Can You Get A Refund From Airbnb? Absolutely, Here's How

When hotels won’t cut it for your trips and vacations, Airbnb allows property owners to charge visitors to stay for short-term or long-term. Whether you’re staying in the city or the country, there are tens of thousands of picturesque listings on the site. With Airbnb operating in nearly 200 countries, it’s the most popular online marketplace of its kind.

But if you’ve had an underwhelming experience with an Airbnb property or were unable to stay there when you were booked to, what can you do about it? We at aRefund.com have all the answers and more.

Does Airbnb Accept Refunds?

If there’s a problem with your stay at an Airbnb property, you can ask for a refund and you have a chance of getting it. There are 2 scenarios in which Airbnb will grant full refunds: If the booking was canceled by the host or there’s a “Reservation Issue” which can apply to one of many different problems that a listing could have when an individual or party goes to stay there.

When To Contact Airbnb About Booking Problems

If there’s something wrong with where you're staying, you can let Airbnb know and they will figure out how to accommodate you, whether to offer you a refund or offer free lodging elsewhere.

Here are all the reasons that caused Airbnb customers to ask for refunds:

Are Airbnb Hosts Obligated To Maintain Their Properties?

Being an Airbnb host isn’t just about charging money for people to stay in the place they own. All Airbnb hosts have a responsibility to maintain the place as if it was their own home.

• The space must be properly cleaned, dusted and vacuumed.
• Everything in the space must be in their proper place, such as cookware, magazines, etc.
• There must not be trash or dirty dishes. Make sure all trash containers are empty for each guest or party that stays there.
• The space must be professionally inspected for structural damage, pests, and other hazards.
• All amenities and utilities must work.
• The rooms all must be present and as described.
• The listing must specify if other people and pets will be present.

The property must be clean before every guest stays there. Hosts can hire professional cleaning if he or she doesn’t have the resources, time, or skills to clean it before the next booking.

The Right Process For Requesting An Airbnb Refund

If something is wrong with your reservation or rented space, there’s a process that the company recommends before you decide to demand a refund. When you notice a problem with the property, here’s what you should do.

1. Contact the host. Airbnb needs to see the conversation with your host in text. Be respectful and don’t be vitriolic. Let them know what’s wrong and read the response. Sometimes they forget to empty the trash. Sometimes they hire a cleaning crew that no-shows. There’s always two sides to every story.
2. Take photographic and video evidence. Show everything wrong about the problem so you can present it to Airbnb later. Leave no stone unturned.
3. Contact Airbnb and show your conversations with the host as well as your evidence.

Depending on the complexity of the issue, Airbnb can decide to reward you with a refund or open a case with the Resolutions Center.

What Happens During An Airbnb Dispute?

When a dispute is opened, Airbnb will assign a handler to oversee your case. You’ll typically receive updates from the handler within 96 days if further information or evidence is needed. The handler basically works to retrieve information from both the host and guest.

A final decision normally takes around 15 days after the case first opens. If the handler rules in favor of the guest, the guest will receive a refund. If the host wins the case, the transaction will stand and nothing else happens. While not impossible, it’s very unlikely Airbnb will delete the host’s account, but if the space is deemed inhabitable by Airbnb, the site will disable the host’s listing until improvements are made and documented.

How To Get Help With aRefund.com

If Airbnb closed the food on a possible refund, you can get help from aRefund.com! We’ll work with your bank to see what can be done about the transaction you want removed.

aRefund.com works like this:

1. You set up your aRefund.com account with our website or mobile app.
2. You explain why you deserve a refund for your Airbnb stay.
3. Our AI wizard will find a chargeback code or “reason code” that makes your supposed refund more credible.
4. The AI wizard will write a professional letter to your bank.
5. The letter will be sent to your bank for review.

While the Airbnb Resolution Center takes around 2 weeks, aRefund.com typically takes less than one to get to a conclusion. If your bank approves your refund, it will take 3 to 5 business days for the refund to return to your account.

Other Ways To Contact Airbnb

Airbnb’s customer service can be found in multiple places on the internet so you can choose the most convenient option for you.

Here are additional contact methods for Airbnb:

• Phone Number - 1 (844) 234-2500
• Email - support@airbnb.com
• X - https://twitter.com/AirbnbHelp
• Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/airbnb/
• Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/airbnb/

Because Airbnb requires ongoing correspondence when it comes to refund requests, each method takes around the same amount of time to reach a resolution. If you want to go into detail on your experience with the Airbnb property, choose one of email or social media methods.

Filing A Complaint Against Airbnb

If you have a problem with Airbnb and its policies, you can take action against the company itself rather than the host or a guest.

Firstly, you can file a complaint to the Better Business Bureau. The company has responded to and resolved thousands of complaints in just 3 years. If you have a lot of money at stake because of a wrongful decision the company made, you can file a lawsuit in small claims court, or try to resolve the dispute with Consumer Arbitration.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

What Are Airbnb’s Customer Service Hours?

Airbnb hasn’t posted customer service hours. This is often an indication that the customer service team works around the clock to answer complaints from unhappy guests. It’s understandable as well since urgent matters can happen overnight.

Is Airbnb A Reputable Company?

Airbnb has a B rating from the Better Business Bureau (BBB). After 1,253 user reviews, the company has a score of 1.07 stars out of 5. The company has experienced over 7,000 cases in the past 3 years. The majority of complaints stem from refund denials and unresponsive service to claims of inhabitable property conditions.

I Had Problems With The Hotel I Stayed At That Airbnb Paid For. What Do I Do?

According to Airbnb’s website, you should contact the hotel to voice your concerns. You aren’t allowed to open disputes in the Resolution Center involving hotel visits, only listing on the Airbnb website.

What Airbnb Alternatives Are There?

If you want to try a different website similar to Airbnb, there’s always Booking.com, Vrbo, Plum Guide, Homestay, Hipcamp, and Vacasa. Of course, you’ll get different property listings from what you find on Airbnb, but you should be able to see listings of properties before you can register on that site.

How Much Time Do I Have To Contact Airbnb Regarding A Current Or Past Stay?

Airbnb gives guests up to 72 hours from the booking date to contact the company about problems with the property. That’s plenty of time for guests who stay for multiple days and experience problems beyond the initial 24 hours they have the property to themselves.