How to Get a Refund for Airbnb Missing
If you think too seriously about the sharing economy, things will get weird. We’re perfectly ready to get into a stranger’s car (Uber) or stay in someone else’s house (Airbnb) – both of which we can arrange through our smartphone app. These services offer certain tokens of trust, such as verification and user reviews, but that doesn’t guarantee a positive or even safe experience, as two Airbnb guests in Los Angeles discovered this summer.
According to a story in the Boston Globe , the so-called ” superhost ” of Jalisa Jackson and Chiedozi Uwandu JJ woke them up at 5:30 am by shouting and knocking on the door. The next night, he jumped through the bedroom window while they slept, broke the glass and then ran away, but was found by the police and handcuffed.
It turned out that JJ was renting out the property, and in fact, she was not allowed to rent it out to others. The couple asked Airbnb for $ 5,000 in compensation for new housing ($ 2,300 costs) and general fear, but the company offered them only $ 2,500 plus five therapy sessions.
Another example: my boyfriend’s dad recently came to visit, and since we live in a small apartment, he booked a room on Airbnb a few miles away. The list, which received several positive reviews, included photographs of a furnished bedroom and one bed under the sleeping arrangements provided. However, when he checked in, he found a mattress on the floor and a bed frame leaning against the wall. Due to arthritis, getting up and down from the floor was impossible for three nights.
When he contacted the host about the misrepresentation, she became hostile, pointed to her positive reviews, and said he could leave if he wanted to. We were able to find other accommodations after the first night, and when my boyfriend and his dad returned to pick up their belongings, there was an eviction notice on the apartment door – it turned out that tenants were not allowed to run Airbnbs.
Airbnb offers refunds in some cases, so guests don’t lose hundreds of dollars on bookings that don’t meet expectations because hosts didn’t prepay. The company will resolve disputes if the host does not offer “reasonable access” to the listing; if the online ad distorts reality (as in our case); or if the ad is dirty, unsafe, or has an unknown animal in it.
How to request a refund
- First, try to resolve the issue with your host using Airbnb’s messaging feature. The company will review this conversation and your efforts if you continue to file a grievance.
- Take pictures or otherwise document your concerns.
- Contact Airbnb by phone or messenger . You must contact you within 24 hours if you notice problems with check-in, or immediately if a problem occurs during your stay.
- From there, expect conversations with Airbnb to explain and resolve the situation. If the booking has not been made through your account, then the person who actually booked the listing will likely need to participate as well.
However, Airbnb still does not guarantee a full refund, noting that the amount depends on “the nature of the travel problem” – in our case, they only refunded two of the three nights booked. Instead, they might suggest finding and booking a similar listing for the remainder of your stay, and they also won’t do much if they determine that you, as a guest, are indirectly or directly causing the problem.
According to Airbnb’s refund policy, the host is responsible for refunding Airbnb up to refunds or moving costs within 30 days, so in theory, dubious hosts don’t actually profit from misleading guests.
Of course, full or partial refunds do not eliminate the stress or frustration of terrible hosts, jeopardizing your safety or having to find a new place to sleep quickly. Positive reviews and “super host” status, as in the case of JJ, also does not guarantee a comfortable stay. (Superhost is Airbnb’s premier designation for hosts who do their best for their guests – automatically awarded to those who meet certain criteria.)
Before diving too deep into the shared economy, you should at least know what tools you have in the event of negative experiences – most likely, it won’t be much.