Coronavirus: how to get a refund from Airbnb, and why guests are confused by the company’s policies
- Many travellers have taken to social media to express their confusion over Airbnb’s refund policy over trips cancelled because of the coronavirus
- We break down the policy and explain who is eligible to get money back
Like most travel companies worldwide, Airbnb has been updating its policies throughout the escalating coronavirus pandemic.
The home rental firm blocked British bookings on its platform for the vast majority of customers on Thursday, allowing only key workers to stay in properties for as long as emergency government coronavirus restrictions are in place. The move comes after hosts using the site had been criticised for advertising “isolation retreats”, with tourism minister Nigel Huddleston saying that property owners were being “incredibly irresponsible”.
Airbnb last week barred British rentals that were private rooms in shared houses, and disabled the instant book function for whole properties, while offering guests refunds for rooms they no longer wished to take up.
“Anyone else struggling to get reimbursed from @AirbnbHelp despite their website and screenshots clearly indicating/showing you’re entitled to a full refund??” @alisonoc2 wrote.