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Air BnB advice sought

Over the weekend my wife and I booked up a nice place to stay in the South of France for a couple of weeks.  We paid half now and half to pay in July.  No problems
 Air BnB have offered it at.
Then the day after confirming everything I got a text message from the owner saying Air BnB have incorrectly given me a discount and that he wants to book it all through his own website - but will honour the discounted price.  But that I need to cancel the Air BnB booking and wait for my refund.

Having looked into it there have been a number of instances of this type of thing wherre the owner is merely trying to avoid paying them any commission but similarly there have been instances where this is a scam and we could turn up and the property is already in use or, worse still, isn't even their property.

The property has no reviews on Air BnB as it's newly advertised on there apparently but it has numerous reviews on its own website as well as on Booking.com.  My issue is I now don't know if I trust the owner and am wondering if I should just cancel and go somewhere else altogether....

anyone got any opinions on the best course of action?

Comments

  • Would you pay a rebooking with a debit card or credit card? 
  • Swisdom said:
    Over the weekend my wife and I booked up a nice place to stay in the South of France for a couple of weeks.  We paid half now and half to pay in July.  No problems
     Air BnB have offered it at.
    Then the day after confirming everything I got a text message from the owner saying Air BnB have incorrectly given me a discount and that he wants to book it all through his own website - but will honour the discounted price.  But that I need to cancel the Air BnB booking and wait for my refund.

    Having looked into it there have been a number of instances of this type of thing wherre the owner is merely trying to avoid paying them any commission but similarly there have been instances where this is a scam and we could turn up and the property is already in use or, worse still, isn't even their property.

    The property has no reviews on Air BnB as it's newly advertised on there apparently but it has numerous reviews on its own website as well as on Booking.com.  My issue is I now don't know if I trust the owner and am wondering if I should just cancel and go somewhere else altogether....

    anyone got any opinions on the best course of action?
    I'd cancel the boking with Air BnB, explain why and show them the communication from the owner.
  • edited May 2022
    It’s a scam. Some properties on air b&b area not real. Tell air b&b urgently 
  • Seems like a scam, cancel with air b&b and explain why.
  • thanks all.  Looks like my morning will be spent sourcing a new holiday villa!

    Appreciate the responses you beautiful bunch and nice to talk about something other than a new manager or non-existent signings
  • We rent out our holiday homes on AirBnB and this sounds very dodgy.
    Contact AirBnBand tell them about this. They react very promptly if something dodgy is going on.
    You will need to contact them first to avoid a cancellation fee being charged. If it is a scam they will make sure you are not charged this CF.
    Good luck!
  • Report to Air B & B, get your money back, walk away

    There will be plenty alternatives to choose from
  • Of course accommodation providers don't like paying commissions but you're paying for their marketing. Without Airbnb the OP would not have found this accommodation and therefore wouldn't be booking at all.

    I don't use Airbnb for our guesthouse in Phuket but use other online agents. During the good times out Booking.com commission bill was pretty large! We'll usually suggest to guests that if they return, they contact us directly and they'll get a better price next time, usually a price that saves the guest money and makes us a little more.

    I'd never do what this person has done and I agree with the comments above that the property owner should be reported to Airbnb and the OP should find an alternative.
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  • We rent out our holiday homes on AirBnB and this sounds very dodgy.
    Contact AirBnBand tell them about this. They react very promptly if something dodgy is going on.
    You will need to contact them first to avoid a cancellation fee being charged. If it is a scam they will make sure you are not charged this CF.
    Good luck!
    Out of interest where are your places 😀
  • Sorry for the hijack but I’ve been meaning to ask on here about Airbnb actually. 

    My Dad has a holiday chalet in Hayle, Cornwall that he lets through the holiday park site. I’ve been telling him to give Airbnb a try at some point as he’d probably save a fair chunk of money. He’s currently paying around 25% of the chalet’s income to the holiday park. 

    To anyone who uses Airbnb for their rentals… Would you say it’s worth doing?

    Many thanks.
  • Swisdom said:
    thanks all.  Looks like my morning will be spent sourcing a new holiday villa!

    Appreciate the responses you beautiful bunch and nice to talk about something other than a new manager or non-existent signings
    Is it Lee Bowyer's gaff by a big lake?
  • Alert AirBnb ... sounds dodgy ....  the 'discounted' price is all in his control ... he can't blame Airbnb for that.  Scam.
  • Swisdom's sitch reads very much like a scam and needs avoiding.  Cancel under the website terms and take your money elsewhere.

    Marketing holiday lets on multiple platforms isn't rare.  Occasionally you'll find the same property with the same availability at very different prices on different websites.
    We sought out a flat for a weekend, for a wedding do, last summer, in Falmouth right near the Truro ferry.  Found one that looked like it fit the bill but was north of £1200 for 2 nights which would have stung.  We kept looking across AirBnB, Hoseasons, Cottages.com, VRBO, etc  Weren't surprised to spot the same flat on 3 unconnected websites, were surprised to see that on one of them it was £850.  Double checked, no "cleaning fees", "service charges" or any of that business through the reservation/payment process.  Come the day, the owner met us with the keys, gave us a tour around and 'how to' with all the appliances.  We didn't mention the price discrepancy.  
  • Rylo said:
    Sorry for the hijack but I’ve been meaning to ask on here about Airbnb actually. 

    My Dad has a holiday chalet in Hayle, Cornwall that he lets through the holiday park site. I’ve been telling him to give Airbnb a try at some point as he’d probably save a fair chunk of money. He’s currently paying around 25% of the chalet’s income to the holiday park. 

    To anyone who uses Airbnb for their rentals… Would you say it’s worth doing?

    Many thanks.
    Before we started out we did a market check of the various platforms and Booking.com is definitely the most expensive with 25% commission with AirBnB, VRBO (Vacation Rentals By Owners - comprises something like 26 sites worldwide) coming in at between 3 and 8% depending on how the invoicing is done.

    I would definitely recommend it.

    PS we also advertise on a local website for a flat rate and with the local tourist office, also for a flat rate.
  • Swisdom said:
    We rent out our holiday homes on AirBnB and this sounds very dodgy.
    Contact AirBnBand tell them about this. They react very promptly if something dodgy is going on.
    You will need to contact them first to avoid a cancellation fee being charged. If it is a scam they will make sure you are not charged this CF.
    Good luck!
    Out of interest where are your places 😀
    We are on the Ile d‘Oléron in SW France.

    https://www.les-marees-doleron.com/
  • I'm going amsterdam Friday. We booked an apartment on booking.com.

    Our booking has just been cancelled and all of a sudden rebooked by someone else 🤔 you just cant beat a little bit of drama can you.
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  • Rylo said:
    Sorry for the hijack but I’ve been meaning to ask on here about Airbnb actually. 

    My Dad has a holiday chalet in Hayle, Cornwall that he lets through the holiday park site. I’ve been telling him to give Airbnb a try at some point as he’d probably save a fair chunk of money. He’s currently paying around 25% of the chalet’s income to the holiday park. 

    To anyone who uses Airbnb for their rentals… Would you say it’s worth doing?

    Many thanks.
    Before we started out we did a market check of the various platforms and Booking.com is definitely the most expensive with 25% commission with AirBnB, VRBO (Vacation Rentals By Owners - comprises something like 26 sites worldwide) coming in at between 3 and 8% depending on how the invoicing is done.

    I would definitely recommend it.

    PS we also advertise on a local website for a flat rate and with the local tourist office, also for a flat rate.
    Lovely, thanks very much for that info!
  • Rylo said:
    Rylo said:
    Sorry for the hijack but I’ve been meaning to ask on here about Airbnb actually. 

    My Dad has a holiday chalet in Hayle, Cornwall that he lets through the holiday park site. I’ve been telling him to give Airbnb a try at some point as he’d probably save a fair chunk of money. He’s currently paying around 25% of the chalet’s income to the holiday park. 

    To anyone who uses Airbnb for their rentals… Would you say it’s worth doing?

    Many thanks.
    Before we started out we did a market check of the various platforms and Booking.com is definitely the most expensive with 25% commission with AirBnB, VRBO (Vacation Rentals By Owners - comprises something like 26 sites worldwide) coming in at between 3 and 8% depending on how the invoicing is done.

    I would definitely recommend it.

    PS we also advertise on a local website for a flat rate and with the local tourist office, also for a flat rate.
    Lovely, thanks very much for that info!
    Happy to give you any other info by PM, if you want.
  • Rylo said:
    Sorry for the hijack but I’ve been meaning to ask on here about Airbnb actually. 

    My Dad has a holiday chalet in Hayle, Cornwall that he lets through the holiday park site. I’ve been telling him to give Airbnb a try at some point as he’d probably save a fair chunk of money. He’s currently paying around 25% of the chalet’s income to the holiday park. 

    To anyone who uses Airbnb for their rentals… Would you say it’s worth doing?

    Many thanks.
    I would get your dad to check his site agreement before jumping ship. I have just bought a lodge on a small site in North Cornwall and it clearly states if I want to rent it on a regular basis as a business all rentals need to go via the park so they know who is coming and going.

    Yes they take a fee however that includes a full clean on departure and change and cleaning of bed linen and towels. 

    It is of course different if I want to let a family member stay in for an odd week but regular renting is vis the site.

     
  • JohnBoyUK said:
    Not related at all but I've got a recent positive story to tell about AirBnb.

    We've used Airbnb in quite a few countries now and we recently went to Dubrovnik and we stayed in an Airbnb in Zaton about 5 miles outside.  Was a stunning 5 bed place for 2 of our families but as most of you will know who have tried Dubrovnik, there's steps everywhere, as most properties are built into the mountain side.

    So, it was not really a surprise when my mother-in-law lost her footing on the awkward step outside down to the pool area and ended up fracturing her femur and ball joint of her hip, resulting in a hip replacement.

    Now this is where our superhost Irena came into our own.  She has been an absolute hero.  She bribed the hospital staff to let my wife and her brother in to see their Mum (their hospitals have strict no visiting orders due to covid), she translated for my wife in conversations with the surgeons and doctors, she visited my MIL every day (we flew home at the end of the week with the kids while the MIL stayed in hospital for another 9 days) taking her food and fresh fruit.

    When my MIL was finally released, Irena took her back to her own home and put her up for 3 days and cared for her until the insurance company arranged the air ambulance home for her.  She's been back home since last Wednesday but she's got a long way to go in her recovery.

    And that doesnt even take into account she is an absolute stunner too.
    Best Superhost ever.
    She bribed the staff to break the hospital’s “no visitor” rule. Not sure I’d be singing her praises.
  • JohnBoyUK said:
    Not related at all but I've got a recent positive story to tell about AirBnb.

    We've used Airbnb in quite a few countries now and we recently went to Dubrovnik and we stayed in an Airbnb in Zaton about 5 miles outside.  Was a stunning 5 bed place for 2 of our families but as most of you will know who have tried Dubrovnik, there's steps everywhere, as most properties are built into the mountain side.

    So, it was not really a surprise when my mother-in-law lost her footing on the awkward step outside down to the pool area and ended up fracturing her femur and ball joint of her hip, resulting in a hip replacement.

    Now this is where our superhost Irena came into our own.  She has been an absolute hero.  She bribed the hospital staff to let my wife and her brother in to see their Mum (their hospitals have strict no visiting orders due to covid), she translated for my wife in conversations with the surgeons and doctors, she visited my MIL every day (we flew home at the end of the week with the kids while the MIL stayed in hospital for another 9 days) taking her food and fresh fruit.

    When my MIL was finally released, Irena took her back to her own home and put her up for 3 days and cared for her until the insurance company arranged the air ambulance home for her.  She's been back home since last Wednesday but she's got a long way to go in her recovery.

    And that doesnt even take into account she is an absolute stunner too.
    Best Superhost ever.
    She bribed the staff to break the hospital’s “no visitor” rule. Not sure I’d be singing her praises.
    Suspect you might if it was someone very dear to you 
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