In light of the coronavirus pandemic, Airbnb has extended the timespan for when guests can request refunds.
On Friday, the home-sharing company updated its extenuating circumstances policy to allow guests to receive refunds for stays and Airbnb Experiences that were booked on or before March 14 and that have a check-in date between March 14 and June 15.
Airbnb’s previous policy only allowed refunds for trips with a check-in date between March 14 and May 31.
If you made a reservation after March 14 or plan on making one now, the individual host’s cancellation policy applies, but if a guest or host “currently sick with COVID-19,” then reservations made after March 14 will be covered.
Guests who cancel on stays that meet these requirements have the option of receiving either a full cash refund or travel credit. Additionally, hosts can cancel under the new policy without charge and without affecting their Superhost status, a distinction given to the company’s top-rated hosts.
If a reservation has already started or the check-in date has passed, the new refund policy does not apply.
On Monday, Airbnb, under pressure from the coronavirus crisis, announced it is establishing a new recommended cleaning protocol with the goal of reassuring both rental property hosts and their guests.
Airbn’s response: Service to issue cleaning recommendations, including 24 hours between rentals
Airbnb said in a statement that the optional Enhanced Cleaning Initiative will offer guidance on the best and safest practices for cleansing a residence’s various rooms. It will include a manual more than 40 pages long establishing the standards, as well as specifying particular chemicals and other products to do the job.
The protocol, for those hosts who choose to opt in, will also require a minimum 24 hours between rentals to reduce the chance a guest might encounter any residual viruses. Potential guests will be able to see whether hosts have opted in.
Airbnb guests confused by company policies amid coronavirus: Here’s how to get a refund
Source: USD Today.
