Expensive Vacation TROUBLESHOOTER: Last spring, I designed an Airbnb reservation for a vacation rental in Lanai, Hawaii, in November 2020. Simply because of the COVID-19 travel limits, I canceled the reservation in May possibly.
Airbnb denied me a full refund. I attempted to phone Airbnb to discuss this denial, but the keep time was regularly around two several hours. Sensation I had no other recourse, I disputed the declare with Cash One, my credit card organization, and was provided a conditional refund.
Capital Just one sided with Airbnb a month later and urged me to resolve this right with Airbnb. I attempted to do so. I used for a refund on the net and was explained to that, because of to the holiday rental’s refund plan, there would be no refund.
I known as the owner, and she reported that she does not have a report of my reservation, nor does she have any revenue from me for my reservation. She also has no policy that would have denied me a refund.
I contacted Airbnb with this information and facts. A representative promised to phone the proprietor and get back to me. Although she did not phone again, I received a notification from my credit rating card issuer that a refund of $282 experienced been issued to my credit rating card. But I hardly ever obtained it. Can you help me get my money again?
— Carl Baeuerlen, Los Altos
Response: You must be capable to get a entire refund. But your scenario is a little difficult. Let’s see if we can unpack it.
Airbnb had an “extenuating circumstances” policy that allowed company to cancel reservations for stays made on or ahead of March 14, 2020, with check out-in dates in between March 14, 2020, and April 14, 2020. But you had been exterior of that window.
That usually means the Airbnb extenuating instances plan did not apply to your rental in Lanai. But here’s where factors get appealing. Airbnb statements your rental wasn’t refundable, but the owner claims there was no these kinds of coverage. So who is correct? I’ll get to the answer in a moment.
You ran out of tolerance and filed a credit rating card dispute. In credit score card parlance, that is called a welcoming dispute, simply because you were doing enterprise with Airbnb. And your lender sided with Airbnb, which more difficult your situation.
I consider a brief, polite e-mail to just one of Airbnb’s executives could have aided. I record the names, figures and email addresses of Airbnb’s leading buyer services administrators on my site at elliott.org/enterprise-contacts/airbnb.
So whose policy should really prevail — the owner’s or Airbnb’s? I imagine the policies to which you agree are the principles that bind you. But people weren’t the rules to which the operator agreed, so you have some wiggle room. I’m unsatisfied that the operator hardly ever been given your deposit. That suggests Airbnb just pocketed your deposit. I guess that’s how Airbnb justifies its $80 billion valuation.
Supplied the truth that Airbnb experienced now promised a refund, I feel the procedure need to have been quite straightforward. I contacted Airbnb on your behalf, and you obtained your $282 deposit back.