Again in December 2023, Taylor Stephenson, a technical undertaking supervisor at TPG, and his spouse snagged tickets for the ultimate date of Taylor Swift’s “The Eras Tour” in Vancouver, British Columbia, which might happen a full yr later, in December 2024.
Understanding that lodging can be in excessive demand, the couple headed straight to Airbnb after securing their live performance tickets. Scrolling by the listings, the couple could not imagine their luck after they quickly discovered the right trip rental. The 2-bedroom condo was spacious, economical and inside strolling distance of BC Place Stadium, the place the tour’s closing live shows can be held.
Inside minutes of reserving the holiday rental, the Airbnb host despatched a affirmation to the Stephensons. And identical to that, all the things was set for his or her journey to Vancouver to see the final “Eras” present.
For the following 12 months, the couple and Stephenson’s sister-in-law fortunately appeared ahead to the massive occasion.
After which the vacationers’ luck ran out.
A final-minute Airbnb cancellation earlier than a sold-out live performance
Simply three weeks earlier than the live performance, Stephenson obtained an abrupt cancellation message from the Airbnb host. The girl who had beforehand been fairly cordial to the couple despatched simply 5 chilly phrases that put their total journey in jeopardy.
“Sorry. Place not out there.”
After all, by then, the price of accommodations and trip leases in Vancouver throughout the live performance dates had exploded into the stratosphere. Additionally, the restricted out there properties weren’t akin to Stephenson’s authentic Airbnb, both in measurement, location or consolation.
With time operating out, the couple hoped TPG may step in and assist. They solely needed what they’d booked: a snug condo inside strolling distance of the live performance venue. And, after all, they needed to pay the value they’d agreed to a yr earlier.
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However what do Airbnb’s phrases and situations say a visitor is owed if a bunch cancels their trip rental on the final minute? The reply may shock — and disappoint — you.
Hoping the Airbnb host made a mistake
Initially, after receiving the sudden no-context cancellation message, Stephenson hoped there had been some mistake.
In spite of everything, the sold-out live performance dates have been proper across the nook. Anybody attending the present actually had booked their lodge or trip rental way back. There was no manner Airbnb may enable this host to cancel and depart them stranded like this, Stephenson thought.
Earlier than contacting Airbnb, he tried to get some clarification from the host about why the holiday rental was instantly unavailable. He nonetheless had just a little optimism that this cancellation may very well be reversed.
“She [the Airbnb host] by no means answered,” Stephenson informed me. “After she despatched that cancellation message, we have been on our personal.”
With no additional communication from the host, Stephenson and his spouse turned to Airbnb for emergency rebooking assist.
That is when the state of affairs took an additional flip downward.
Airbnb provides a considerably comparable unit … for $600 extra
Stephenson’s spouse, Laura, took the lead in attempting to get help from Airbnb. The group wanted a substitute trip rental ASAP. Nevertheless, she rapidly received caught in a irritating suggestions loop with the itemizing large, presumably resulting from using synthetic intelligence.
By the Airbnb decision heart, the agent steered three substitute properties. All out there trip leases got here at the next value — a number of hundred {dollars} extra — and none appeared to be inside strolling distance of the stadium. That element was of specific significance to the group, who wouldn’t have a automotive.
“We did not wish to be strolling for miles earlier than and after the live performance within the freezing Canadian winter!” Stephenson informed me.
Then, the Airbnb agent discovered an appropriate trip rental in a walkable location. He stated it could value the couple simply $28 greater than they’d already paid for the unique property. That appeared acceptable to the Stephensons. Nevertheless, the fee ballooned after they tried to substantiate the reserving.
“Initially, the Airbnb consultant quoted us a price of $28,” Stephenson reported. “However then the bill we needed to pay to ebook the property had a further $600 due to a cleansing price.”
Again to the drafting board.
The couple had no intention of paying a $600 cleansing price for a three-night keep. However now it appeared that Airbnb was out of choices for the Stephensons.
Airbnb’s AirCover addresses last-minute host cancellations
Sadly for Airbnb visitors, when a bunch bails on the final minute throughout a serious occasion the place substitute properties are restricted, a refund would be the solely factor an Airbnb agent can present.
Airbnb’s AirCover for Friends coverage covers all bookings made straight by the platform. The coverage particulars what Airbnb will do for visitors if their trip rental turns into unavailable inside 30 days of the reservation dates.
The coverage states, “Each reserving comes with AirCover for visitors. If there is a critical subject together with your Airbnb that your Host cannot resolve, we’ll provide help to discover a related place, relying on availability, at comparable pricing. If the same place is not out there otherwise you’d choose to not rebook, we’ll offer you a full or partial refund.”
As a result of there was little or no availability in Vancouver throughout the live performance dates, the Stephensons now appeared to have simply three decisions — none appeared truthful.
- Settle for a property outdoors of the town.
- Pay tons of of {dollars} extra to remain within the metropolis at a noncomparable property.
- Settle for a refund and search for a substitute property or lodge on their very own.
However then Stephenson considered one different choice. As a technical undertaking supervisor at TPG (however a civilian traveler), he thought we may assist.
Will Airbnb present the assistance these visitors want?
The clock was ticking when Stephenson’s pressing request for assist hit my inbox. I hoped we may help, however sadly, if no substitute Airbnb properties have been out there, I believed the couple might need to regulate their expectations and keep outdoors the town.
Studying by the paper path the Stephensons had collected, it appeared clear to me that the host had canceled to rebook at the next charge, as a result of she supplied no rationalization for the holiday rental’s unavailability. In all earlier messages earlier than she canceled the reservation, she had been pleasant and useful, giving ideas and native ideas for the group.
After she despatched her abrupt cancellation message, there was simply silence.
Clearly, there are occasions when a bunch should legitimately cancel a reservation. If one thing inside the holiday rental breaks — like a water heater or the heating system failing within the winter — the Airbnb host could don’t have any alternative however to interrupt the contract.
Transparency is essential for Airbnb hosts to take care of their standing as respected “companies.” A number canceling with out rationalization three weeks earlier than the reservation, which occurs to be throughout Taylor Swift’s closing live performance, is the alternative of respected.
Asking our govt contacts at Airbnb
Sadly, as a shopper advocate, I obtain a number of some of these requests for assist. Over time, blindsided prospects of each Airbnb and Vrbo have contacted me after a bunch has left them with out a place to remain on the final minute.
In a few of these instances, Airbnb has compelled the trip rental host to uphold the reservation that they clearly canceled for a money seize. After all, any such state of affairs may make for an uncomfortable keep, however I believed it is likely to be one choice on this case. The opposite choice can be to place the Stephensons in a dearer property and both the unique host or Airbnb ought to cowl the upcharge.
It was time to ask our govt contacts at Airbnb what they thought must be achieved for the Stephensons. This workforce will not be customer-facing, however they’re govt problem-solvers I can contact as a shopper advocate and media member.
Here is an excerpt from our correspondence.
“… A couple of days in the past, this host (****) simply casually despatched a textual content to the couple that she needed to cancel. No rationalization. It appears apparent that she rebooked the property for extra money for the live performance, however after all this left the couple with none place to remain for the live performance.
An Airbnb agent has been serving to this couple to search out an alternate place, however the entire properties are inferior, additional away and dearer. At this level, the property that Airbnb steered, that the couple is leaning towards accepting (since they don’t have any different alternative), goes to value them a further $600. This does not appear truthful since they booked the unique property a yr in the past. The host is clearly doing one thing sketchy right here to make additional money, however that scheme should not value this couple extra cash.
May your workforce take a look at this and see what might be achieved right here? Thanks! 😀”
The excellent news: Here is a (largely) comparable Airbnb at no expense
The excellent news for the Stephensons got here in a short time. Airbnb discovered the couple a stunning substitute property. Sadly, it was not comparable in measurement, but it surely was inside strolling distance of BC Place Stadium, which was probably the most vital a part of this equation.
The substitute Airbnb was a smaller one-bedroom as an alternative of a two-bedroom. Laura’s sister needed to sleep on a pull-out sofa as an alternative of in a separate bed room. But it surely may nonetheless accommodate all of them, in order that they accepted that decision.
In the long run, Taylor, his spouse Laura and her sister Hannah had a superb time in Vancouver and these Swifties cannot look forward to the following tour to return round.
What in case your Airbnb host unexpectedly cancels your reservation?
The excellent news is that last-minute cancellations will not be frequent on the Airbnb platform. That is as a result of hosts are financially and algorithmically penalized within the listings after they cancel a visitor’s reservation inside 30 days of the check-in date.
However right here are some things you are able to do earlier than selecting a trip rental that can decrease your likelihood of reserving with a less-than-reliable host — and what to do if it is already too late.
Look fastidiously at evaluations
Earlier than reserving an Airbnb, it is best to search for evaluations from individuals who’ve stayed there beforehand. Sadly, as a result of Airbnb does not enable visitors to assessment properties they’ve not truly stayed in, you will not be capable to inform if the host has canceled earlier leases. However you possibly can assessment whether or not this host was attentive to their visitors who accomplished a keep.
Most hosts prepared to cancel you on the final minute to earn more money reserving a brand new reservation additionally aren’t very focused on taking good care of their visitors, and that comes by in evaluations. So, at all times search for clues in these evaluations that the property’s host or co-host is not guest-friendly.
All the time hold conversations with the host on the Airbnb platform
Don’t settle for calls from an Airbnb host to debate your reservation. All conversations ought to stay on the Airbnb platform in its personal message heart, which the corporate can even entry. I’ve mediated many instances wherein the visitor and host have vastly totally different understandings of what was stated between the 2.
When the issue escalates to Airbnb, these saved conversations can be used to assist your place. If you happen to’ve taken your conversations off the platform you will not have the proof it is advisable simply repair your downside.
By no means cancel your Airbnb on the host’s suggestion
I’ve additionally seen unreliable hosts encourage their visitors to cancel the reservation in order that they (the host) do not need to do it.
This Airbnb host was upfront and did not fiddle. They canceled the reservation and did not try to coerce the renter to cancel. However many Airbnb hosts will make that try earlier than they cancel your reservation.
If the visitor cancels, Airbnb will contemplate the reservation closed and instantly launch the funds to the host. If you happen to have been hoping to get your a refund, you’d now face an uphill battle since you canceled the reservation, not the host. Airbnb will apply the cancellation penalties to the renter.
So, by no means cancel an Airbnb reservation on the insistence of a bunch. It’s their accountability to cancel if they cannot fulfill the rental contract phrases.
Escalate your request for assist to Airbnb
If you happen to’re battling Airbnb for a refund or want rehousing, you could have to escalate your criticism. Sadly, a lot of the front-line help at Airbnb is dealt with by synthetic intelligence and name facilities sourced from overseas. More and more, vacationers discover it tough to achieve somebody throughout the firm who has the authority to repair issues for purchasers.
My shopper advocacy group Client Rescue may help you attain a customer-facing govt. In case you are having an issue with Airbnb (or another firm), you possibly can ship a request to my workforce, and we’ll provide the most present contact info for an govt particular person there who we all know has a historical past of serving to prospects. All of our providers at Client Rescue are free.
Backside line
Sadly, trip rental house owners typically cancel their visitors’ reservations on the final minute to relist and make more cash.
The truth is that there is not rather a lot you are able to do should you meet up with an unethical Airbnb host prepared to sacrifice their status for {dollars}. If it occurs to you and no comparable locations can be found, you will should be versatile. Additionally, be ready to deliver your request past the front-line customer support … possibly even to TPG.
Keep in mind, if regardless of your greatest efforts to resolve a difficulty with a trip rental company, cruise line, automotive rental firm, or airline, you are still hitting a wall of resistance, TPG is right here to assist. Ship your request for help to ombudsman@thepointsguy.com and I will be completely satisfied to attempt to repair your downside, too.
