@airbnb refusing refund.

[prince percy]

i have an issue with airbnb who are refusing to refund me and the complaints process it really unhelpful.

Last month i booked 1 nights stay in Bradford, Yorkshire for my family of 5 and two dogs used the app in the normal way. We drove for over four hours to get there only for the host not to have given any access details to get in. Tried the helpline and they couldn't get hold of the host so the cancelled the booking and we were left with nowhere to stay. 

As i was running the Leeds Marathon the next day i needed to stay and find somewhere to stay and managed to find a travelodge obviously at short notice this cost me more than my booking with airbnb.

When i got home i read the "aircover" terms and it states that if you are unable to get in they will find you alternative accommodation, i was not offered this and left on my own. 

i raised this as a complaint and they agreed to refund my the cost of the Travelodge if i provided them with an invoice.

I though this would be the end of it but now having sent them the conformation emails from the Travelodge they are saying they are not a valid invoice and are refusing to pay.

i have tried to challenge this and emailed the CEO and tried Twitter ect but no they are just ignoring me.

I am about £100 out of pocket because of this but there doesn't seem to be any sort of ombudsmen to regulate them,.

 

[dx100uk]

bank statement?

dx

[Ethel Street]

Ask Travelodge for an actual invoice and receipt for payment? I would think lots of people ask Travelodge for this as many people will need it to make expenses claims. So Travelodge's systems should be able to provide it. 

[FTMDave]

Travelodge always send me an invoice whether I want one or not!

A quick call to the Travelodge you stayed in should do the trick.

[prince percy]

I've sent airbnb a copy of my credit card statement. the VAT invoice that was emailed to me by Travelodge and they are refusing to pay saying i have not provided sufficient proof for the claim.  I have now had a final decision and the case is closed. They are now ignoring my requests for information.

Having had a look around there seems to be no regulator or ombudsman for @airbnb so i don't think i have anywhere else to go unless i try the small claims court.

[dx100uk]

what about a cca section 75 claim to the credit card co.?

go ring them.

 

dx

 

[Ethel Street]

Do you have their offer to reimburse your Travelodge cost in writing?

AFAIK Airbnb and similar platforms aren't regulated by anybody; it's not a government regulated business.

[BankFodder]

You say that you are out of pocket by £100. How do you calculate this please and are there no other expenses involved such as extra petrol or travel et cetera?
Did you have to pay meals that you might not of had to pay had you been in a self catering air B&B?

And also what is the receipt/invoice which you have sent them? Maybe you can post a copy of it here in PDF format

[prince percy]

I have it in writing that they would refund me the cost of the additional accommodation that is what i find so frustrating is thy have agreed but won't accept my booking email as proof of booking. 

I don't think i can claim on my credit card under cca section 75 as the original booking was refunded.

My main issue is that because the booking was cancelled at such short notice i had to book something else which cost more. I also had to buy diner for five because there was not cooking facilities in the Travelodge. 

 

 

[BankFodder]

Thank you.

When I asked you whether there were other expenses, I sort of expected you to tell me and also tell me how much those expenses were. Silly of me I suppose….

[prince percy]

My airbnb booking was £139 for a 2 bed house in Bradford for family of 5 and two dogs

Travelodge was £197 for one night two rooms not facilities to cook ect

Take away dinner for 5 was £55 (was planning pasta for tea and cooking ourselves)

sorting this whole mess out also took about two hours and caused a lot of undue stress i didn't need the night before a marathon.

[BankFodder]

So what is your total out-of-pocket figure including meals and other ancillary reasonably incurred expenses?

[BankFodder]

I did also ask you if you could put up the invoice/receipt which you had received in PDF format. Is there some reason why you haven't done that

[prince percy]

i am £113 in expenses plus a massive amount of inconvenience and time this is now taking up.

i can't save the invoice as a pdf at the moment as i don't have the software to do it will need to do it tomorrow on a different device. 

 

[BankFodder]

Yes please, I think we should see it.

I think your next step will be to send a letter of claim to them. Given 14 days and then sue them on day 15 for the £113 plus interest plus your costs.

If you're happy to do that then please post up the invoice as requested and also a draft letter of claim.