Airbnb autocratically applying penalties to users by taking your money.

Pathetic Autocratic bullying by Airbnb over booking calculation problems with their system for hosts. Read the below interaction which is still unresolved after a few days of speaking to a deaf ear.

Airbnb Support 11 July 23 20:29 Hi Michael, let’s get you some help. We’re going to ask you some questions and then connect you with a member of our support team.

Michael 20:29 It’s about this reservation Sarah Aug 31 – Sep 28 4 guests

20:29 Can you describe your issue in a few sentences? This will help our team understand what’s going on.

Michael 20:30 Hi There. My booking limitations on my profile set up as a monthly rule disallows a booking of less than 50 days for this period yet this booking was automatically accepted by AirBNB. I do not wish to have this booking at this price because it prevents me from longer winter bookings and my settings to prevent this didn't seem to block this booking or convert it into a request from the guest to reconsider my formerly set up choices.

Airbnb Support 20:54 Hi This is Allan D pto help you Do you want to cancel this reservation ? Don't hesitate

12 Jul 2023

Michael 16:49 If I cancel it, I will be responsible for costs which is not reasonable, as the error was caused by Airbnb. I prefer if you cancel it and I am not liable for any loss of funds, reputation or ratings. (good standing with Airbnb.

Message from Airbnb Support Airbnb Support 16:53 Hi Michael, Thanks for taking the time to reach out. I'm going to forward your case to a member of our team who's in a better position to resolve this for you. We understand that this may have caused some inconvenience to you Michael, so we're grateful for your patience. Best regards,

Michael 16:54 Thanks

Message from Airbnb Support Airbnb Support 17:08 Hi, Michael! My name is Maria, I am from Airbnb.

We can see in our system that at the moment when the reservation HMDHAHQ399 was made, you haven minimal amount of the 5 nights. Reservation was accepted automatically, because you have Instant book on. If you want to, I can cancel the reservation HMDHAHQ399 on your behalf, but it will be cancellation with penalties, according to the Host Cancellation Policy: https://airbnb.com/help/article/990 The Host can cancel a reservation without adverse consequences only if the reason is one of the following: https://airbnb.com/help/article/2022 If you have any questions, please, let me know. Best regards, Maria.

13 Jul 2023

Michael 08:30 You are incorrect. 5 nights is the general minimal booking but there is a special condition set long before the booking that limits the guest to 50 nights. I cal pull a screenshot for you. It is a special condition that is called September. This is an error on AirBnB side and no penalty should apply if I cancel.

Message from Airbnb Support Airbnb Support 15:31 Hi, Michael! It is Maria from Airbnb. From the 1.09.23 you have minimal nights 50 (I will attach the screenshot). Before the 01.09.23 you have set 5 nights minimal and because the reservation HMDHAHQ399 Check-in date is Aug 31, 23, the Guest has possibility to book less than 50 nights. Best regards, Maria.

Michael 22:11 Yes but they can’t book the dates after that for less than 50 nights. On 1 Sept which they have booked they are obligated to book 50 nights but they have only booked 28. There is the problem. It has nothing to do with the fact that on the first night they only needed to book 5 nights minimum. That means that any day up till 1 Sept they could book 5 nights but and day after 1 Sept they were required to book 50 nights. It’s very clear the way it is worded to the host to do inputs.

Message from Airbnb Support Airbnb Support 22:12 Your issue is important to us, so I want to let you know I won’t be able to respond to this query until 14.07.23, because my shift is about to end. I will continue to work on your case on 14.07.23. All communications will be documented in this case. Best regards, Maria.

Michael 22:13 Ok. Enjoy your evening.

14 Jul 2023 Message from Airbnb Support Airbnb Support 14:37 Hi, Michael! It is Maria, I am from Airbnb. Thank you for your patience. About your question, Check-in in the reservation HMDHAHQ399 is on Aug 31, 23 and that's why your rules for minimal 50 nights was not app****. Best regards, Maria.

Michael 15:55 Since when does a check-in date determine a rule, that's nonsense. Look at this analogy: So, if the price of $100 is on check-in date and $200 for all dates thereafter, is the guest going to pay $100 for all nights. No he isnt. He will pay according to the rule for the days he has booked. The fault is on Airbnb's side.

Message from Airbnb Support Airbnb Support 15:59 Michael, I understand your frustration. But since the reservation was booked on Aug 31, 23, the general settings was app****. Minimal 50 nights starts from the September 1, not from the Aug 31, 23. Pricing settings and listings settings are two different things.

Best regards, Maria.

Michael 17:23 The pricing setting and the min days is on the same page so please don’t tell me that they are different things. Sure they are different but if one applies to a day so should the other unless you explicitly indicate to the user otherwise which you haven’t in my opinion. You are welcome to prove me wrong on this if you can. The fact that I have my settings for a given period and your system ignored them isn’t my fault. I also do not recall anywhere where you indicate that any of your settings of minimal stay override, pricing or availability options take the first booking date as the precedent so unless you can prove this to be I know that I am undoubtedly in the right to expect a cancellation without penalty or simply a rejection of you booking which contravenes my selected accepted conditions of agreement.

Michael 17:32 I can see why AirBnB are wanting to remove these settings as I’m sure I’m not the first host to encounter this programming problem. The fact is, it is a problem that need to be addressed and for which AirBnB need to accept accountability and not penalize hosts. BTW Booking.com lost two years of my business to you because of a similar bullying tactic app**** by them. In retrospect it was a really stupid decision on their part. One thing I can admit is that the flexibility of pricing, pricing automation and stay length limits AirBnB can learn a thing or two from BDC. I do prefer almost all other aspects of your platform especially your normally unbiased attitude toward hosts vs guests bit unfortunately seems lacking when it comes to host versus AirBnB system errors.

Message from Airbnb Support Airbnb Support 17:50 From the Aug 1 – 30, 2023 you have minimal nights 20 (I will attach the screenshot). Meaning that the custom settings that you chose was from Aug 1 – 30, 2023 (Aug 31 was not included). The next custom settings that you chose was set from Sep 1 – 28, 2023 (I will attach another screenshot). And because the Check-in for the reservation HMDHAHQ399 is on Aug 31, 23, both custom settings was not app**** to this date.

Let me know if you have any other questions, please.

Best regards, Maria.

Michael 17:57 I totally understand that but you have failed to answer any of my previous questions and similarly have failed to justify that my setting that applies for all dates in September can be ignored by you when the price settings are not ignored. Simply put, you have app**** a single element in a single date setting to the whole of the booking to justify it. Unless there is a specific notification that this is the way the system will compute your logic and reasoning is grossly flawed and I object to it. Please answer my former questions to justify your computing rules you have chosen to adopt in this case.

Message from Airbnb Support Airbnb Support 18:06 I apologize for any confusion caused.

When a Guest makes a reservation, the system generates the settings based on the check-in day. In this particular case, since the check-in for the reservation is on August 31, 2023, the settings specific to that day were app****. It's important to note that the system computes the settings based on the check-in date to ensure accuracy and consistency throughout the reservation.

Michael 18:13 You also seem everly so eager to post screenshot of things I already know so let me do you the same favour and you can see that the 50-day minimum limit covers 27 of the 28 days booked and you are arguing that you use only the one of your preference instead of mine to book MY apartment and you're threatening to fine me for cancelling YOUR error by deducting from future earnings without authority to do this? I'm wondering if you are by any chance under new management or supervision because you are prepared to lose my business that stems many years for a mistake you will not admit to and for which you are not able it seems to justify your booking calculation method.

Message from Airbnb Support Airbnb Support 18:32 The dates that you sent in the screenshot it is the dates from the September, not from the August. Guest made this reservation from 31 of August which means that August settings was app**** to this reservation and that's why the Guest was able to make a reservation for the less than 50 days. We have to follow the Airbnb rules and in this case, the penalties should be app**** if you want to cancel this reservation.

Michael 19:11 "When a Guest makes a reservation, the system generates the settings based on the check-in day." Are you saying that it does not matter what prices you select for each day you choose because the system will charge all days at the same price as the check in date?

Message from Airbnb Support Airbnb Support 19:12 We would love to help you resolve this case as soon as possible. To make sure that you receive continuous support, my colleague is going to take over this ticket to ensure the fastest resolution to your issue.

In the meantime, please feel free to reply to this message if you have any further questions or concerns. We appreciate your patience.

Best regards, Maria.

Message from Airbnb Support Airbnb Support 19:40 Hi Michael,

This is Codrin from Airbnb Support

Your issue is important to us, so I want to let you know I won’t be able to respond to this query until July 17.

If you require urgent assistance, please call us at ***. Otherwise, I’ll continue to work on your case on July 17.

All communications will be documented in this case.

Best regards, Codrin

Michael 19:42 "The dates that you sent in the screenshot it is the dates from the September, not from the August."

I know this. If I could select all dates in Sept which isnt available due to your booking, it will show the same setting as the 28th.

"Guest made this reservation from 31 of August which means that August settings was app**** to this reservation and that's why the Guest was able to make a reservation for the less than 50 days."

I know this too and don't need you to repeat it over and over.

"We have to follow the Airbnb rules and in this case."

No we don't..... they are flawed.....these rules are not conveyed to the user and actually to the contrary the system shows the probability and logically that the single day calculation principal applies. See my attachment again. AND furthermore, you have not in any way shown me where you have published the rules of this calculation, keeping in mind that the guest input method and visual layout (as per my attachment) indicate the contrary.

"The penalties should be app**** if you want to cancel this reservation."

No, they shouldn't, unless you are being totally autocratic as it is becoming completely evident. My evidence that you are at error is overwhelming and without any evidence presented by you to show otherwise. You have still failed to prove to me, despite me asking you more than once WHERE you have indicated to guests that their special condition settings will be ignored on a minimum occupancy basis only, but the availability and pricing will apply AND that minimum occupancy will be calculated on the single setting of the date of check-in. IF you can do this, and ONLY if you can do this, then I agree that a penalty may apply for cancellation and then only with reasonable consideration of the contrary evidence i have presented to you.

It certainly seems that you are not up for any further reflection, so it leaves me with the decision to make cancellation and either challenge you legally if you penalise me or take evasive or retaliatory action which may be detrimental to my good standing with Airbnb and will most certainly result in no or a substantially reduced income you make from me in the future. I certainly will never put my customers in a situation like this if I want my business to flourish. Your call. Good luck!