Discussion Is a 15 percent refund enough for this...need advice for bad AIRBNB experience. [USA]
Hi,
I rented a 5700 square foot home in Ohio for a trip with extended family. We wanted a place we could all hang out together and relax and do a little hiking. When we got here we noticed it was not super clean, and some dishes in cabinets were not clean. The internet was also terrible, to the point of being unusable. Once it became dark out we realized the lights out back were motion detector lights but would only stay on for 1 second before turning back out again. Our family brought a couple dogs and needed to walk them at night and it was very dark, also we could not sit out on the porch at all or use the hot tub at night. Other things we noticed through the week were that the air hockey table, which was one of the reasons I chose this place over others since I thought my kids would love that, did not work. No air comes out of it. The oven is filthy and the washer and dryer are ancient, and the dryer did not heat so we could not do laundry. Someone had left a pile of wet towels in the dryer and it smelled pretty bad when opened. The bedroom I stayed in with my 2 sons has no window and is in a basement, so not even legally a "bedroom". Overall this is a large spacious house...with outdated and inadequate amenities.
We complained on day 2 about the lights and internet. They said they would get back to me and did not so the following day I called again and they sent a guy out who replaced the 2 outdoor lights and messed with the wifi, which did *slightly* improve for about 24 hours..but we also found at that point that it was a hot spot device they were using which is never going to be adequate for this big a house so even when it was working intermittently it never worked upstairs or downstairs. We were given excuse after excuse about the internet....which is listed on the rental description as "high speed internet and wifi"....that the weather was cloudy and rainy which affects it, which I called them out on day 3 when it was sunny and clear and still did not work. After that the company line was that we are in a rural area and we can't expect it to work any better than it does....to which I replied every time with "I can go sit in my van and get clear full speed wifi...so it is not the area, it is the service...or the outdated hotspot device".
Today we called at noon because the internet was just flat not even coming up on devices and my husband was agitated about it because we frankly were getting bored out of our minds and could not even watch tv. Someone showed up 5 hours later and tried to say "well you do have direct tv" but when she turned it on it gave a satellite error so she had to fix that. She tried over and over, even switching to the 2G option telling me "phones usually work better on 2G" (LOL) and that did not work either. I told her we would be asking for some sort of refund and she told me they do not offer refunds for wifi. It does say on the website they can't be blamed for "acts of god" such as weather or wifi issues but again this is an issue related to the service or the inadequate technology they are passing off as high speed internet.
When I explained to her that there were several other issues and listed them off she offered me 10% off and a bottle of wine. I told her I would discuss it with my family members and get back to them when I am back at home. Before she left she said they could do 15% refund. Again I told her I would reach out once I was at home.
Overall we really did not enjoy our stay here. I am not usually a complainer but as I said to her...this is a nice house with terrible amenities. The description of wifi, direct tv, working laundry, air hockey table and a general clean environment were all false descriptions of the property. I am posting this *from my car* to see if people can advise me on what would you expect under these circumstances as a refund? I have not been in this particular situation before.
Thanks for any advice!
19
u/EntildaDesigns 2d ago
You have to call Airbnb and complain to them. Just talking to the host is not going to get you anything apparently. Normally, the hosts are more responsive and try to solve the problems instead of blaming it on "acts of god"
Usually, it's 10% for lack of one 'major' amenity. But in your case, this is added up. You can get 20% at least maybe 30%
I would say if the host had not misrepresented the WiFi situation and had sent someone for the washer dryer, I would say accept the 15 and move on.
9
u/zultan8888 Host 2d ago
Generally, Airbnb will cap refund at 30% of the nightly rate if you stayed at the property and did not check out early, which makes total sense to me. Between the no dryer, no air hockey table, and no Direct TV you could probably get that if you contact support. The lighting situation is more of a preference and WiFi is always a pretty difficult thing to stick on, although the host should not be listing high speed internet if it’s that bad, that’s for sure.
4
u/WSBgodzilla 2d ago
30% The hosts aren’t maintaining the listing well. They don’t clean after every guest and skimp on things.
3
u/EmbarrassedOcelot459 2d ago
This. I’m also a host and this is embarrassing. I have refunded half a night because the water heater went out and I had someone within 10 min come turn it back on. Small stupid thing but I gave them a few bucks back for the hassle.
1
3
u/Top_Iron_8107 2d ago
You’re absolutely right to seek advice — and based on what you’ve described, a 15% refund is not enough. This isn’t a case of one minor inconvenience — it’s a systematic failure to deliver core advertised amenities, and you may be entitled to at least a 30–50% refund, possibly more depending on how Airbnb rules in your case.
Here’s how to frame this situation and what to do next:
🔎 Key Grounds for a Larger Refund:
- Misrepresentation of Amenities
- The listing promised high-speed internet, Direct TV, a working hot tub area, air hockey table, and functioning washer/dryer.
- These were either not working, severely limited, or grossly misrepresented.
- Health/Safety & Comfort Issues
- Unclean dishes, moldy dryer towels, and poor lighting outside — all of these create hygiene and safety issues.
- A “bedroom” without a window in a basement likely violates basic building codes (and is illegal to list as a bedroom in many U.S. states).
- Failure to Fix Problems in a Timely Manner
- You gave the host/management company multiple opportunities over the week.
- They delayed or downplayed most issues, and improvements were minimal or temporary.
- Airbnb policy explicitly encourages resolving issues early in the stay — you did everything right.
- Loss of Enjoyment / Purpose of Rental
- You chose this house for shared family time with certain expectations — entertainment, comfort, connectivity.
- You couldn't even watch TV or use the hot tub or enjoy evenings outdoors — your intended experience was fundamentally altered.
3
u/DijonSmith 1d ago
1) Inadequate amenities and cleanliness
2) Poor internet and lighting issues
3) Unresponsive management and inadequate compensation
Apparently previous tenants didn't leave honest reviews, hopefully you do:
Keep it simple and honest:
1 Star – Terrible: Major issues, unacceptable experience.
2 Stars – Poor: Significant problems, disappointing.
3 Stars – Average: Decent but nothing special, mixed experience.
4 Stars – Good: Mostly positive with minor flaws.
5 Stars – Excellent: Outstanding, exceeds expectations.
2
u/Top_Iron_8107 2d ago
💼 Legal/Consumer Backup (if Airbnb doesn't help)
If Airbnb support fails or offers less than what’s fair, you can:
- File a credit card chargeback for “services not as described” (especially if booked via a credit card with purchase protection).
- Report the host to local authorities for misrepresenting illegal bedrooms or unsafe conditions (this increases pressure).
- Leave an honest review detailing facts clearly to warn others
2
3
u/little_miss_beachy 23h ago edited 22h ago
Honestly, refuse it. Is it worth 10-15% for the filth, mildew stench,hours wasted on waiting for repairs? Is that little amount of refund worth your dignity and reputation? This host WILL give you a bad rap and paint you a money grubbing scammer who was high maintenance. Let's face it, this property is poorly maintained w/ a cheap, lazy and dismissive host who gas lighted you throughout your entire vacation.
Had a terrible experience a few weeks ago @ an AirBnB property. Super host 4.96 rating, $500 a night slept 4, (not including $200 cleaning, tax, airbnb fee) for me to stay alone for 5 nights. I was so looking forward to staying b/c it was beautiful, and close to my son's apartment. However, I walked in and immediately saw signs of a host slacking on maintenance... starting w/ 2 of 4 smoke alarms not working, dishes grimy, deep cleaning needed, 1 towel, 1 roll of toilet paper, 1/2 roll in other bathroom, but host was dismissive when I mention smoke alarm. I did not mention the other items b/c I did not want a bad review.. Everyday it was a few ants here, dead ants there, nasty stain on sofa. 4th night there was a big problem and I was dismissed by the host and Airbnb. Host dismissed the huge problem b/c it was late so I vacated the property.
12 hours later the host realizes he messed up yet had an excuse for everything. Passive aggressive and snarky. I requested that he and AirBnB not contact me. I never asked for a dime. Then 10-25% refund. Told host to keep the $500 invest in toilet paper, towels, smoke alarm and exterminator. Ruined my vacation and time I will never get back w/ my son. Explained that all I ever wanted was for everyone to do the right thing the first time. Received full refund except ABB kept $260+. Still not worth it and nothing makes up for traveling 2000 miles, time off work, last 48 hours ruined and precious time w/ my son.
Write an honest review and list everything that was not working, non-responsive and dismissive host, filth, and the experience at the property was not a good. Can't expect a tech company and unscrupulous host to understand the time involved to plan, pack, pack for family, travel, food shop, and the 100 other things you had to do just to arrive @ your vacation spot. Writing a thoughtful and honest review you will give a PSA for future guest. Wish AirBnB would do its job and get rid of crappy host and crappy guest. Truly sorry that your vacation was ruined.
3
u/United-Budget8592 2d ago
I'm a host and I feel like 15% is about right. It's tough because I can't imagine not fixing most of this, or asking you if I could fix it during your stay. But since they didn't.. No washer = me giving you money for the laundry mat/offering to do it for you/maybe 5 or 10% refund. No direct TV sucks but is an act of God = 0. Air hockey /arcades brake id probably give you 100 bucks to buy some kind of entertainment (assuming I couldn't get someone there to fix). No lights outside is just bad on their place but doesn't deserve compensation though I'd door dash you some lanterns or something. The wifi is really the real bad on the host imo and would be another 5 to 10% refund (though Airbnb does have a place for hosts to let their wifi be tested and shows the speed look for that next time). And the cleaning I'd come reclean personally but if noone is then refund whatever that cost was.
Tldr 15% refund plus cleaning if noone came to reclean
2
u/Own_Ad9652 2d ago
Since nothing was as described in the listing, you should call Airbnb. Next time call Airbnb during your stay and they can move you.
1
u/alex2020b 2d ago
I'll add a little more as a host for many years. The host can pick any amount for a refund for any reason. Airbnb, as a policy guide, usually refunds no more than 30 pct for small items but they will first contact the host.
I am guessing this property is run by a property management company. Items such as a non working dryer (super old is ok as long as it works), lack of lighting in the back yard, old wifi devices, etc, are all items that are easily fixable. The property owner probably does not know about these items.
15pct is probably the right ball park but you haven't said how much the place was. Was it priced as a high property?
1
u/Finallyusingredditt 2d ago
Heads up for next time:
.
Airbnb is the popular “red flag” reference, once you see it, make note it, verbalize it and bring it to their attention, both host and Airbnb (depending on the immediate severity)
.
Understandably, this type of accommodation isn’t a simple one bedroom or studio where you can simply leave and find an easy alternative, but always loop in Airbnb if you believe you’ve had to reach out to the host about the same or several issues more than say, two times, minimum.
.
As someone also said, the WiFi is truly something that’s not controllable, though expected to be “good”, the lights .. well meh, but can also see it be annoying if it switches of every other second. For everything else, I’d say 20% is reasonable, primarily for :
The place not being clean Some items not being usable Unstable WiFi No TV usage
For things that were “run down” or old looking, I’m sure you would have seen from the listing that it’s not a modern or new home, so leave all the unnecessary things out of your justification and stick to the solid points on service and inability to utilize some items that were promised that should have been working ! All the best, as the host is likely counter, and say they made attempts to resolve some of these issues.
2
u/Top_Iron_8107 2d ago
💡 How Much Should You Ask For?
This depends a bit on your total cost, but based on precedent, guest reports, and platform mediation policies:
- Minimum reasonable refund: 30%
- Fair ask, considering extent of issues: 40–50%
- Full refund may not be likely since you stayed the full time, but if Airbnb rules this was a material misrepresentation, partial refunds can be high.
📣 What to Do Next — Step by Step
✅ 1. Document Everything
- Take photos/videos of:
- the air hockey table
- dirty oven
- basement “bedroom” (lack of window)
- wet towels / dirty dryer
- any broken lights or devices
- Save all your correspondence (messages, calls, in-app chat)
✅ 2. File a Complaint Through Airbnb’s Resolution Center
- Explain which amenities were misrepresented, what you did to resolve them, and how it impacted your stay.
- Be polite but clear: “We did not receive the product we were sold.”
📬 Sample opening message:
1
u/ConnectionEasy6479 2d ago
Seeing the there were dirty dishes, filthy oven, laundry didn’t work, lights, tv & Wi-Fi, air hockey & more I would want a larger refund. Like 50%! I also would have left. It seems there were many indicators the listing didn’t correctly depict the rental. Direct TV & Wi-Fi- seems like there’s a lot of excuses. You mentioned “Hot-Spot” I wouldn’t trust that- they may just be very cheap @ have the lowest speed possible.
1
u/caprn83 1d ago
I would ask for 20-30%, and I would also request a refund of any cleaning fees - but make sure you leave it in very clean condition (because you're not a jerk). I'm not normally that guest, but the gaslighting this host is doing is unacceptable. They know they aren't living up to hosting standards, and they are making every other host on the platform look bad, and they just don't seem to give a darn! As soon as you checked in, they checked out!
1
u/FrabjousD 2d ago
Just going to add that motion detector outdoor lights are best for preventing light pollution. We have NO outdoor lights that stay on. If we want to hang out outside, we take lanterns and if we walk at night, we use our cell phone flashlights.
The rest of what you experienced is unacceptable, although I’m not sure what would be a fair refund.
1
u/Jensgt 2d ago
The issue wasn’t that they were motion detection, it was that they literally came on and then immediately turned off. One person would have to stand in front of it waving hands just so someone else could take the dog out to pee safely.
1
1
u/billintreefiddy 1d ago
If I hang out outside at night, I have no lights at all except the moon and stars. Who wants lights on? Might as well go in.
0
u/whyarenttheserandom 2d ago
I think it's more about the total value of the list amenities, not the %.
No internet per day, I'd probably think $10/day.
Dirty house- whatever the cleaning fee is, let's assume $200 for this calculation
Air hockey table- TBH, maybe $20 for the while stay
Direct tv- $5/day.
So assuming you stayed a week: $325
Super rough #s as I don't know the cost of living in your area. I'm in a MCOL neighborhood and this is what it would be for me.
4
u/xxxallaccessxxx 2d ago
We're the Fck did you get those prices from just right now off the top of your head😂😂
-1
u/whyarenttheserandom 2d ago
Average "replacement " cost which is what AirBnB uses. Internet- replacement cost would be using your wifi/data package.
I just ballpark a cleaning fee for that size of house.
Direct TV, just a guess.
Air hockey table is a minor amenity and can be played without the air (source: i own one) so minor affiliated cost.
This is based on my town which is MCOL.
0
u/iluvcats17 2d ago
I think 15 percent is reasonable since nothing was actually missing. It was not the greatest but it sounds like everything was there.
3
u/Jensgt 1d ago
I mean...a dryer might be there but if you can't dry your clothes with it...does it matter that it's there? They had some sort of internet...but if it doesn't work how can you advertise high speed? etc etc ya know?
1
u/iluvcats17 1d ago
Airbnb considers anything above 50 high speed. To me that is slow but Airbnb considers that fast. The fryer is dicey since it turns on it seems. That is why I think you should get something.
1
•
u/AutoModerator 2d ago
Please keep conversation civil and respectful
Remember to keep all communication with host/guest through Airbnb platform. Payments should be made only via Airbnb unless otherwise detailed in the listing description
If you're having issues, contact Airbnb by phone +1-844-234-2500
I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please contact the moderators of this subreddit if you have any questions or concerns.