Independent profile — not affiliated with Airbnb
Airbnb
Airbnb is an online marketplace for stays, experiences and services operated by Airbnb, Inc. of San Francisco (Nasdaq: ABNB), the entity Airbnb's Terms name for 'all other activities' of U.S. users. This page sets out Airbnb's own refund, rebooking and complaint routes, the BBB and Trustpilot figures as displayed on 2026-10-14, disclosed regulatory matters, a pending U.S. Department of Justice suit and court decisions, and 32 archived complaints from 2011 to 2014.
Complaints & Reviews on USAComplaints
USAComplaints currently maintains 25 historical complaints about Airbnb, published between 2012 and 2014. No approved complaints have been published on this site during the last three years. For a current reputation snapshot, see the independent sources below.
- No response to cancellation request after repeated calls and emails
- Real estate agent's listing copied onto site as vacation rental
- Rental scam via Immobilienscout24 listing, payment to Barclays account
- Fake Croatia villa owner, payment sent to Barclays account
- Wimbledon accommodation scam, payment to Barclays account, no help
- Fake host invoice email led to wire transfer loss for Ibiza apartment
- Scam host asked for direct email payment, no warning given
- Noisy NYC apartment misrepresented, deposit of $3500 kept
- Booking confirmed by fake email asking money transfer to scammer
- Owner changed town and postal code, only half refund given
- Support indifferent after scam and promised security call never came
- Lost money to fake listing via emailed bank transfer request
- Fake New York apartment listing paid by wire transfer
- Fake booking email with wire transfer details, no help given
- Lost $3,180 to fake booking and wire transfer via spoofed Airbnb email
- Paid fake host by bank transfer after spoofed Airbnb email
- Noisy Florence apartment with no air conditioning, $2,000 lost
- Rented Chicago loft not as pictured, support refused full refund
- Noisy unsafe Florence apartment missing advertised amenities
- Charged $2055 for alleged damages without hearing guests
Complaint Themes
Independent Sources
Shown for context — not merged with USAComplaints' own numbers.
Contacts
- Official website: https://www.airbnb.com/
- Airbnb Support (Help Center): +1 415-800-5959 20 complaints mention this number
- Airbnb Payments, Inc. (Payments Terms): +1 844-234-2500
- Help Center: submit a complaint: https://www.airbnb.com/help/article/3996
- Resolution Center: https://www.airbnb.com/resolutions
Locations
| Type | Address |
|---|---|
| Headquarters | 888 Brannan Street San Francisco CA 94103 |
Refunds, cancellations and problems with a stay: Airbnb's routes and where else to report
Airbnb's own pages (opened 2026-10-14) describe separate routes for a cancelled booking, a problem with the place, a damage claim and a payment dispute. Airbnb states in its Terms that it operates a platform and that 'we do not and cannot control the conduct of Guests and Hosts'; a booking is a contract between host and guest.
Problem with the place or a host cancellation. The 'Rebooking and refund policy for homes' (effective February 6, 2025) says that if a host cancels before check-in the guest is 'entitled to a full refund' and that Airbnb will generally convert the original payment into a travel credit, which is refunded to the original payment method if unused after 72 hours; guests 'can always request a refund to their original payment method instead'. For other 'Reservation Issues' (access not provided, not habitable or clean at check-in, significantly different from the listing) the policy says: 'Guests must report Reservation Issues within 72 hours after discovery', with evidence such as photographs or video, and that the guest should notify the host first where feasible. Airbnb's AirCover page (AirCover for guests) describes the same help: rebooking or 'a full or partial refund, including service fees', and notes it 'doesn't include more minor inconveniences, like a broken toaster'.
How to reach Airbnb. The Help Center article 'Contact Airbnb customer service for help' says to contact Support by messaging or chat and gives +1-415-800-5959. Its 'Submit a complaint' article points to a feedback form for complaints and suggestions. The Resolution Center is for refund and payment requests between host and guest; Airbnb's article says guests have 'up to 60 days after your reservation's checkout date' to submit a request there.
If a host asks the guest to cancel. The Help Center article 'If your host cancels your home reservation' (opened 2026-10-14) says: 'If your host tells you they can't accommodate your stay, don't cancel for them. Message them and ask them to cancel instead—that way, you'll be eligible for a full refund.' It adds that a guest whose host is pressuring them to cancel can contact Airbnb.
When refunds arrive. 'When you'll get your refund' says Airbnb initiates the refund as soon as it is approved and that for major credit cards it can take 'up to 15 business days'; the time depends on the bank or payment method.
Payments and messages outside Airbnb. The Terms tell members: 'Do not request, make, or accept a booking or any payment outside of the Airbnb Platform to avoid paying fees, taxes or for any other reason.' Airbnb's 'Off-Platform and Fee Transparency Policy' lists asking or encouraging users to move bookings off Airbnb, and including links that take people off the platform, as prohibited behaviors. Archived complaints on this site from 2012 to 2013 describe fake listings and wire-transfer instructions; they are summarized below as consumer reports.
Damage claims. The Help Center article 'Getting charged for damage' says a host may send a reimbursement request in the Resolution Center and the guest has 24 hours to respond; if the guest pays only part, declines or does not respond, 'your host may involve Airbnb or our insurer'. The same article says the guest will be given 'the opportunity to voluntarily submit a timely payment or an appeal', that 'You’ll never be charged without advance notice or a chance to appeal before and after you’ve been charged', and that 'You’ll have 60 days to appeal after you’ve been charged' (the article says this does not apply to stays in China, Japan or India).
Outside Airbnb. Section 23 of the Terms (for users in the United States) provides for binding individual arbitration administered by the American Arbitration Association, with a mandatory 30-day Pre-Dispute Notice, and says each side 'retain[s] the right to seek resolution of the dispute in small claims court as an alternative to arbitration'. Section 23.3 says a user bringing a dispute must mail the Pre-Dispute Notice to Airbnb's agent for service, 'CSC Lawyers Incorporating Service, 2710 Gateway Oaks Drive, Suite 150N, Sacramento, California 95833', and that the notice must include the date, the user's name, mailing address, Airbnb username, the email address used for the account, a signature, a brief description of the dispute and the relief sought.
Card disputes. Government complaint routes that do not depend on Airbnb are the FTC (ReportFraud.ftc.gov) and the consumer protection office of the state attorney general. For a charge, the CFPB page 'How do I dispute a charge on my credit card bill?' says that to protect your rights you must send a written billing error notice to the card company 'within 60 calendar days after the charge appeared on your statement'.
Who operates Airbnb and which entity contracts with U.S. users
According to Airbnb's Terms of Service (last updated February 5, 2026), Schedule 1 names the contracting entity for U.S. users by activity: Airbnb Travel, LLC for certain hotels where it is identified at checkout, Airbnb Stays, Inc. for U.S. stays of 28 nights or more where it is identified, Airbnb Beyond LLC for services and experiences, Luxury Retreats International ULC where identified, and 'All other activities. Airbnb, Inc.', all at 888 Brannan Street, San Francisco, CA 94103 (Luxury Retreats at an address in Montreal). Payments are handled by separate Airbnb payment entities; for the United States the Payments Terms name Airbnb Payments, Inc.
Airbnb, Inc.'s Form 10-Q for the quarter ended June 30, 2026 says the company 'was incorporated in Delaware in June 2008 and is headquartered in San Francisco, California'. Its Class A common stock trades on The Nasdaq Stock Market as ABNB. In its fiscal 2025 Form 10-K the company says it operates 'a global marketplace connecting guests with stays, experiences, and services, collectively in over 220 countries and regions' (company statement).
The 10-K's risk factors and the 10-Q note on legal matters say the company is a party to proceedings in 'regulatory matters, commercial matters, intellectual property, competition, tax, employment, pricing, discrimination, consumer rights, personal injury, and property rights'. The filing states the company 'believes ... that the resolution of all such pending matters will not, either individually or in the aggregate, have a material adverse effect' on its business; that is the company's own assessment.
Regulatory matters disclosed in SEC filings and decided court orders
Spain (Ministry of Consumer Affairs). The 10-Q for the quarter ended June 30, 2026 says that 'In July 2025, Airbnb received a letter from the Spanish Ministry of Consumer Affairs proposing to assess a fine of approximately 110 million Euro ($129 million) in connection with alleged non-compliance with short-term rental listing regulations in Spain', which the ministry 'subsequently reduced' to approximately 65 million Euro in September 2025. The filing states Airbnb 'has disputed the fine and the applicability of these rules', that 'any potential loss is neither probable nor estimable', and that in May 2026, 'pursuant to a court order', Airbnb obtained a surety bond of 70 million Euro to suspend enforcement pending resolution. This is a non-U.S. matter about listings, not about a U.S. guest's refund.
Italy (tax). The 10-K says that in December 2023, 'without admitting any liability', Airbnb Ireland signed an agreement with the Italian Revenue Agency settling the 2017-2021 audit periods for an aggregate payment of 576 million Euro, and signed similar agreements for 2022 and 2023. These agreements concern host income tax withholding and tourist tax, not consumer refunds.
New York Attorney General subpoena (2014). In Airbnb, Inc. v. Schneiderman (N.Y. Sup. Ct., decided 2014), the court granted Airbnb's application 'to quash the subpoena as overbroad' and denied the Attorney General's cross motion to compel; the subpoena had sought host data in an investigation of New York short-term rentals. The opinion does not decide whether any law was violated.
United States v. Airbnb, Inc., et al. (N.D. Cal.). The Department of Justice Civil Rights Division's case page (updated April 1, 2026; opened 2026-10-14) says the United States filed its original complaint on January 10, 2025 alleging that Airbnb and two property-owner defendants discriminated on the basis of familial status in violation of the Fair Housing Act when they refused to rent complainants an apartment because they have children, and that on March 13, 2026 it filed an amended complaint alleging that Airbnb's conduct, 'including allowing property rental hosts the option to designate a property as not suitable for children or infants', violates the Fair Housing Act. The page says the court denied Airbnb's motion to dismiss on September 18, 2025, rejecting its venue argument, and that 'Litigation against Airbnb, Inc. is continuing.' The June 6, 2025 settlement described on the page was with the property owners (Sandlot05 LLC and Jarrod Blake), not with Airbnb. These are the government's allegations; no finding against Airbnb is described on the page.
No U.S. federal consumer-protection order against Airbnb, Inc. is described in the SEC filings and the Airbnb newsroom pages checked on 2026-10-14; this is not a search of every agency's records. Airbnb's filings say government inquiries and consumer-rights claims occur in the ordinary course of business without naming them.
Complaint record: BBB, Trustpilot and archived complaints on this site
BBB profile for Airbnb, Inc., San Francisco, as displayed on 2026-10-14. BBB shows a rating of A+ and states 'Airbnb, Inc. is NOT a BBB Accredited Business'. Its complaints tab shows '7,757 total complaints in the last 3 years' and '2,744 complaints filed in the last 12 months'; its reviews tab shows '1.05 /5 stars, Average of 938 Customer Reviews'. BBB's raw profile data gives file opened 2011-04-27, business started 2008-06-27 and incorporated 2008-06-27. BBB's own note on the profile encourages consumers and hosts to review Airbnb's ground rules and Help Center.
Trustpilot (airbnb.com), as displayed on 2026-10-14. 1.2 from 18,390 reviews; the profile is claimed (February 2013). Trustpilot says the company 'hasn't invited customers recently, so reviews may not be representative' and 'hasn't replied to negative reviews', and states it does not fact-check reviews.
Archived complaints on this site. 32 approved complaints in the usacomplaints.com archive name Airbnb; 25 of them list Airbnb (or a spelling variant) as the business complained about and 7 are about a host or third party where Airbnb is the booking platform. All 32 are dated between October 2011 and February 2014, so they reflect Airbnb's service and Terms of that period and are consumer allegations, not findings. A keyword count across the 25 primary posts: 11 describe a payment request outside Airbnb or a bank-transfer instruction (wire, Western Union, bank account), 7 mention a refund or cancellation, and 9 mention support or a response. A post can fall into more than one count; the counts are not a measure of how Airbnb performs today.
The BBB, Trustpilot and archive figures come from different sources with different methods and are not added or compared here.
Court decisions involving Airbnb, Inc.
Section 23 of the Terms generally requires individual arbitration for covered U.S. disputes, subject to small-claims and other stated exceptions, and several published decisions deal with that clause or with Airbnb's role as a platform. The decisions below were opened on CourtListener on 2026-10-14; they are listed with the procedural result stated in each opinion, not as findings of wrongdoing. Many individual lawsuits against Airbnb are filed each year in U.S. federal courts; they are not listed by name here.
Selden v. Airbnb, Inc. A guest alleged race discrimination. The D.C. Circuit's July 13, 2021 opinion (No. 19-7168) affirmed: it held that 'Airbnb's sign-up screen put Selden on reasonable notice' of the Terms of Service and that his discrimination claims were arbitrable, noting that the arbitrator had ruled in favor of Airbnb.
Plazza v. Airbnb, Inc. A putative class action alleged Airbnb acted as an unlicensed real estate broker in New York and violated General Business Law section 349. On January 26, 2018 the Southern District of New York granted Airbnb's motion to compel arbitration in part and stayed the action pending arbitration. The final outcome was not verified.
Smith v. Airbnb, Inc. A guest injured at a rental property sued the host and Airbnb. The Oregon Court of Appeals affirmed summary judgment for Airbnb on December 15, 2021, holding that its activities 'did not materially contribute' to the alleged unlawfulness of the listing under section 230 of the Communications Decency Act; the Oregon Supreme Court denied review on April 21, 2022.
Is Airbnb Legitimate?
Airbnb, Inc. is a Delaware corporation headquartered at 888 Brannan Street, San Francisco, whose Class A common stock is listed on Nasdaq under ABNB and which files annual and quarterly reports with the SEC. BBB lists the business with an A+ rating, not accredited, with a 2008 start date. At the same time, BBB's complaints tab shows 7,757 complaints in three years and Trustpilot shows 1.2 from 18,390 reviews, with the notices described in the complaint-record section above.
This page states what Airbnb's own pages and public records say; it does not rate Airbnb. Airbnb's Terms say bookings are contracts between hosts and guests and that Airbnb 'cannot control the conduct' of its members. Archived 2012-2014 complaints on this site describe fake listings that asked guests to pay outside the platform; Airbnb's current Terms prohibit requesting or accepting payment outside the platform. A guest with a current problem should use the routes in the first section and keep payments and messages inside the Airbnb app or website.
Court & Public Records
| Case | Authority | Dates | Type | Outcome | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| United States v. Airbnb, Inc., et al. | U.S. District Court, Northern District of California | Filed | Filed — no final outcome recorded Fair Housing Act case brought by the United States (Civil Rights Division). The DOJ case page says the original complaint (January 10, 2025) alleged familial-status discrimination by Airbnb and two property owners, that the property owners settled on June 6, 2025, that the court denied Airbnb's motion to dismiss on September 18, 2025 (rejecting its venue argument), and that an amended complaint was filed on March 13, 2026 alleging that Airbnb's conduct, including allowing hosts to designate a property as not suitable for children or infants, violates the Act. The page states 'Litigation against Airbnb, Inc. is continuing.' These are allegations; no finding against Airbnb is stated. | Source | |
| Selden v. Airbnb, Inc. Docket No. 19-7168 | U.S. Court of Appeals, District of Columbia Circuit | — | Appeal decided | Appeal decided — see outcome Discrimination claims by a guest. The district court had compelled arbitration and the arbitrator ruled for Airbnb; on appeal the D.C. Circuit affirmed, holding that Airbnb's sign-up screen gave reasonable notice of the Terms of Service and that the discrimination claims were arbitrable, and that the plaintiff had not shown prejudice from alleged arbitrator misconduct. The opinion decides arbitrability, not the merits of the discrimination allegations. | Source |
| Plazza v. Airbnb, Inc. Docket 16-CV-1085 (VSB) | U.S. District Court, Southern District of New York | — | Filed | Filed — no final outcome recorded Putative class action alleging that Airbnb acted as an unlicensed real estate broker in New York in violation of Real Property Law section 440 and General Business Law section 349 (the plaintiffs' allegations). On January 26, 2018 the court granted Airbnb's motion to compel arbitration in part and stayed the action pending arbitration. The later outcome was not verified. | Source |
| Smith v. Airbnb, Inc. Docket A173133 | Oregon Court of Appeals | — | Appeal decided | Appeal decided — see outcome A guest injured at a rental property sued the property owner and Airbnb. The trial court granted Airbnb summary judgment under section 230 of the Communications Decency Act; the Court of Appeals affirmed, holding that Airbnb's activities did not 'materially contribute' to the alleged unlawfulness of the listing. The Oregon Supreme Court denied review on April 21, 2022 (369 Or 675). | Source |
Related Complaints
Names this company in a role other than the primary subject — not necessarily current or complete.
Company Relationships
- Affiliated with: Airbnb Payments, Inc.
- Affiliated with: Airbnb Stays, Inc.
- Affiliated with: Airbnb Travel, LLC
- Affiliated with: Airbnb Beyond LLC
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I get a refund from Airbnb after a host cancels or a place is not as listed?
Airbnb's rebooking and refund policy for homes says a guest whose host cancels before check-in is 'entitled to a full refund', and for other Reservation Issues the guest 'must report' within 72 hours after discovery, with evidence such as photos or video. Where feasible the guest should first tell the host; Airbnb's help pages direct unresolved issues to Contact us.
How long does an Airbnb refund take to arrive?
Airbnb's 'When you'll get your refund' article says Airbnb initiates the refund as soon as it is approved and lists up to 15 business days for major credit cards and some other payment methods; shorter times apply to others such as PayPal (24 hours).
What does AirCover for guests cover?
Airbnb's AirCover page says it provides rebooking help or 'a full or partial refund, including service fees' if a host cancels before check-in, a host cannot be reached, or the listing is significantly different from the advertisement and the host cannot resolve it. It says it does not include 'more minor inconveniences, like a broken toaster',.
What is Airbnb's phone number and how do I contact support?
The Help Center article 'Contact Airbnb customer service for help' says to contact Airbnb by messaging or chat and gives +1-415-800-5959 for calls; the same number appears on the BBB profile. The Help Center also has a 'Submit a complaint' article that links to a feedback form.
Is it allowed to pay an Airbnb host by bank transfer or outside the app?
Airbnb's Terms say: 'Do not request, make, or accept a booking or any payment outside of the Airbnb Platform to avoid paying fees, taxes or for any other reason', with exceptions described in its Offline Fee Policy. Archived complaints on this site from 2012-2013 describe emails that looked like Airbnb messages giving bank-transfer instructions; the Off-Platform policy lists moving bookings off Airbnb as prohibited.
Can I sue Airbnb in court or must I use arbitration?
Section 23 of Airbnb's Terms (U.S. users) provides for individual arbitration with the American Arbitration Association after a 30-day Pre-Dispute Notice and says each side may use small claims court as an alternative to arbitration. The D.C. Circuit enforced the arbitration clause in Selden v. Airbnb (July 13, 2021).
What does BBB show for Airbnb?
The BBB page for Airbnb, Inc. in San Francisco, opened on 2026-10-14, displays: rating A+, not BBB accredited, 7,757 complaints in the last 3 years, 2,744 complaints in the last 12 months, and an average of 938 customer reviews at 1.05 out of 5. BBB's page data gives a business start date of 2008-06-27.
Which company is behind Airbnb?
Airbnb's Terms (Schedule 1, last updated February 5, 2026) name Airbnb, Inc., 888 Brannan Street, San Francisco, CA 94103, as the contracting entity for 'all other activities' of U.S. users, with Airbnb Stays, Inc., Airbnb Travel, LLC and Airbnb Beyond LLC for specific booking types. The company's 10-Q says Airbnb, Inc. was incorporated in Delaware in June 2008.
What happens if a host says I damaged the property?
Airbnb's article 'Getting charged for damage' says a host may send a reimbursement request in the Resolution Center and the guest has 24 hours to respond; if the guest pays a partial amount, declines or does not respond, the host 'may involve Airbnb or our insurer', and Airbnb's Community Support team can review the evidence. The article also says the guest will not be charged without advance notice or a chance to appeal before and after being charged, with 60 days to appeal after a charge (not applying to stays in China, Japan or India).