Host Promised to Refund After Cancellation, Then Didn’t

A recent traveler shares a difficult experience with a travel host and the refund process. A few days before a planned vacation, the traveler received bad news and needed to cancel. To access funds for an emergency, they politely requested a cancellation. The host asked that the cancellation be submitted through the app to “follow policy” and initially agreed to refund $410 plus tax and cleaning fees, totaling about $700 of the roughly $900 spent. The traveler agreed and canceled.

Shortly after, the traveler received a partial refund of $270. When asking the host about the discrepancy, the host responded, “I’m done dealing with you.” Reaching out to Airbnb support yielded a different perspective: support indicated that full refunds would be granted only with the host’s approval, and no additional refunds would occur without the host’s consent. The traveler notes that the cancellation occurred more than nine days before check-in, in a good area with ample time to rebook.

What to do next:
– Review the cancellation policy: Confirm the exact terms shown in the listing at the time of booking and the time of cancellation.
– Document all communications: Save messages with the host and screenshots from the app regarding the promised refund and the partial refund.
– Contact Airbnb support with a clear timeline: Include dates of booking, cancellation, promised refund, partial refund, and any statements from the host.
– Request escalation: If the host is unresponsive or uncooperative, ask support to escalate the case or to involve a human reviewer.
– Consider alternative remedies: If policies permit, explore a chargeback with your payment method as a last resort, but only after reviewing Airbnb’s terms and ensuring you are within any applicable windows.
– Protect future bookings: When possible, choose listings with transparent refund policies and consider communicating expectations in writing to avoid similar issues.

If you’ve experienced a similar situation, sharing specifics about the listing type, booking dates, refund amounts, and your communication timeline can help others navigate the process more effectively.