Reviews

When something goes wrong: problems, complaints and refunds

Sooner or later something goes wrong: the boiler stops, a neighbour throws a party, the router gives up on a Sunday. Guests rarely remember the problem itself. They remember how you handled it.

This guide sits between a smooth welcome and the review that wins your next booking. It gives you a calm routine for problems, a fair way to decide on goodwill gestures and refunds, and the facts about using the platforms' own tools, so you and your guest stay protected.

The short answer

Reply fast, even if only to say you're on it. Fix the problem or offer a clear option, confirm what you agreed in writing, then follow up once it's done. Keep every message, photo and payment on the booking platform, and use its tools for refunds and changes. Bring in the platform's support early if you can't agree, and never settle anything off the platform.

A calm routine for any problem

1. Acknowledge fast. "Thank you for telling me. I'm on it and will update you by 7pm." A specific time calms people more than "soon".
2. Ask for a photo or short video. It helps you understand the problem, and it becomes part of your record.
3. Fix it, or offer an option. Send a repair person, talk them through a reset, or offer something that makes up for it while you wait.
4. Confirm in writing. Summarise what you agreed in the platform's messages, even if you spoke by phone.
5. Follow up. A short message the next morning: "Is the hot water working well now?"

Keep each message short and kind. Our suggestion: don't debate whose fault it was while the guest is still cold, tired or kept awake.

Common problems and your first move

No hot water

• Talk them through the reset steps you know
• Send someone if that doesn't work
• Offer a fix time, not a vague promise

Noise

• Ask where it comes from and when
• Speak to the neighbours or building yourself
• Offer earplugs or a quieter room if you have one

Wi-Fi down

• Point them to the restart steps by the router
• Check with your provider for an outage
• Keep a spare mobile router for days like this

Cleaning missed

• Apologise first, explain briefly
• Send a cleaner the same day
• Check where your turnover routine broke

Early or late arrival

• Say yes to early check-in only if the place is ready
• Offer luggage storage if it isn't
• For late arrivals, resend the entry steps that afternoon

If you host on Revamp and your cleaner doesn't show, the trusted services list in your dashboard includes cleaning services for stay hosts.

Deciding on a goodwill gesture

A gesture should match what the guest lost, not how loudly they complained. Our suggestion is to ask three questions: how much of the stay did it affect, was it within your control, and how quickly did you fix it?

• Small problem, fixed fast: a sincere apology is often enough.
• A real inconvenience: a small extra, such as a late check-out or a local treat.
• Part of the stay lost: a partial refund for the affected night, through the platform.
• The place couldn't be used: a full refund, or help moving them, through the platform.

When something was clearly your fault, offer the gesture before the guest asks. Never link a refund or a gift to a review.

Refunds and cancellations through the platform

Each platform has its own tools. Use them, so the money and the record stay in one place.

Airbnb

• Airbnb says guests have 72 hours from discovering an issue to report it to the host or Airbnb
• It tells guests to contact the host first and agree an amount before sending a refund request
• Money is sent or requested in the Resolution Centre, up to 60 days after check-out
• Changes to nights or guest numbers go through Change reservation instead
• If you can't agree, you can ask Airbnb to help mediate, and Airbnb gives you one hour to respond to a mediation request

Booking.com

• Cancellations, changes and refunds are handled in the Extranet
• The steps depend on the reservation and how it was paid
• Check Booking.com's partner help pages before you act

Cancelling on a guest yourself should be the last resort. Airbnb's host cancellation policy can mean a fee, a blocked calendar and no payout for that booking. Fees may be waived for valid reasons beyond your control, with documentation. Know your own cancellation policy before a guest asks about it.

Document everything

If you ever need the platform's help, your record is what counts.

1. Keep messages on the platform. After any call, write a short summary there.
2. Photograph the place after each clean, so you can show how it looked before the guest arrived.
3. Photograph any problem or damage as soon as you see it.
4. Keep receipts for repairs, replacements and extra cleaning.
5. Act quickly on damage. Airbnb's Host Damage Protection terms ask you to request the money from the guest, including through the Resolution Centre, within 14 days of check-out.

When to involve the platform

Bring in support when the problem is bigger than a conversation.

• You and the guest can't agree on what's fair
• The guest stops replying, or there's damage
• A guest breaks your house rules in a serious way
• A guest asks to pay or be refunded outside the platform

On Airbnb, start in the Resolution Centre and ask Airbnb to step in if you can't agree. On Booking.com, contact partner support through the Extranet. In any emergency, call the emergency services first: 112 for police, fire and rescue, and 103 for an ambulance.

Turning it into a fair review

A problem handled well can become the best line in your next review. When a guest mentions it, reply calmly: thank them, acknowledge what happened, and say what you've changed. Then fix the cause, so the next guest never meets it. The reviews guide shows how to answer every kind of review.

Complaint mistakes to avoid

• Going quiet while you look for a fix
• Arguing about fault during the stay
• Agreeing things by phone with nothing in writing
• Offering cash or a bank transfer outside the platform
• Linking a refund to a review
• Cancelling on a guest instead of fixing the problem

Your checklist

Be ready

• Repair and cleaning contacts saved
• Restart steps by the router and boiler
• Spare bedding, heater and earplugs

During a problem

• Reply with a time for the next update
• Photo or video asked for
• Agreement confirmed in platform messages

Afterwards

• Follow-up message sent
• Photos and receipts saved
• Cause fixed before the next guest

Questions hosts ask

Should I refund a guest as soon as they complain?
Not automatically. Fix the problem first, then decide. If the guest lost part of their stay, a partial refund through the platform is fair.

Can I give a refund in cash to keep it simple?
No. Use the platform's tools, such as Airbnb's Resolution Centre or Booking.com's Extranet. Money handled outside the platform leaves no record and leaves neither of you protected.

What if I think the guest is wrong about the problem?
Stay calm and ask for a photo or video. Explain the facts once, kindly. If you still can't agree, ask the platform to help rather than arguing.

Will a problem always lead to a bad review?
No. Guests judge how you respond. A fast, honest fix and a short follow-up can leave a better impression than a stay where nothing was tested.