No WiFi in Airbnb

[EatingRipeCamembert]

How much refund would you request if there was no WiFi in your Airbnb?

We're here for six nights, four of us, phone signal barely works in the area.

Having no WiFi is having a big impact on our holiday, teen & young adult DC are cut off from contacting friends and we can't watch TV or films in the evenings.

We can't do the things we'd usually do in between going out.

I'd never have chosen somewhere without WiFi, the property is listed as having it and the host has been very casual about it not working. I asked for it to be fixed but the host says she can't give me any assurances. I've asked for a partial refund and she's said she'll need to ask her brother, but hasn't got back to me.

I've seen that Airbnb has a facility to request a partial refund, I have to suggest the amount.

We paid around £1700 for 6 nights, what's a reasonable amount to request for a partial refund?

Possibly from a cafe, or using phone signal in the garage.

@Solymoly that's exactly the sort of things it's intended for, they sell RV mounting things I think

Sure, but if you go away for 2-3 weeks once a year and get it and cancel after a month each time, it’s nothing in the scheme of the overall holiday cost (flights, accommodation, outings etc)

I think with Airbnb you’d need to clarify what is considered a major amenity (look at the air over page) to be able to claim for this and if you followed the correct procedure advised by air bnb on that page to raise it with the owner and then with Airbnb…things like not being able to access a pool or hot tub as advertised are covered, Wi-Fi is a tricky one…..it may be down to the good will of the owner ( who obviously needs good reviews for future bookings).

I would have left the same day and requested a full refund. But we run a business that can't be left so we rely on wi-fi or decent mobile signal at all times, no negotiation.

really depends on the circs. My last holiday, we’d have had to leave and move somewhere with WiFi, so it would be a big deal.

In case anyone's interested, I put in a request for a refund of £600 (£100 a day) via Airbnb. The host refused it, the reason given was 'the refund amount was unreasonable' with the following message (translated into English using Google translate): 'Even if I recognise the inconvenience of an internet malfunction, I am absolutely not responsible for it and I refuse such high compensation for a problem which in no way affects the quality or comfort of my accommodation.'

On the Airbnb page it tells me I can ask Airbnb to step in to help. I'm not sure yet if I'll do this, I'll sleep on it. I might just leave a bad review instead.

My phone signal is a bit better today than it has been previously which is good. But even so it will only manage MN updates or texts or WhatsApp from the garage, it won't let me load web pages, Instagram or Netflix. And standing in the garage for 10 mins at a time is ok, but not v relaxing!

What exactly is wrong with the wifi? ISPs don't tend to like service outages and usually aim to resolve within a few hours, if an engineer is needed they're usually out within 48 hours. If the issue is on the Air B and B's side then resetting the router will usually fix the issue.

If it is only the wifi that is down and the broadband connection still works you can get ethernet cables on Amazon for around £1 per meter and most TV/Xbox etc have an ethernet port these days. All my equipment runs hardwired because my wifi signal is terrible. I'm sure the host would refund you an ethernet cable so you can get Netflix etc.

I'd definitely be getting Air B and B involved. Lots of people don't even look at properties with no wifi. Would also threaten the host with as much bad publicity and squealing as possible, hell even sharing the link on here before it gets taken down. She's taking the absolute piss.

Get Airbnb involved - they may even have a suggested percentage - this can’t be a unique situation

I am absolutely not responsible for it
they are responsible; they advertise wifi therefore it should be available and any issues rectified.

Quite!

Hi OP, Air bnb host here. If you report it Air bnb should give an automatic refund/discount of around 30% for an amenity not working/not being present. Not sure why you're bring asked to specify an amount. It's not up to the host. Air bnb tends to side with the guest.

Definitely don't threaten them as then you're less likely to get compensation and any review would be removed as 'retaliatory'. I'm an Air bnb super host and on host forums.

I'd ask for 10-15% refund.

But I'd also plan a trip out to the nearest decent sized town to pick up phone signals and download a ton of stuff: movies, maps, podcasts, books etc.

Perhaps I should've been clearer, I didn't mean through Air B and B specifically. Other mechanisms to threaten them with.

Always some judgy person on these threads. There are lots of very real reasons people need WiFi. And for some they just want it. Which is quite fine.

You can only complain if it was on their list of items provided. Every listing has one.

It was - that’s in the OP.

Ger airb&b to sort it out. You are on holiday and don't need this shit.

Please please escalate it. She is responsible and has done nothing to rectify.

It doesn't matter. Basically if the host can prove they were threatened by a guest for a bad review if they don't give a discount, then Air bnb will take the negative review down. Most hosts keep communication to the platform anyway.