Don’t panic if you ever get a message on your interface saying ‘Airbnb Listing Suspended’. We know that sounds like an impossible request and we’ve all heard horror stories about Airbnb failing to respond to urgent queries, but try to take a step back and think logically. Here is what to do if you see that dreaded ‘Airbnb listing suspended’ notification…
What Causes ‘Airbnb Listing Suspended’ Notifications?
Airbnb periodically conducts random reviews of listings. If your listing is below standard in some way, Airbnb can temporarily suspend your listing. The reasons for the initial suspension can range from ratings that are too low to a slow response time. It can also include high levels of cancellations and too few accepted reservations.
Airbnb says there are three main reasons that listings get permanently suspended. According to them, hosts can get suspended if their listing is in the bottom 1% of Airbnb review ratings if they have repeatedly broken Airbnb’s Terms of Service, and if they have had multiple accounts or listing suspensions in the past.
There are different types of Airbnb listing suspensions. They range from 5 days to a few weeks to permanent suspension. The five-day suspension sees hosts lose five days of booking potential. Airbnb does not remove any bookings or delete any reservations during this time. All the host loses is five days in search results and the opportunity for new bookings.
What Happens When Airbnb Suspends Your Listing?
Airbnb recently changed its suspension terms. Originally, all reservations dated more than seven days in advance of your suspension were canceled. Now, reservations for two months after notification of your suspension will still be valid. Airbnb will cancel any reservations that fall more than two months in advance.
Hosts will be given a reason for receiving the ‘Airbnb listing suspended’ error message. It will then become their responsibility to address said issues. These issues can range from poor reviews to high cancellation rates. Try to identify the core issue, and work to remedy it. This way, you can ensure you never have to deal with a suspension again.
Steps to Take When Your Listing is Suspended
Contact Airbnb
The first thing you should do when you notice that your listing has been suspended is contact Airbnb. There are plenty of ways to contact Airbnb, the easiest of which is to call them directly. There is an appeals process, so there isn’t an overnight fix, but it will certainly get the ball rolling. For a comprehensive guide on how to contact Airbnb, check out this article from iGMS, one of our wonderful partners!
Host response time is always very important, but in a suspended listing scenario, this is especially true.
Provide Supporting Information
The appeals process will require some information from both sides of the equation. You’ll be asked to provide evidence or testimony as to why the suspension is unfair. As an Airbnb host, you have the right to reply to a poor guest review, and as long as your response is not unfair, Airbnb will have to take it into account.
Address the Issue
Once you know the reason for the suspension, take appropriate action to address the problem. This might involve rectifying any policy violations, addressing guest complaints, or resolving outstanding issues related to your listing.
Airbnb does not randomly review host accounts, but as a company, it does tend to zoom in on breaks of Airbnb rules.
Follow-Up with Airbnb
When your host accounts or listings are suspended, you’ll need to follow up with Airbnb regularly. You do not want your upcoming reservations to be canceled as this will affect your listing’s rating. Too many cancellations mean you are not eligible for Superhost status.
Canceling existing reservations hurts your host accounts. Your job is to host guests and Airbnb tends to penalize hosts who fail to honor their bookings. Most vacation rental platforms are the same, no matter their appeal process.
Can I Appeal the Decision?
In short, yes, there is indeed an appeals process. Sadly, Airbnb is not known for being particularly flexible on this issue. Initial suspensions are much easier to overturn than permanent ones. Just keep this in mind when trying to fight your case with them.
What Should I Do If My Listing Gets Suspended?
First of all, remain calm. There is an appeals process when you get the ‘Airbnb listing suspended’ error message. Open the Appeals Form, and make sure you are logged into your Airbnb account before you attempt to submit it. Be ready with the following information as Airbnb will request it when you attempt to submit your form: the name of the listing you are appealing for, the reservation codes relating to the reviews you are contesting, and which review violations apply and why.
According to Airbnb, these ‘review violations’ are violations of Airbnb’s Content Policy, irrelevant contact her the Review Relevancy Policy, and biased and fraudulent content (as the result of extortion or competitor reviews) per the Review Manipulation Policy.
What Should I Do If My Account is Permanently Banned?
If you see the ‘Airbnb listing suspended’ and it turns out that your account has been permanently banned, be aware that Airbnb does not easily change these sorts of decisions.
If Airbnb does not see the value in your listing, then your business goals are best served elsewhere. The market is flooded with Airbnb alternatives, like Booking.com and Vrbo, both of whom boast incredibly impressive user numbers.
As always, we’re here to help! If DPGO can do anything for you, please let us know! For more information on what we offer, take a look at our comprehensive explanation post.
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