Airbnb refund

[ShaftedCO19]

A few months ago my friend booked accommodation in an Airbnb apartment for myself and two others. We were on a course this weekend.

The course was cancelled a few days ago because the leader has had to self isolate.

Our Airbnb host has informed my friend that as her cancellation policy is strict that she won’t issue a refund or let her change the date of the booking. She advised her to cancel saying that if she could rebook the dates she would give her a refund. We think this is unlikely.

Airbnb themselves say that as there are no travel restrictions in force in the UK, this is down to the host’s discretion. They won’t intervene. My friend has tried calling them several times to try and see if she can get someone different who will help with no luck. She’s also messaged the host who now won’t respond. When she calls her she simply hangs up.

My friends and I are down over £200 each.

By the way I’m a host myself. I also use a strict cancellation policy.I always warn my guests of this before they reserve and should have told my friend to check the policy before she booked. I didn’t think of that so am prepared to eat the loss.

Anyway please keep safe and don’t get caught out if you plan on using airbnb in the near future.

But you and your friend chose to cancel, why would you be entitled to a refund? If you had to cancel because someone had the flu or broke their leg would you be expecting a refund?

If the host had cancelled they would probably have to refund you.

You can still use the Airbnb though? Go and make the most of it.

We can’t because the booking is cancelled.

The cancellation policy for each host is always visible when you book. At this late notice the host likely won’t be able to find someone else to book the accommodation so you have to pay. That’s why the cancellation policy is in place.

Absolutely right not to refund. Your friend is showing poor form hounding the host so much she hangs up! That’s really rude of your friend.

It’s shit, but shit happens.
I’d go and have a weekend away anyway.

If your rude friend hadn’t pissed the host off, they might have been prepared to un-cancel it. Personally, I wouldn’t want your friend near the place.

Yes but you cancelled it, the booking itself was still safe but you no longer needed it, that is not the host or air bnb's fault. Did you pay with credit card or have travel insurance (maybe with Bank account)? You could try those but as it's only the course that's cancelled they are unlikely to cover you

Could you not have used the booking anyway and enjoyed the area the course was in rather than cancel entirely

I had to cancel ans airbnb recently and I missed the deadline for a full refund by a day , entirely my fault , the host shouldn't have to be out of pocket as they probably wont be able to resell the dates

YABU - your friend has chosen to cancel - it would be the same if they had pre paid a travel lodge or hotel - they could still have used the place and had a holiday

Why should she get a refund and leave the host out of pocket? YABVVVVVU

Do something else fun in the area instead. It's nothing to do with the host if your course was cancelled. Jeez!

Why not just go anyhow and do something else? It's not the host's fault the course is cancelled. Actually, a lot of hotels will still charge you if you try to cancel less than 24 hours before the booking.

I'm a host with a moderate policy and I wouldn't refund in those circumstances. At that kind of notice the host will have done most of the prep and is unlikely to get a replacement booking. YABU and your friend IBVVVVVU

You could have still used the air bnb and done something else in the area. I don’t think the host did anything wrong, your friend should have read the cancellation policy.

By the way I’m a host myself. I also use a strict cancellation policy.I always warn my guests of this before they reserve

So how would you treat this situation if you were the owner?
Surely you'd say their course cancellattion is not within your control, but they are still welcome to use the house/rooms during the time they've paid.

They cancel, they lose out, surely?

If you don't get a refund. Don't cancel. This is general advice for anything. You might as well use or have the option to use what you have paid for.

YABU 100s of people have not gone on holiday and lost their money. Not just you, my Mil was sue to fly to italy last weekend, she has lost hundreds. You could still go and enjoy the bnb.

YABVU. Why should you get a refund? The airbnb can still be used and the host shouldn’t be out of pocket because you’re choosing not to go.

Totally misread the OP -long story short voted YANBU by accident.
YABU! You could still keep the booking and do something else for the weekend, I'd read it that she cancelled the course, so should be refunded but nope the course is nothing to do with her and you're perfectly capable of still going to the accommodation.

Wont your travel insurance cover it?

Why would it? Travel insurance doesn’t cover courses cancelled, in my experience.

Why should the host lose out? It's not the host's fault and you didn't have to cancel. If there was a travel advisory then okay but under the circumstances, YABU. Your friend needs to stop hounding for a refund. She is being VVVVVU.

Why did you cancel it? I'd have used it if I couldn't get a refund.