This forum is dedicated to connecting hosts with other hosts. Sign up to get the latest updates and news just for AirBnb hosts! Note that we are not affiliated with Airbnb - we are just passionate hosts!
Hi.
We have had our dishwasher leak and it has caused quite a bit of damage to our carpet. It is not in a state to have our next guest stay.
My concern here is that cancelling the booking will result in our plus and superhost status being removed.
Ive seen that Airbnb have an extenuating circumstances policy that states that penalties can be removed but when you click the link to the penalties, it doesn’t talk about losing plus and superhost status.
Im obviously concerned about this happening as without it, I don’t believe our place would be as successful.
I was going to try and arrange with guest about paying them cash back as a refund (this guest has stayed 6 times now and I think they’d be open to that), however, if there is a policy that can help us retain our status, then I’d rather go that route.
Has anyone hosts had to exercise the extenuating circumstances policy and what success have you had?
CALL Air and explain what has happened. They should take care of everything without costing you anything.
DO NOT offer or pay the guests anything as a refund. I don’t care if they’ve stayed 6 times or 60, or if they’re you parents!! All of that will be handled by Airbnb. That’s what they do – take in money and disburse it.
Really silly IMHO as a Superhost, to worry more about Superhost status than the damage to your home!!! A fonking travel voucher isn’t worth that much aggravation!
I had our entire guest apartment flood and we needed to remove all flooring and 4 feet of drywall in a 2400 square foot space. I called Airbnb and they asked me to take pictures and forward them the information. It took us 28 days to get back up and running. Airbnb took care of all the cancellations. We did not lose SH status and Airbnb was very compassionate during this challenging time. Call them ASAP!
I’ve used the extenuating circumstances policy 2X. 1-Air-conditioning system went out and had to be replaced. 2. water heater had to be replaced.
I called Airbnb as soon as I realized there was a problem & sent documentation of the replacements (photos of my repair receipts). All went well and I kept SuperHost. Of course I lost the rental income for those days. I let Airbnb handle the finances and they did the communication with the guest.
If felt sorry for my guests but situations like these were why they & I paid fees to Airbnb for the host/guest guarantee.
we had a sewage leak (!) a matter of hours before guests were due. I phoned Superhost support - they were brilliant! - I emailed them a couple of photos of the sea of sewage and they found the guests alternative accommodation and did not penalise us at all. Very pleased with the way that the support person helped.
We had a leak in our bathroom the same day we had guests arriving. I called the guest and explained the situation and also called Airbnb. As I couldn’t find a plumber to fix the leak I had to cancel the booking. The guest found alternative accommodation and was fully understanding of the situation. Later in the day I found a friend with plumbing knowledge who fixed the problem. I called the guest to see if they wanted to come but they were already on their way to their new booking. Airbnb were very suspicious asking for photographs of the problem and payment details for the repair. No money changed hands and I was unaware at the time for the need for photographic evidence. As a result I recently lost my superhost for the first time ever. Despite numerous phone calls it would appear they have no Protocol in place for this situation. To say I am pissed off is an understatement.
If you cancel your reservation due to extenuating circumstances, such as unexpected property damage, Airbnb will not penalize you for the cancellation. This means you won’t lose your Plus or Superhost status due to cancellation.
However, it’s important to note that the extenuating circumstances policy only applies to bookings made on or after March 14, 2020 that meet certain criteria. You should carefully review the policy to determine if your case meets the criteria.
If you’re canceling an upcoming reservation due to property damage, it’s important to notify guests clearly and promptly. Let them know the reason for the cancellation and offer to help them find alternative accommodation if possible. You might also consider offering them a partial refund or other compensation as an expression of goodwill.
If you decide to issue cash back to guests outside of the Airbnb platform, please note that this is not recommended as it violates Airbnb policies. All financial transactions between hosts and guests must be processed through the Airbnb platform to ensure safety and security for both parties.
I hope this information will be useful to you and I wish you good luck in resolving this issue.
