DEAR TRAVEL TROUBLESHOOTER: I made a reservation on Airbnb final 12 months for a three-month journey to France this winter. My host canceled on the final minute, and Airbnb agreed to refund me $728.
Christopher Elliott, the Journey Troubleshooter
I’ve not acquired the cash but. The explanation: I closed the checking account to which my Airbnb account was connected. Airbnb gained’t ship the cash to my new account.
Airbnb is sitting on my cash and claiming that it’s the accountability of me or Chase to place it proper, although Chase can not reactivate an account that has been closed for therefore many months. I would like Airbnb to pay me the cash nevertheless they’ll, both by examine or by direct fee to my checking account. Are you able to assist me get my $728 again?
— Bart Colen, Pingree Grove, Illinois
ANSWER: Airbnb ought to have refunded you a very long time in the past. Why didn’t it?
Airbnb’s coverage is to refund your cash to your unique fee methodology. So, should you used a bank card, it might return to that card. And the explanation for that is easy: It’s safer and simpler than attempting to chase down a brand new fee methodology or writing a examine.
However Airbnb claims it can accommodate you should you change accounts. “If your original payment method’s account was closed, the refund sent by Airbnb won’t process,” it says on its web site. “If this happens, you can contact Airbnb to step in and help.” It seems to be like Airbnb didn’t step in to assist.
That is frequent. From what I can inform, refunds will robotically return to the unique type of fee. Usually, even workers have a tough time reversing the transaction. And who is aware of the place your cash went? Your financial institution might have it someplace, or Airbnb nonetheless may need it. It’s an actual thriller.
(As a aspect word, I’ve at all times wished to do an investigative story that traces a refund like yours. Is there some sort of slush fund the corporate has the place all of the lacking refund cash goes? Now this may be a narrative!)
One of the simplest ways to keep away from this? Don’t shut your account till you’ve accounted for each refund. There’s no great way of stopping the confusion that outcomes from a refund being despatched to a closed account. I’m certain Airbnb means effectively by its promise to “step in and help,” however my expertise tells me that even firms with subtle fee methods have issue with this. And as soon as they lose observe of the cash, you’re completely proper that it turns into your downside, which is profoundly unfair.
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