Details about the guest rebooking and refund policy

We value the feedback about the rebooking and refund policy we’ve heard from Hosts through workshops, the Community Center, and Host Clubs. A number of Hosts expressed concern about a recent change we made to this long-standing policy, and we realize that we need to be clearer.

From your feedback, we understand that many Hosts aren’t familiar with the policy, and our update raised more questions than answers. We also know that you need more details about how the policy works.

As a result of your comments, we are removing language about Hosts being responsible for rebooking costs from the policy. To give you more peace of mind, here are the answers to some of your most frequently asked questions about the policy.

1. Is the 72-hour time period the only change to the policy?
The one key change to the existing policy: We extended the time period to report issues. Guests will now have 72 hours from discovery of a travel issue to report it to Airbnb.*

We also simplified the language of the policy. The substance of the policy remains the same.

Like the previous policy, the updated version explains how refunds work when travel issues arise, such as Host cancellations, problems with check-in, broken or missing amenities, listing inaccuracies, and cleanliness issues, hazards, and pests.

2. What language are you now removing from the policy around rebooking?
We are removing this language: Where Airbnb incurs costs in assisting a guest with finding or booking comparable or better accommodations, the Host will be responsible for, and Airbnb will have the right to require the Host to pay or otherwise reimburse, those costs in addition to the amount of any refund.+

Although this language has been part of our refund policy since 2019, we don’t use it in practice.

However, based on your feedback, some Hosts thought the language was new and expressed concern about the unknown expense they could incur. To be clear, we have not made Hosts pay or otherwise reimburse Airbnb for rebooking guests. Removing this language should give you more certainty.

In the near future, we will address cancellations by Hosts and limited egregious issues caused by Hosts—like a double booking—that make it necessary for Airbnb to rebook guests. We will be workshopping how to address these Host-caused cancellations with you in the coming weeks.

3. Why did you change the time period to report issues?
Guests have been telling us that 24 hours wasn’t enough time to reach out for help and get their issues resolved. We investigated other possible time periods and concluded that giving guests 72 hours after they discovered an issue to report it to Airbnb actually resolved most of the guests’ concerns, because it gave Hosts more time to address the issue.

Though guests will now have 72 hours from discovery to report a travel issue to Airbnb, the policy states: Before submitting a claim, whenever feasible, the guest must notify the Host and try to resolve the travel issue directly with their Host.

If guests contact Community Support first, our standard practice is to remind them to reach out to the Host directly, and Community Support will also try to contact the Host.

In the event guests discover a travel issue and report it after the 72-hour period ends, Community Support will still direct the guests to contact the Host to resolve the issue. We want to help mediate a positive outcome because our goal is always to try to save your reservation.

Guest claims should never come as a surprise to Hosts. We are committed to providing you with the opportunity to share your side of the story so we can determine a fair outcome.

4. What makes guests eligible for a refund, and how do you determine the amount?
Guests will be eligible for a refund if they report a valid travel issue—like the absence of a major advertised amenity, such as a pool—within 72 hours of discovery, and they provide appropriate evidence to support their report.

Guests are not eligible for a refund if a Host is able to resolve a serious issue quickly enough to avoid any negative impact on the stay or for a minor issue, like an unemptied trash can.

Typically, guests will only be eligible for a full refund for nights not spent in a Host’s space. When guests choose to remain in the space, they will generally only be eligible for a partial refund for any nights impacted by a serious travel issue.

The size of a refund depends on the severity of the issue, the impact on the guests, whether the guests remain in the space, and the portion of the stay affected.

Full refunds are generally only available to guests for major issues that cause them to vacate the space within the first 24 hours of their stay. Guests are eligible for only partial refunds if the issue is less serious, or they choose to remain in the space.

5. Will you require guests to contact me if there is an issue?
Guest claims should never come as a surprise to Hosts. We are committed to providing you with the opportunity to share your side of the story so we can determine a fair outcome.

The updated policy states: Before submitting a claim, whenever feasible, the guest must notify the Host and try to resolve the travel issue directly with their Host.

If guests contact Community Support first, we remind them to reach out to the Host directly, so that you have an opportunity to resolve the issue.

6. How am I protected from guests submitting false reports just to get a refund?
We take false claims very seriously. Our policy makes it clear that issues caused by guests are not covered and that submitting false or exaggerated reports may result in serious consequences for guests.

We have a process in place to assess and investigate all guest claims to help protect Hosts from false or exaggerated reports. This process includes requiring valid proof, such as photos of the conditions or confirmation of an issue from the Host. If we identify guest misrepresentations, we take appropriate action to hold guests accountable.

We have highly skilled, specialized Community Support team members who are experts on this policy. This team reviews all guest reports to determine whether they are supported with appropriate evidence. Depending on the nature of an issue, we may require that evidence be collected at the time of discovery to help ensure the conditions were not caused by guests.

We continue to invest in this dedicated team to help ensure we deliver a quality experience and issue refunds only when merited.

7. What if something happens that’s out of my control?
If you have a valid extenuating circumstance or similar situation beyond your control, we’ll work with you and your guests to find a mutually agreeable and fair resolution.

If guests cause damage to your property and you need time to fix it, you’re protected by AirCover for Hosts.** With AirCover for Hosts, Airbnb reimburses lost income if you cancel confirmed bookings due to damage.

If your space isn’t habitable at check-in because of the presence of pests, that can cause a very real health and safety concern for guests. A full refund may be necessary for a significant issue, such as a rat infestation, and we will assist with rebooking the guest.

We understand that some locations or spaces may be particularly susceptible to certain pests—mosquitos, ants, lizards, etc.—and we take that context into account. Disclosing the presence of endemic insects and animals in your listing description helps set clear expectations for guests in advance.

8. How can I appeal an outcome I disagree with?
Hosts who want to appeal an outcome can contact Community Support with appropriate evidence.

If a Host provides sufficient evidence that contradicts a guest report or that we have made an error in one of our determinations, we will either deny the guest claim or reverse our decision, as appropriate.

Some Hosts collect a time-stamped video prior to every check-in to ensure they have a record of the conditions of their space immediately before guests arrive.

9. If guests complain about an issue, will Airbnb cancel my future reservations?
For serious travel issues that could impact future guests on upcoming reservations, like a broken heater in the middle of winter, we may cancel future reservations until we have confirmation from the Host that the issue has been resolved.

10. Can I be held responsible for issues guests create, like not being able to get into the space because they show up early or can’t find its location?
If a reported issue is caused by guests, the Host will not be held responsible.

11. Can guests get a refund if they complain about something relatively minor, or about something I’ve already disclosed in the listing?
Minor issues, like a broken hair dryer, that don’t impact a guest’s stay and don’t require them to vacate would not support any refund. If your listing says that you don’t offer something, such as cable TV, you won’t be expected to have it.

12. Can guests get a refund if I fix the issue?
Prior to submitting a claim, whenever feasible, guests must notify the Host and try to resolve the issue directly with the Host before reporting it to us. Often when the Host resolves the issue, guests have no need to contact us, and no refund would be requested.

If guests contact us because an issue was not resolved in a timely manner by the Host, the amount refunded will reflect the portion of the stay that was impacted by the issue.

13. Can guests get a full refund after the stay is complete?
If guests remain for an entire stay and report the issue only after leaving, they will not receive a full refund. They could be eligible for a partial refund that fairly reflects the impact of the travel issue on their stay.

+Please note that the Japanese version of our Rebooking and Refund Policy did not contain this language and, for that reason, we did not remove or change any language in that version.

*The guest reporting period for travel issues for domestic reservations in mainland China remains 24 hours from discovery.

**Host damage protection, Host liability insurance, and Experiences liability insurance don’t cover Hosts who offer stays through Airbnb Travel, LLC, or Hosts in mainland China and Japan, where the China Host Protection Plan, Japan Host Insurance, and Japan Experience Protection Insurance apply. Host damage protection isn’t related to Host liability insurance.

Information contained in this article may have changed since publication.