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The Guardian - AU
The Guardian - AU
Lifestyle
Kat George

I cancelled my Airbnb booking within the appropriate timeframe. Why won’t they issue my refund?

If you choose to make a complaint with consumer protection, it’s important to get your ducks in a row, writes policy expert Kat George.
If you choose to make a complaint with consumer protection, it’s important to get your ducks in a row, writes policy expert Kat George. Photograph: Mohd Izzuan Roslan/Alamy

My question is to do with Airbnb. I cancelled a one-night reservation with them at least six weeks before the date of the stay, which had a free cancellation option and there should have been no problem with a refund.

That was a month ago. Since then I’ve written to their help/support chat page 13 times, made four phone calls and still have not received my refund. On the phone, they admitted it was an issue on their side and promised that it will be resolved and they will get back to me, but then all I get is computer-generated messages saying this issue is closed. When I ring I only get to speak to someone in a call centre in Colombia. I made the booking in Perth, Australia; the accommodation is in the UK.

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