Airbnb's refund policy specifically excludes hurricanes in Florida, making it hard for guests during Hurricane Ian to get their money back.
It turns out that the cancellation policy of the giant rental platform, Airbnb, does not include the storm season in Florida.
(Photo : TOSHIFUMI KITAMURA/AFP via Getty Images)
The US rental site Airbnb logo is displayed during the company's press conference in Tokyo on June 14, 2018.
Airbnb Refunds Apparently Excludes Florida Hurricanes
As per the latest news story by Business Insider, the guests of the rental platform canceled their bookings as Hurricane Ian flexed its wrath in Florida.
However, they were surprised to learn that they could not get their money back due to the refund policy of Airbnb. To be more precise, the cancellation rules of the rental platform excluded the historical storm that struck Florida.
Business Insider notes in the same report that Airbnb follows an "extenuating circumstance policy." It essentially allows users to get automatic refunds, along with waived cancellation fees, during unexpected circumstances.
What Are the Exemptions in Airbnb's Cancellation Policy?
It appears that the "extenuating circumstance policy" has some exemptions. And one of them is the hurricanes in Florida.
The news outlet notes that there are a couple of weather disturbances and health-related issues that the rental platform excludes from its policy. It comes as Airbnb considers them too common.
Airbnb says they are "common enough to be foreseeable in those locations." It includes various weather events, such as winter storms, cyclones, hurricanes, tropical storms, typhoons, and endemic diseases, Business Insider notes in the same news story.
What Could Airbnb Guests Do Instead?
According to a report by Bloomberg, Airbnb confirms that its extenuating circumstances policy does not include hurricanes in Florida. So, if they are looking to get full refunds, they need to reach out to the host of the rental listing they booked on the platform.
(Photo : JOEL SAGET/AFP via Getty Images)
This illustration picture taken in Paris on August 29, 2018, shows a toy umbella and houses next to the logo of rental website Airbnb.
This illustration picture taken in Paris on August 29, 2018, shows a toy umbella and houses next to the logo of rental website Airbnb.
The media outlet notes that the Facebook group of Airbnb shows that numerous hosts believe that the refund in such a situation is actually a no-brainer for them. One of the hosts says they even asked their guests to leave as the area is already under mandatory evacuation order.
So tons of Airbnb hosts have given back the money of their customers that have canceled due to the historic storm.
Meanwhile, the rental platform told Bloomberg that its users could filter their searches when looking for places to stay. And if they want to get full refunds during hurricanes or other excluded circumstances, they should choose listings with a "flexible cancellation policy," which allows full refunds at their discretion.
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Written by Teejay Boris
