the refund policies. As a host I prefer that the blame be assigned to the host. The guest will think maybe the next host won’t be so cold hearted. Otherwise they will leave the platform. I hope hosts don’t fall for the “Airbnb spirit” mumbo jumbo and don’t provide refunds outside of the cancellation policy.
Always a favourite. Mostly a granny or granpa. I left Airbnb because all responses were one way. Then I went with VRBO and got smashed on bookings. But they take weeks to pay, and can be snarky when I am into my 3rd guest (long term for STR, like 4 weeks etc.) and they still havent paid. So I have just shut that down as well. Going LTR.
We literally just had this same thing happen. It was for a month long stay and the woman’s mother died as they were leaving to head to our property. They wanted to adjust the dates but I wasn’t sure if they were trying to get out of the booking. They ended up staying for a couple of days and then headed to another state for the funeral so they missed a few days of the booking. I offered them a few free days at the end of their booking at no charge and they were super appreciative. Then they extended their stay by 2 weeks (until they have to leave as we have another booking). However, they then booked another month at another one of our properties and are literally working with a realtor friend of mine to find a place to buy here! We’ve become friends now and it has been a complete surprise how this worked out. There are still some good, honest guests out there!!! Janet
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The vast majority (98%?) of guests are good and honest. But a perfect stay isn’t news and few people look for a forum to post about it.
Thank you for sharing your positive experience.
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I have a guest who is claiming the death of a family member and wants a full refund. Airbnb’s representative believes this is an extenuating circumstance. I promptly reminded her that this is not an extenuating circumstance and no refund should be provided.
I feel like Airbnb is going to screw me on this one because this rep is so uninformed.
I will have to escalate to a supervisor if they give this guest a refund.
Ask the rep to point out where in the EC policy it says the death of a family member is a refundable EC. It says the exact opposite.
There are exactly 5 things which are covered, death in the family is not included, and it specifically says anything other than those 5 things are not covered.
Send her the same link she sent you, suggesting she may need to familiarize herself with the policy. 
“Thank you for your response. I suggest you read the EC policy you sent me the link to (which I am already quite familiar with), where you will find that a death in the family is not covered by that policy.”
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This worked.
I lost a large payout last year when a guest claimed death and Airbnb gave her a refund. I’m very thankful to this community for helping me keep this payout and preventing Airbnb’s poor CS from stealing my payout.
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Glad it worked out. If it weren’t so aggravating, and such a time waster, it would be laughable that the CS reps send links to policies they haven’t even familiarized themselves with.
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@JohnF @Helsi @Annet3176 Update: despite blocking the guest (or so I thought) and informing Airbnb of the nasty message I received from the guest (and I sent a copy of the message) whereupon the Airbnb agent told me he would take care of it. Nonetheless, a few days later I received another message from the guest. Very upsetting.
Just don’t respond. If you don’t respond there is nothing for them to engage with.
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Message the CS rep and let them know that their promise to block the guest from contacting you any further has not taken effect, that you are still receiving offensive messages from this person.
Then, as Annet advised, just ignore the messages. Don’t let them upset you. Regard them as you would some guy in a dirty raincoat exposing himself on a street corner. Distasteful, but easily ignored.
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So sorry to hear this. Get back onto Airbnb and ask them to confirm they have now blocked the guest on the platform.