Travel Troubleshooter: I closed my bank account. Now Airbnb won’t send me my refund
Dear Travel Troubleshooter,
I made a reservation on Airbnb last year for a three-month trip to France this winter. Unfortunately, my host canceled at the last minute, and Airbnb agreed to refund me $728. However, I have yet to receive the money because I closed the bank account linked to my Airbnb account. Airbnb insists that they cannot send the money to my new account.
I’ve provided a letter from Chase Bank confirming that the old account has been closed for months and cannot process any payments. Despite numerous calls and emails to Airbnb, as well as filing a complaint with the Better Business Bureau, the issue remains unresolved. They claim it’s my responsibility to rectify the situation, but Chase can’t reactivate a closed account. I want Airbnb to send my refund via check or to my new bank account. Can you assist me in recovering my $728?
— Bart Colen, Pingree Grove, Illinois
Answer:
Airbnb should have processed your refund much sooner. According to Airbnb’s policy, refunds are directed back to the original payment method for safety and simplicity. If that account has been closed, refunds may not process automatically.
Although Airbnb claims to assist in such cases, it appears they have not provided the required support for you. Your situation highlights a common problem where refunds get stuck in limbo once the original account is closed.
To resolve this, I recommend escalating the issue to a higher management level at Airbnb. I have contact information for Airbnb executives on my consumer advocacy site, Elliott.org.
I contacted Airbnb on your behalf. A few weeks later, you reported that you finally received your refund. Airbnb did not clarify what happened to your initial payment, but at least you got your money back.
For further assistance, feel free to reach out to me at Elliott Advocacy.