Have you ever had a guest request an unreasonable refund? How did you handle it?

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Have you ever had a guest request an unreasonable refund? How did you handle it?

Jing ZhouBusiness Member
Property Manager · Bellevue, WA · Member since 2025 · 9 posts · 4 votes
Full Refund Requested by Airbnb Guest – Fair or Not?

Recently, We dealt with a difficult Airbnb situation that raised a question for all hosts: when a guest requests a full refund, is it always fair?

Here’s what happened.

The Timeline:

Apr 25: Five families with 9 adults, 4 children and 2 infants checked into one of our properties.

Evening of Apr 26: They reported seeing a mouse.

Apr 27: They checked out and immediately requested a full refund for $1370.

This home is newly built in 2023, and this was the first-ever pest sighting reported. We take this issue seriously for sure, and we ordered pest control service right away.

Despite no earlier complaints and positive comments in their review about the home’s cleanliness, the guests demanded a full refund — even though they had used the home and all its amenities (including the hot tub) for the full weekend.

Our Response and Airbnb’s Decision:
We respectfully but firmly explained to both the guest and Airbnb that a full refund was not reasonable under the circumstances. Airbnb reviewed the situation and suggested us to give guests a 30% refund, which they accepted.

But the issue didn’t end there.

The guest left a 1-star review, which appeared retaliatory rather than reflective of their actual experience. We formally appealed to Airbnb, making the case that:

  • The guest used the threat of a bad review to demand a larger refund — a misuse of the review system.
  • The 30% refund was Airbnb’s suggestion after their own investigation, not an admission of fault on our part.

Outcome: Airbnb agreed and removed the review.

Final Thoughts

This situation made me reflect on how important it is for both hosts and platforms to maintain fair boundaries. Guests should be able to report real issues — and be taken seriously — but not weaponize reviews or refunds as leverage after a full stay.

As hosts, we’re held to high standards. But we also deserve protection from unfair treatment.

Have you ever had a guest request an unreasonable refund? How did you handle it? Let’s share and learn from each other.

[email protected]425-998-8623
Valta Realty
WebsiteView Page
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James Carlson
Real Estate Agent · Colorado | stan.store/JamesCarlson · Member since 2014 · 2k+ posts · 2k+ votes
1y

I'm not an Airbnb hater ... but damn they have obviously made some corporate decision that growing their guest numbers is more important their retaining hosts.

I do see in my clients' STRs in Colorado that the Airbnb and short-term world is just more professionalized now. They've veered away from their roots of sharing homes to being a platform for hotel-quality/sterile accommodations. The guest expectations are way higher, and Airbnb is feeding that expectation.

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  • Robert Masucci
    Real Estate Consultant · Remote · Member since 2025 · 48 posts · 21 votes
    1y

    Great job in handling this situation! 

    1Reply
  • Joseph Sauer
    Member since 2021 · 46 posts · 57 votes
    1y

    Great job on handling the situation. And I think the situation went about as well as you could hope for considering how Airbnb can tend to side with guests. I am sorry the situation took place though. 
    Did the pest control ever find the mice? Just curious

    2Reply
  • John UnderwoodPro Member
    Investor · Greer, SC · Member since 2014 · 13k+ posts · 17k+ votes
    1y

    In over a decade I have never had someone ask for any sort of refund. I also don't have to deal with the Airbnb crowd since we get most of our bookings from VRBO.

    2Reply
  • Mike GrudzienPro Member
    Lender · Eugene, OR · Member since 2019 · 2k+ posts · 1k+ votes
    1y

    You did a great job documenting and detailing everything.  And that's what did the trick.

    1Reply
  • Mike GrudzienPro Member
    Lender · Eugene, OR · Member since 2019 · 2k+ posts · 1k+ votes
    1y

    We never have had a full refund request, but in a couple of minor situations, after they stayed the full number of nights of the booking, I offered a "50% discount on their next stay".  And it worked.

    2Reply
    • Jing ZhouBusiness Member
      OP
      Property Manager · Bellevue, WA · Member since 2025 · 9 posts · 4 votes
      1y
      Quote from @Mike Grudzien:

      We never have had a full refund request, but in a couple of minor situations, after they stayed the full number of nights of the booking, I offered a "50% discount on their next stay".  And it worked.


       Most guests just stay once, i doubt it will work for us if we offer discount for future stay. Do you have large pool of vacation rentals?

      [email protected]425-998-8623
      Valta Realty
      WebsiteView Page
      0Reply
    • Mike GrudzienPro Member
      Lender · Eugene, OR · Member since 2019 · 2k+ posts · 1k+ votes
      1y
      Quote from @Jing Zhou:
      Quote from @Mike Grudzien:

      We never have had a full refund request, but in a couple of minor situations, after they stayed the full number of nights of the booking, I offered a "50% discount on their next stay".  And it worked.


       Most guests just stay once, i doubt it will work for us if we offer discount for future stay. Do you have large pool of vacation rentals?


      I only have one 2/2 STR in its 11th year.

      0Reply
  • Michael BaumPro Member
    Olympia, WA · Member since 2016 · 8k+ posts · 7k+ votes
    1y

    Well handled @Jing Zhou. Came out as good as it could have.

    I find the hantavirus mention funny. Less than 5 cases a year here in WA state.

    1Reply
  • Carolyn Fuller
    Cambridge, MA · Member since 2015 · 651 posts · 736 votes
    1y

    This past January I had a guest who booked my STR for a month. She was not even a week into her booking when she said her plans had changed and she would be leaving in 2 days. She wanted a full refund on the remaining part of her booking.

    I told her I would refund her any portion that I was able to rebook. She ended up only getting about a 1/4 of her money back but I think she was Ok with it. She had total control over the situation. When no one was booking any of the days, she asked me to drop the asking price and I did. When that didn't work, she asked me to drop it even lower. I did exactly what she asked. I think the fact that I gave her that control, she was able to accept the fact that very little of her money was refunded. 

    By the way, this guest was from China and I think Asians might have different expectations about refunds. 

    I learned later that, by law, South Koreans can cancel a reservation and get a full refund on remaining days all the way up to the checkout day. Airbnb now won't allow a South Korean visitor to book instantly because the host must first agree to the South Korean refund laws. I agreed to a short stay South Korean booking in my shared space listing because it was both short and cheap but I would never agree to a longer stay South Korean booking or one that was for the expensive apartment. I'm guessing this law results in far fewer Airbnb options for South Korean travelers. 

    1Reply
    • Jing ZhouBusiness Member
      OP
      Property Manager · Bellevue, WA · Member since 2025 · 9 posts · 4 votes
      1y
      Quote from @Carolyn Fuller:

      This past January I had a guest who booked my STR for a month. She was not even a week into her booking when she said her plans had changed and she would be leaving in 2 days. She wanted a full refund on the remaining part of her booking.

      I told her I would refund her any portion that I was able to rebook. She ended up only getting about a 1/4 of her money back but I think she was Ok with it. She had total control over the situation. When no one was booking any of the days, she asked me to drop the asking price and I did. When that didn't work, she asked me to drop it even lower. I did exactly what she asked. I think the fact that I gave her that control, she was able to accept the fact that very little of her money was refunded. 

      By the way, this guest was from China and I think Asians might have different expectations about refunds. 

      I learned later that, by law, South Koreans can cancel a reservation and get a full refund on remaining days all the way up to the checkout day. Airbnb now won't allow a South Korean visitor to book instantly because the host must first agree to the South Korean refund laws. I agreed to a short stay South Korean booking in my shared space listing because it was both short and cheap but I would never agree to a longer stay South Korean booking or one that was for the expensive apartment. I'm guessing this law results in far fewer Airbnb options for South Korean travelers. 


       Good to know. I am from asia, and didn't know the different expectation from international guests. 

      [email protected]425-998-8623
      Valta Realty
      WebsiteView Page
      0Reply
    • Carolyn Fuller
      Cambridge, MA · Member since 2015 · 651 posts · 736 votes
      1y
      Quote from @Jing Zhou:
      Quote from @Carolyn Fuller:

      This past January I had a guest who booked my STR for a month. She was not even a week into her booking when she said her plans had changed and she would be leaving in 2 days. She wanted a full refund on the remaining part of her booking.

      I told her I would refund her any portion that I was able to rebook. She ended up only getting about a 1/4 of her money back but I think she was Ok with it. She had total control over the situation. When no one was booking any of the days, she asked me to drop the asking price and I did. When that didn't work, she asked me to drop it even lower. I did exactly what she asked. I think the fact that I gave her that control, she was able to accept the fact that very little of her money was refunded. 

      By the way, this guest was from China and I think Asians might have different expectations about refunds. 

      I learned later that, by law, South Koreans can cancel a reservation and get a full refund on remaining days all the way up to the checkout day. Airbnb now won't allow a South Korean visitor to book instantly because the host must first agree to the South Korean refund laws. I agreed to a short stay South Korean booking in my shared space listing because it was both short and cheap but I would never agree to a longer stay South Korean booking or one that was for the expensive apartment. I'm guessing this law results in far fewer Airbnb options for South Korean travelers. 


       Good to know. I am from asia, and didn't know the different expectation from international guests. 


       I could be way wrong. Outside of South Korea, I don't know what the expectations are. 

      0Reply
  • Andrew SteffensBusiness Member
    Tampa, FL · Member since 2022 · 3k+ posts · 3k+ votes
    1y

    I unfortunately have to deal with this on an almost weekly basis.  Averaging about 300 reservations a month and off the top of my head I would say there is some sort of refund once a week.  Maybe 2 are warranted and 2 are forced by Airbnb.  Its a numbers game, I would say 0.75% of our reservations are problematic in this way.  This past week someone took pictures of chipped paint in a linen closet and dirty baseboards - in the garage! Airbnb gave them 30% refund on all nights, over $1,000 back.  Insane.

















    [email protected]813-563-0877
    Vacation Rentals of Florida53 Reviews
    WebsiteView Page
    1Reply
  • James Carlson
    Real Estate Agent · Colorado | stan.store/JamesCarlson · Member since 2014 · 2k+ posts · 2k+ votes
    1y

    I'm not an Airbnb hater ... but damn they have obviously made some corporate decision that growing their guest numbers is more important their retaining hosts.

    I do see in my clients' STRs in Colorado that the Airbnb and short-term world is just more professionalized now. They've veered away from their roots of sharing homes to being a platform for hotel-quality/sterile accommodations. The guest expectations are way higher, and Airbnb is feeding that expectation.

    3Reply
  • James R.
    Investor · Member since 2015 · 222 posts · 173 votes
    1y
    Quote from @Jing Zhou:
    Full Refund Requested by Airbnb Guest – Fair or Not?

    Recently, We dealt with a difficult Airbnb situation that raised a question for all hosts: when a guest requests a full refund, is it always fair?

    Here’s what happened.

    The Timeline:

    Apr 25: Five families with 9 adults, 4 children and 2 infants checked into one of our properties.

    Evening of Apr 26: They reported seeing a mouse.

    Apr 27: They checked out and immediately requested a full refund for $1370.

    This home is newly built in 2023, and this was the first-ever pest sighting reported. We take this issue seriously for sure, and we ordered pest control service right away.

    Despite no earlier complaints and positive comments in their review about the home’s cleanliness, the guests demanded a full refund — even though they had used the home and all its amenities (including the hot tub) for the full weekend.

    Our Response and Airbnb’s Decision:
    We respectfully but firmly explained to both the guest and Airbnb that a full refund was not reasonable under the circumstances. Airbnb reviewed the situation and suggested us to give guests a 30% refund, which they accepted.

    But the issue didn’t end there.

    The guest left a 1-star review, which appeared retaliatory rather than reflective of their actual experience. We formally appealed to Airbnb, making the case that:

    • The guest used the threat of a bad review to demand a larger refund — a misuse of the review system.
    • The 30% refund was Airbnb’s suggestion after their own investigation, not an admission of fault on our part.

    Outcome: Airbnb agreed and removed the review.

    Final Thoughts

    This situation made me reflect on how important it is for both hosts and platforms to maintain fair boundaries. Guests should be able to report real issues — and be taken seriously — but not weaponize reviews or refunds as leverage after a full stay.

    As hosts, we’re held to high standards. But we also deserve protection from unfair treatment.

    Have you ever had a guest request an unreasonable refund? How did you handle it? Let’s share and learn from each other.


    0Reply
  • James R.
    Investor · Member since 2015 · 222 posts · 173 votes
    1y

    Unless this family produced a photo, I think that they fabricated the whole thing, in order to get a free stay.  

    I've been a host 15 years and Airbnb's guest caliber has dropped significantly.  We only allow guests with at least 8 previous 5-star reviews to book our property and we give them a slight discount for being frequent good users of the platform.  You might think that this standard would result in fewer bookings, but it hasn't and we have far fewer complaints and headaches.  

    Airbnb has really been getting into our business, with their constant demands, so much that the platform has now become a hurdle to our business and our hospitality goals.  We are hoping that someone out there will invent a replacement for Airbnb, which will be like hosting was 10 years ago, but we are not holding our breath. 

    Our most memorable, fake story to get a free stay, was from a group of guys.  A VRBO guest, mind you, but nevertheless.  The guy, who booked the house for the group, demanded a 50% refund, because he claimed that the showerhead came loose and struck him on the head.  He felt that he didn't need to call for an ambulance and seek medical attention, though.

    Me: Yeah, okay.  

    Thinking that we would be alarmed and grant him the 50% refund, I went into scammer guest mode and told him that he broke the showerhead and that we would be charging him for a new one and the cost to have a plumber install it.  He wrote that he was going to give us a bad review and I replied, "Go for it.  We are going to do the same".  Never heard a peep out of him, after that.  

    0Reply
  • Natalia Lynn
    Member since 2025 · 6 posts · 3 votes
    1y

    We recently had a month-long booking that quickly turned into one of our most challenging experiences to date. Around day 9, the guests reported finding a bedbug- first on themselves in their vehicle, then later on a bag of theirs inside the home. They shared photos, and we immediately contacted Airbnb for guidance. Their rep recommended relocating the guests and bringing in a pest control company for an inspection.

    We followed their advice and acted quickly. When pest control arrived (nearly 8 hours after we had asked the guests to vacate), the guests were still there and we discovered they had brought an unauthorized dog- something not disclosed in their reservation. The inspection revealed one additional bedbug in the bed they had been using, and the technician confirmed that based on its life stage, it had likely been brought in by the guests.

    Even so, we took the situation seriously and had the entire property professionally treated, which cost us over $1,000. We filed a claim through Airbnb to recover part of the cost, including the pet fee for the damage the dog caused. Unfortunately, the guest declined to pay, and Airbnb sided with them.

    To make matters worse, the guest was still allowed to leave a 1-star review- after they found out about the claim. Our request to have it removed as retaliatory was denied. They’ve now requested a full refund citing "PTSD" from the experience.

    It’s still ongoing and has definitely been one of the most frustrating and time-consuming issues we’ve ever dealt with.

    0Reply
  • Anja Schaer
    Investor · Atlanta · Member since 2022 · 146 posts · 72 votes
    1y

    Wow, Jing — you handled that like a pro. It’s incredibly frustrating when guests exploit the review and refund system, especially after enjoying the property and amenities. I’m glad Airbnb sided with you in the end, but it’s exhausting how often hosts have to fight for fairness. The key, as you said, is clear communication, documentation, and staying firm but respectful. Thanks for sharing — these stories help all of us be better prepared.

    1Reply
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