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Air b n b query

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  • 01-06-2016 6:13pm
    #1
    mirrorwall14
    Closed Accounts Posts: 6,751 ✭✭✭


    We rented a property for holidays through Air B n B. The owner has just messaged to say that the price was wrong and we should have paid 3.5 times what we did. The money has been taken from our account.

    Are we in the wrong here? Are we liable for this? We can't afford that increase! The money has been taken from our account so is it not accepted?


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    #2
    L1011
    Registered Users Posts: 69,033 ✭✭✭✭L1011


    AirBnB's T&Cs would be quite important here but under normal circumstances you are not liable for the increased cost due to a misprice - but they aren't oblidged to provide it either if the misprice was obvious.

    I would get on to AirBnB immediately - or the morning if their support isn't open this late.


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    #3
    Mint Aero
    Closed Accounts Posts: 3,570 ✭✭✭Mint Aero


    Who took the money? Air bnb or the people you rented from. If air bnb I'd take them to the cleaners. If the people you rented from they shouldn't have your credit card details unless you willingly gave it to them? In that case they basically stole money from you.


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    #4
    VincePP
    Closed Accounts Posts: 982 ✭✭✭VincePP


    Mint Aero wrote: »
    Who took the money? Air bnb or the people you rented from. If air bnb I'd take them to the cleaners.

    What a ridiculous suggestion.

    Suppose anyone or any company that makes an error should be "taken to the cleaners"

    The op needs to read the terms and conditions and if there's a change in the terms, may withdraw without penalty.


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    #5
    Mint Aero
    Closed Accounts Posts: 3,570 ✭✭✭Mint Aero


    VincePP wrote: »
    What a ridiculous suggestion.

    Suppose anyone or any company that makes an error should be "taken to the cleaners"

    The op needs to read the terms and conditions and if there's a change in the terms, may withdraw without penalty.

    Screw that. Your suggestion is pussy footing around the issue and pandering to the multi national conglomerates. Stand up for the little man I say.


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    #6
    L1011
    Registered Users Posts: 69,033 ✭✭✭✭L1011


    Mint Aero wrote: »
    Stand up for the little man I say.

    And get nothing.

    Your approach will be seen as aggressive and they are going to do as little as possible to help you as a result.

    Pragmatism generally wins out over mindless roaring.


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    #7
    mirrorwall14
    Closed Accounts Posts: 6,751 ✭✭✭mirrorwall14


    We got through to airbnb and there's not much they can do. If the host cancels they will not be permitted to rent for those dates through airbnb. We still want to go but are obviously not willing to have the rate triples. We're stuck waiting to see what the host does.


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    #8
    atilladehun
    Registered Users Posts: 1,597 ✭✭✭atilladehun


    mirrorwall14 wrote: »
    We got through to airbnb and there's not much they can do. If the host cancels they will not be permitted to rent for those dates through airbnb. We still want to go but are obviously not willing to have the rate triples. We're stuck waiting to see what the host does.

    Put more pressure on air bnb to do get your money back. The host has probably got a better offer and either wants rid of you or your money. Either that or its a scam to advertise low and then go high.

    Changing the price after the agreement is definitely illegal in a normal trade, I suppose it's much more difficult internationally.

    You're better off out of the deal.


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    #9
    VincePP
    Closed Accounts Posts: 982 ✭✭✭VincePP


    atilladehun wrote: »

    Changing the price after the agreement is definitely illegal in a normal trade, I suppose it's much more difficult internationally.

    .


    No its not - the word "illegal" is a dreadfully mis used word.

    Any agreement is subject to the terms snd condition iof that agreement - if taxes rose airlines can raise the price of tickets you already bought. Similarly if a glaring error was found, most terms and conditions will have a get out clause for that.

    So the OP needs to read the terms and conditions and see what is said, but i suspect that the host can even cancel without giving proper reason. It's one of the downsides to air bnb


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    #10
    stronglikebull
    Registered Users Posts: 477 ✭✭stronglikebull


    VincePP wrote: »
    No its not - the word "illegal" is a dreadfully mis used word.

    Any agreement is subject to the terms snd condition iof that agreement
    And also subject to the law. So a price change may well be illegal if it contravenes a law. T&Cs cannot supersede consumer law, but depending on where the booking was made those laws may be very different to Ireland.

    VincePP wrote: »
    - if taxes rose airlines can raise the price of tickets you already bought.

    That's hardly true though, is it?. When the tax on petrol goes up, do revenue call around to your house to collect the extra tax due on the petrol in your car? I think not.


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    #11
    Graham
    Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 17,642 Mod ✭✭✭✭Graham


    stronglikebull wrote: »
    That's hardly true though, is it?. When the tax on petrol goes up, do revenue call around to your house to collect the extra tax due on the petrol in your car? I think not.


    Quite true, here's the first airline I googled:
    4.2.2 Taxes, fees and charges imposed on air travel are constantly changing and can be imposed after the date that your reservation has been made. If any such tax, fee or charge is introduced or increased after your reservation has been made you will be obliged to pay it (or any increase) prior to departure.


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    #12
    Graham
    Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 17,642 Mod ✭✭✭✭Graham


    OP, go and read the AirBnB site:

    What if a host asks for more money?

    https://www.airbnb.ie/help/article/251/what-if-a-host-asks-for-more-money

    It goes on to suggest the use of the AirBnB resolution centre, have you tried that?


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    #13
    mirrorwall14
    Closed Accounts Posts: 6,751 ✭✭✭mirrorwall14


    Sorry I forgot to update. For anyone it happens to:

    1. We refused to cancel because there is then no way to leave feedback for other users. At least if the host cancels a booking then it's visible to other users

    2. Airbnb gave us a voucher to go towards making up the difference between the costs now versus when we booked. While that helped make the cost similar we ended up having to go to a completely different part of Ireland than we planned because of the cancellation because it was the only place with anything in our price range (even with the voucher) that was half decent

    To be honest it has put me off Airbnb and I would be far more cautious using it again despite other great experiences with them. This took three days of multiple calls to Airbnb and several PMs with the host to resolve and the only resolution is a cancellation which isn't that helpful


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    #14
    VincePP
    Closed Accounts Posts: 982 ✭✭✭VincePP


    stronglikebull wrote: »
    And also subject to the law. So a price change may well be illegal if it contravenes a law. T&Cs cannot supersede consumer law, but depending on where the booking was made those laws may be very different to Ireland.




    That's hardly true though, is it?. When the tax on petrol goes up, do revenue call around to your house to collect the extra tax due on the petrol in your car? I think not.

    Please give me a link to a law that says a person/company cannot increase prices. - I'll give you a bit of help. There is none.

    On your other ridiculous comment about petrol - you don't buy petrol 2 months in advance and then collect it. But if you purchased furniture and vat rate went up from time you booked it to the time you finalised the sale, then the higher vat rate would apply. This is a very standard term in any contract of sale and would be highly unusual for it not to be included.


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