One woman has a bone to pick with an Airbnb host who refused to refund her booking during a recent hurricane.
In a viral video with over 142,900 views, TikTok user WhitePineHomesLLC | Realtor (@whitepinehomesllc) called out the host. She also urged others to be more considerate of their guests in her PSA.
The woman presented her scenario like a theoretical one. She asked what if a guest contacted an Airbnb host to push their vacation back by a few days because of a hurricane. The wanted to make sure the rental would have power and that they wouldn’t be competing with local residents for resources during a crisis.
Most importantly, the guest wanted to keep their family, which included children, safe during a disaster.
“And you still make them forfeit their money?” she said. “That’s a lack of empathy and humanity.”
The mom then explained the hypothetical scenario was her own.
What happened?
The TikToker recorded the video on the day she was supposed to be leaving on a trip to Amelia Island in Florida.
“We go every single fall break,” the woman explained. “It’s a place that’s very close to my heart.”
In total, the party included seven kids and four adults. The woman, who has foster children, had to get the vacation approved by the state. She also booked the trip well in advance.
However, the incoming Hurricane Milton disrupted those plans. She reached out to her Airbnb host to inquire about options regarding the booking.
“Let’s keep an eye on it,” she alleged the host said.
The mom immediately felt like the host was “trying to ignore” the whole situation, but still gave her the benefit of the doubt. Her hunch turned out to be right.
Despite the hurricane that was forecast to impact a large portion of the state of Florida, the host refused to refund her guest.
“My only option for you is to change your dates,” the host said before offering a specific, narrow option.
“Well that would normally maybe be fine for other people that don’t have foster children, but I can’t just change dates,” the mom said.
Airbnb also allegedly said it could not help the woman secure a refund.
“As a business owner myself, I just can’t fathom charging somebody for services they didn’t receive,” the woman said.
What is Airbnb’s refund policy?
According to Airbnb’s website, hosts decide a listing’s cancellation policy, which guests agree to when booking.
The company maintains a Major Disruptive Events Policy, however it only covers unforeseeable events.
Hurricane-related cancellations during hurricane season are not protected by this policy. However, if the hurricane leads to some other disruptive event, then the booking can be refunded.
“To support our community, our Major Disruptive Events policy is currently in effect for impacted areas of Florida, such as those experiencing government travel restrictions,” an Airbnb spokesperson told the Daily Dot via email.
“This policy means hosts can cancel eligible stays without consequences, and guests who have an eligible booking can cancel for a refund. Hosts and guests can see eligible bookings on their Airbnb account via their Trips page. Our customer support team is also available to help with any questions,” the spokesperson said.
In a follow-up video, the woman did explain that Airbnb reached out and gave her a full refund.
Viewers respond
In the comments section, many said travel insurance would have protected the woman from liability.
“Generally in the tourism rental business, you either buy the vacay insurance or you forfeit. Money is always refunded if there is a mandatory evacuation for the rental,” said one user.
“I see your standpoint. But as a landlord, I also know that the bills don’t pay themselves. I believe there is an option to purchase insurance for stuff like this on AirBnB. Always buy travel insurance,” wrote another user.
“We’re also real estate investors, but sometimes safety, empathy and humanity, especially in a record breaking natural disaster, comes first,” the mom responded.
@whitepinehomesllc @airbnb please do better #momsoftiktok #ameliaislandflorida #ameliaisland #fostercare #fosterparent #airbnbhost #airbnbhost #vacation #hurricane #hurricanemilton ♬ original sound – WhitePineHomesLLC | Realtor
The Daily Dot reached out to WhitePineHomesLLC | Realtor by TikTok comment and direct message and Airbnb by email for comment.
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