Unacceptable business practices re: guest refunds

1

I am posting this here not so much for advice (though it is most welcome) but more as information for my host brothers and sisters…
First the details:
a guest booked the wrong night. She didn’t figure it out until she came into Vegas at night (she arrived on a Thursday night and needed it then-but she booked Friday night). We talked that night and figured out what happened. She had a friend she could stay with and she said she would still come over the next afternoon even though she had accommodations for Friday night.
She came over around 3pm, had her take out lunch, took a long nap, got ready to go out and left around 11pm. I offered her the room for the rest of the night if her other place fell through. I never heard from her again so I figured she was OK. That was Sept 2.
I never heard anything about this again (and why would I) but yesterday I happened to check my pending transaction and I see a pending refund for that stay. No notice, no info no nothing. I immediately called them and the “case manager” is supposed to get back to me. I am livid for 2 main reasons:

  1. I have a 24 hour cancel policy (the flexible one). All communication was within this window, so no refund should be granted period. In addition, guess what, the guest was actually in my apartment the bulk of the day and certainly used it. Why would you grant a refund here?
  2. And the big one of course is why wasn’t I notified? That is the inexcusable part.
    Now if they proceed with the refund I will send a standard protest to BBB, CA AG. But more importantly
    I am drafting a letter which will go to several airbnb executives to detail exactly how this went down. If they do nothing about it then I am accepting that as an implicit approval of these unacceptable business practices. If they do nothing I will do my best to get word out to all hosts especially people who are considering hosting and people who are considering getting out. I have noticed an extreme "pro-guest"
    slant in recent months where airbnb is breaking their own rules in order to grow business. The Uber analogy is good here I think.
    As current or future hosts we need to think about whether to continue to do business with this company. I will report on my efforts as I go through the process. Take it easy folks…
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2

What date did she make the booking?

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The reservation was made Aug 29

4

And there was considerable communication before she arrived. She simply had the dates wrong

5

I was only wondering if it was a stolen credit card. I know Air says they will not pay out if the card is “discovered” stolen before the money is transacted.

Why did she say she would still stop by in the afternoon even though she had accommodation that Friday night? Was she insinuating she would still like to take advantage of her full night’s booking??

6

I doubt it was stolen but I assume they will tell me if they suspect it. As for your second question I didn’t really ask her. She paid for the room so she was welcome to come and stay until checkout Saturday. My “feeling” was that she needed a place to chill in the afternoon and prepare for a night out. She was traveling light so she could pull that off.

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and BTW, they paid me normally the next day. This “pending refund” showed up later, I believe over a week after the guest left

8

DId you call them to find out why they refunded her?

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yes. and I am waiting to hear back

10

I would be very “politely” calling several times a day until answered. It’s your money they are playing around with.

11

If they had already taken the money I would be more into that! Its a pending refund however so I am hopeful they will do the right thing. As I detailed, I do have a plan if they go through with taking money from my account

12

I am going to be the goofy optimist here. I feel that when your case manager knows the whole story, that you will get paid. Please let us know the final outcome.

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13

What is your cancellation policy? If not strict, change to strict now!

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