Robert Harris checks into an Airbnb in a high-crime neighborhood. Can Airbnb deny his refund request?
Question
I had a long-term Airbnb booked in Washington, D.C. But my host canceled. Airbnb helped me rebook another location with a slight discount.
I was just checking the new area out a few days ago when I realized that it is in a really dangerous area, with super-bad murder and auto theft rates, as well as news articles mentioning my street by name.
I brought all this up with Airbnb support staff and got the response that Airbnb doesn’t really care about the locality, just the place.
There have been multiple murders on my street, and I can’t park at the place. I have to park down the street, so the locality is important as I have to walk through it each day.
I feel unsafe and I really want to get a refund. And I don’t think it’s fair that Airbnb offers a place like this. I also don’t think Airbnb should have sent me to this listing after my first rental fell through. Can you help me? — Robert Harris, Harrisonburg, Va.
Answer
Airbnb shouldn’t have stuck you with a rental in a high-crime neighborhood. According to its published policy, if your host cancels, it will help you find “a similar place.” But that was not a similar place.
But here’s where things went sideways. An Airbnb representative offered to accommodate you and you accepted the new rental. You could have researched the neighborhood and crime statistics before you said yes — not afterward. (Related: Locked out of your Airbnb? Here’s how to get back in.)
Some Airbnb apartments won’t disclose the address until after you’ve rented. That’s fine. I think if you’d said something soon after you decided on the new place, Airbnb would have been able to help. Some Airbnbs have a generous cancellation policy, which would have allowed you to cancel your rental and receive a full refund. (Related: I’ve been banned by Airbnb, but no one will tell me why.)
I also agree with you: Airbnb should not rent a home in an unsafe neighborhood. And if people were being murdered on your street, I would say that’s a red flag.
What if your Airbnb is in a bad neighborhood?
What if your Airbnb is on the wrong side of the tracks? Can you get a refund? It depends.
Here’s what you need to know:
- Airbnb’s rules allow for refunds or rebooking assistance if the listing is “misrepresented” or “not as described.” But it doesn’t explicitly cover neighborhood quality. You’ll need to make a strong case that the listing was inaccurate or misleading.
- State and local laws may apply. Some jurisdictions have laws that protect consumers from deceptive business practices, including false advertising. If you can prove the host made false claims about the neighborhood, you might be able to file a complaint with your state’s attorney general or local consumer protection agency. That could influence Airbnb’s decision to issue a refund.
- In some states, landlords must required to provide a safe and habitable environment, also called an implied warranty of habitability: If the neighborhood looks like Khayelitsha on a Saturday night, you might be able to argue that the host breached this warranty.
Don’t forget, Airbnb’s platform describes the neighborhood and verifies its hosts. So you should have plenty of disclosure before you make a booking decision. (Related: This Airbnb was in a bad neighborhood. Can she get her money back?)
Can you get your money back for your Airbnb rental?
I reviewed the paper trail between you and Airbnb. It’s difficult to read your interaction. You repeatedly state that you feel unsafe and that you would like a refund. An Airbnb “ambassador” — that’s the word they use for a customer service agent — then repeats what you said and then dismisses your complaint.
You furnished Airbnb with ample evidence that the rental was in a dangerous neighborhood. I can’t believe it insisted on keeping your reservation. (Technically, it said you could get a partial refund and that it was up to your host, but still.)
An appeal to one of the Airbnb executives might have helped. I publish the names, numbers and email addresses of the Airbnb customer service managers on this site.
I love the way this case was resolved. You finally reached Airbnb by phone and talked them into a partial refund. My advocacy team and I also contacted Airbnb on your behalf, and it upped the offer to a full refund of the $1,500 you had spent on the apartment.
