If you are an Airbnb host, you always try your hardest to give your guests the absolute best time.
However, there will always be times when life gets in the way, and you won’t be able to give your guests the kind of service they deserve.
If this inevitably happens, you need to know how to give a full or partial refund for Airbnb services. Issuing partial refunds not only shows goodwill on your part but will also increase your positive reviews.
What is a Partial Refund?
If you are a reputable Airbnb host, you will do whatever you can to provide your guests with the best experience.
However, some circumstances beyond your control will give your guests a less-than-ideal stay. Some of the reasons that your guests might cite when asking for a partial Airbnb refund include:
The guest won’t be able to check in at the agreed-upon date, but would still be using up the remainder of their booked date.
Inclement weather for a day or two of the guests’ stay.
Issues with the event that your guests were supposed to attend.
Even though Airbnb rules might not consider these as legitimate reasons for refunds, you, as the host can issue a partial refund on your own accord.
However, even if you are not mandated to issue Airbnb partial refunds, there are times when you just need to do it just because it feels right to do so.
How to Ask for Partial Refunds Respectfully
Now, if you’re a guest, and you feel like you’re entitled to a partial refund due to a less-than-satisfactory stay at an Airbnb, you can go about asking for it without sounding obnoxious.
First, send a private message to your Airbnb host or on the thread that you have on the website.
You should politely ask the host if you could get a partial refund from Airbnb, and then list the reasons why you believe that you are entitled to it.
While composing your message, make sure that you don’t sound too overbearing and sound like you’re complaining.
Since you’re asking for a partial Airbnb refund, it only means that you were not too perturbed about your complaints that you could still manage to finish your booking.
So, you should not act like you’ve had the worst Airbnb experience in your life.
In addition, if you ask nicely, the host will feel more inclined to approve your request. Keep in mind that hosts are not required to provide partial refunds just because you asked for it.
When Can You Send Partial Refunds?
There is no set timeframe to send your guests a partial refund. You can send them their refunds during their stay at your place, or after they check out.
If you’re a host, sending partial refunds is quite easy. You can easily find the forms in your host dashboard. In addition, you don’t have to wait for Airbnb’s approval before you can issue refunds to your guests.
How to Issue Partial Refunds
If you’re a host, you can issue partial refunds for your Airbnb straight from the app or website. You just need to navigate to the Resolution Center, search for the guest, and then click on the “Send Money” button.
Once prompted, you then need to click on the drop-down menu for the reason why you’re issuing a partial refund.
After choosing, you can then click on “next” and then on “send”. Airbnb will immediately send a notification to the guest and a timeline on when they can expect to receive the money.
How Much Can You Get as Partial Refund?
If you’re a guest, you also need to educate yourself about the amounts you can get for partial refunds.
Most of the time, the amount that you will receive as a partial refund will depend on the host’s cancellation policy.
However, you can find out how much you can stand to receive as a partial refund by going through the refund process. But stop just before you finalize the process.
Here are some more factors that can affect the amount you will receive:
If You Made Partial Payments
If you’ve only made a partial payment upfront, then you should expect that your partial refund will be significantly lower than what you’ve already paid.
The Local Cutoff/Cancellation Times
You need to take into consideration the local time zone. If you made your partial refund request beyond the deadline, even if it has not expired in your area, what’s important is the time zone of the host.
You used Coupons
If you used coupons to get a significant discount for your Airbnb, the discounted amount would be excluded from the computation of your refund amount.
Service Fees
Keep in mind that service fees are non-refundable once you cancel right after the free refund period has expired.
Extenuating Circumstances for Partial Refunds
There are times when you have no other choice other than provide partial Airbnb refunds to your guests. Here are some of the events that might prevent your guests from finishing their reservations:
Unexpected and Sudden Changes in the Government Travel Requirements
Countries have been known to suddenly change their visa or passport requirements seemingly on a whim.
This usually happens when certain global current events made countries stricter by limiting who can pass through their borders.
If your Airbnb reservation is right after a sudden change in travel requirements happened, you can ask for a complete or partial refund.
National Emergencies and Local Epidemics
If there’s a sudden outbreak of a disease in the area where you reserved your Airbnb, then you are entitled to a partial or full refund.
However, this does not cover illnesses that are already endemic in the area you booked your stay. For instance, you cannot cite extenuating circumstances due to malaria being present in Hawaii.
Sudden Government Restrictions on Traveling
This recently happened during the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic. Governments all over the world blocked international travel through their borders to prevent the spread of the disease.
Since setting this precedent, it is very likely that this will happen again.
Hostilities in the Host Country
Sudden military actions like acts of war, civil unrest, terrorist attacks, and the like will obviously necessitate partial and full refunds.
Airbnb will not purposely place their customers in danger, so they will actively discourage them from going through with their booking.
Natural Disasters in the Host Country or Area
Serious natural disasters that happen prior to the guests’ bookings are valid reasons for cancellations and refunds.
Large-scale disasters like volcanic eruptions, earthquakes, and abnormal weather conditions are valid.
However, common and foreseeable weather conditions are exempt from this rule regarding partial refunds with Airbnb.
For instance, you are not eligible for refunds when you booked a place in Florida during hurricane season and a hurricane predictably struck during your stay.
You need to do your due diligence in this regard.
Takeaway
Whether you’re a host or a guest, partial refunds on Airbnb can be quite confusing. As a guest, you’ll be asking if you are entitled to one.
As a host, you are wondering if you should be issuing partial refunds even if the guest isn’t asking for one. Hopefully, this article taught you the things you need to know about this issue.
Partial refunds don’t have to be overly complicated. Now that you know more about them, you should know how to ask and how to issue them.
