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Post by Deleted on Aug 22, 2016 0:24:16 GMT
Now I have an IB who is requesting I waive her tax fee as she was not informed of it.
I searched my area un-logged, all prices have been removed with the statement to add your dates as some hosts set prices for different dates.
That's another unnecessary blunder. Guests want to know first and foremost the location and the approximate price.
Why search through so many listings only to find they are way beyond the set budget of the traveler?
Whatevers.
Last months mission was it make it almost impossible to contact them directly except through FB, and now, this.
Can't wait to see what new improved ideas all these new employees will come up with.
My point to my guest was that it is stated at the top of the search listing regarding hosts may add additional taxes and fees, as well as directing her to the two areas within my listing where it is stated and is to be agreed to prior to booking.
One night stand, requesting 13.42% discounted taxes. I hope she cancels.
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Post by CC on Aug 23, 2016 15:06:18 GMT
Now I see what you mean, Aloha. I searched mine unlogged and it shows 300+ listings with no way of seeing price unless you input your filters. I guess that's easy enough to do, but it dissuades casual perusers.
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Post by keith on Aug 27, 2016 17:13:37 GMT
I didn't realize they removed it but I know that's been requested by hosts for a long time.
It's a double edged sword...
Since everyone (including AirBnB with their abysmal dynamic pricing designed to get them more bookings at hosts expense) (I use everbooekd..contact me for a free 90 day trial), now has seasonal or date or weekend or event or otherwise flexible pricing on their listings, the "base price" has become very misleading to guests.
Some hosts set their "base" price to a number much lower than you could ever book on any day just to attract people in searches with the hops they'll see the listing and think it's worth more than the price stated.... annoying.
In any case, this caused a lot of confusion on the guests side. It's also very rare that someone just browses an area, finds a place they like then chooses to take a trip when that particular venue is available. So requiring dates to get a price makes a lot of sense, even though it's inconvenient for the casual browser looking for general prices in a location.
In the cases where airbnb doesn't do the taxation automatically, I believe the place to put this information is in the "house rules". Guests are required to check a box indicating they read them before confirming a booking request. In this case you know for sure they read them and can hold them to it.
Otherwise, there will be confusion for sure.
It's unlikely someone looking for a tax refund will cancel a booking where they forfeit their platform fee and then will end up with a different host who wants them to pay the taxes.
What airbnb SHOULD do is, allow hosts to enter a tax rate in any locale they dont collect them. This way it's automatic and it's collected from the guest at time of booking and remitted to the host without collecting them separately.
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Post by Deleted on Aug 27, 2016 18:55:29 GMT
Aloha Keith,
Collecting the taxes upfront didn't work for me when I first began hosting and tried this on other sites.
When I received my 1099s, the tax was included in the total income received or paid out.
Here in Hawaii, when taxes are visually passed on to the guests, the end result is we pay Federal and State on the room rate, and the guests pay the two additional taxes (General Excise Tax and Transient Accommodation Tax) on the rate.
Therefore, even though it was a nice idea, it didn't work out as I was paying taxes on taxes visually passed on.
An owner may include the tax in the room rate, but the mathematics don't work for me as the taxes are 13.42% added together. Nothing makes sense, I'd have to increase my rates, or end up giving the guests a room 13.42% less.
Even in the scenario that you've stated doesn't work as I've had to use the resolution department to collect the taxes and then it goes back onto the total paid out figure.
Even if you refund a guest any amount, the adjustment does not reduce the total amount reported on the 1099s.
Imagine paying taxes to 4 different agencies.
Not a pretty bookkeeping task.
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Post by keith on Aug 27, 2016 19:29:23 GMT
Aloha Keith, Here in Hawaii, when taxes are visually passed on to the guests, the end result is we pay Federal and State on the room rate, and the guests pay the two additional taxes (General Excise Tax and Transient Accommodation Tax) on the rate. Not a pretty bookkeeping task. I think this can be resolved by changing the way it's reported. One problem is that airbnb is required to report on a 1099-k...credit card transactions. This in no way is an indication of income.. Only of payments made. When doing taxes you deduct all Costa and expenses including local taxes from that. The net is your income. It seems a lot easier than having a bunch of random individual transactions from every guest. |
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Post by Deleted on Aug 27, 2016 20:03:26 GMT
Aloha Keith,
As stated, nothing makes sense here, nor is much of anything easy.
That works for the Federal taxes, which the personal State income is based on; but not for the other two business taxes.
At this moment in time, the visually passed on taxes collected for airbnb reservations alone are $4000.
That would be 40 nights at my $100 room that I am not willing to give up.
I realize rental expenses are tax deductions, and your statement makes perfect sense, but it just doesn't work that way here.
Refunds or adjustments are via the guests credit cards, but are not reduced from the total amount reported on the 1099s.
I just import the transaction history each month to my excel, delete half the crap on there not necessary, and make appropriate notations for any irregularities in the event of an audit.
Word around the tax office is I should never be audited as I don't receive 1099s from every site. I report all income which is more than the 1099s report, so should be a done deal.
But I refuse to hand out 13.42% discounts, absorb the cost myself, or pay taxes on taxes collected.
I had to think about this one for awhile when I first started, but guests would have to pay it at a hotel, so why would I ever expect anything less?
I'm over it, my listings are well priced and the taxes are explained in the listing twice.
I agree with you, if the guest can't read the listing or ask for different then listed, then it's just "Next..".
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Post by Deleted on Aug 28, 2016 21:59:31 GMT
And yet another 'improvement':
Has anyone else noticed on their dashboard, the reminder to leave a review for the guest no longer has the 'X' to remove the alert.
Grrr, sometimes there's guests I'd rather choose to forget as quickly as possible and just carry on.
(I prefer to use a computer, which also eliminated the problem long ago of Airbnb placing discounts with people using their apps, thus the 1% idea). I keep practicing with the app, but we all know it's hard to train an old dog new tricks.
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Post by Deleted on Aug 28, 2016 22:26:19 GMT
Aloha CC,
I just followed your suit and changed my cancellation policy to Strict.
Guest just cancelled for a one night stand (that certainly does not break my heart, as I've a following reservation to clean for, busy season, it will get filled if I like it or not, but); she was the one who didn't understand the taxes. A whopping $11.40. Asked me to waive them. NO. Told her how she missed it listed three times on the listing and was instructed to acknowledge she had read the house rules and agree to them.
No note or explanation, just the email notification from airbnb for the cancellation.
Either do your business, or get off the pot.
I'm not leaving myself open to this anymore.
Just another reason I've always been appreciative of your sharing how to 'Run Your Lair Your Way'...the next best seller.
I'm sure chapter four will be to hire a decorator. LOL.
As always,
With much aloha
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Post by CC on Aug 29, 2016 0:13:14 GMT
Ah hahaha, Aloha--I got that one!! Yes! My Way Or Highway!
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Post by High Priestess on Aug 29, 2016 0:57:34 GMT
And yet another 'improvement': Has anyone else noticed on their dashboard, the reminder to leave a review for the guest no longer has the 'X' to remove the alert. I didnt' notice that, but today I went to write a review for a guest and could not find the option to do so under my "reviews" page. There was no option there. The only way I was able to do it was via a link on the dropdown menu of my inbox alerts. Fortunately I had at least that otherwise I couldn't have reivewed her! |
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Post by Deleted on Aug 29, 2016 1:12:32 GMT
The other dumb idea is if a guest writes a review in their language of origin. Not english, as I have my listing set to.
The review goes under the cumulative number of reviews, not the specific room.
And, they have removed the button to Translate the reviews.
Those employees must be so over stuffed with the provided benefits of breakfast, lunch, and dinner; that they just keep rollin in with 'just keeping busy' projects that they think will have zero effect.
In my two years of hosting, I cannot remember one good improvement on the host side.
A never ending series of items deleted, or changed that caused massive problems across the board with no prior communication to the hosts of the 'decisions' of how our listings actually need to be read.
Not to mention, OK, I will, the 'downtime'/aka deletion of the house rules and driving directions on the guests itinerary, and the 54 hoops anyone has to jump through to get in touch with a customer service rep.
And I personally think the app sucks.
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Post by helgaparis on Aug 29, 2016 17:47:28 GMT
Rhonda, it's not bad if they leave you a review in their language. You have many English anyway but if someone leaves one fi in Chinese, it's only at the bottom if you search listings in English language. If a Chinese member looks on his website, he sees the Chinese one on top, no matter how old it is.
After a while, potential guests from everywhere see a review in their language. And people trust the comment more, if it's written by a compatriot. They will have similar expectations and if the one liked it, the other wil like it too - at lest that's the prejudice we all have.
Airbnb exploits it, it's good marketing;-)
If it annoys you, you can always pass it by google translate, and if it's nice, you say in a public answer: "thank you for the review, which I translate..." And paste it in.
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Post by Deleted on Aug 29, 2016 19:58:23 GMT
Aloha Helga,
It doesn't bother me; it was just my theory to keep the reviews chronological as that is how I've always perused reviews for hotels in the past.
I remember reading a few reviews a couple years old stating the facility needed remodeling, painting, smelled musty, or whatever, and the newer ones would be past that stage and remark on the goodness of the facility and staff.
It is also my opinion that the chronological order helps guests to know that the listing is still actively being rented and the guests are still satisfied.
Thirdly, I don't remember which room these guests were in, but sometimes I need a few, or alot of reviews to 'bury' the crappy ones I also receive.
This just came in from my 'miracle' IB guests which prevented the other guy's decision to accept or decline his second inquiry to extend his stay:
"Hi rhonda i reached home (URL HIDDEN) missing you so much!!!!!!i keep the currency signature of always with me,which gives me lot of memories of you.you gave me lots of strength by explaining and removing the fear inside me.you removed my inside fear by explaining what it is.i have that yellow paper in my vallet which always stays there.whenever i see that i get strenght.
Rhonda +(PHONE NUMBER HIDDEN) this is my contact number.can i have yours?i want to in touch you always.you were like my grandmother.love you rhonda.takecare."
Two wonderful gentlemen from South India living in California.
Stated they could not swim and had never kayaked.
I helped and explained the gear, and provided life jackets.
I'll tell you, one could not get these two out of the water after their first try, and I was totally shocked to hear of their kayaking adventure.
Upon check-out, they asked me to sign one dollar bills for each of them.
I'm like "What?? Isn't that illegal?"
"Defamation of currency?"
Whatever, I just signed my first name with a smiley face.
At the same time we were speaking of swimming and how happy I was that they tried and liked it.
Now they were ready to conquer anything!
The one who wrote the email began again, with the "...but I'm afraid of..."
I wrote on that yellow piece of paper he is referring to:
FEAR
False
Evidence
Appearing
Real
Yeehaw!! Mission Accomplished! Yet another guest who I also shall remember always for the warmth of the spirit.
Wouldn't it be lovely if all hosting experiences were this enjoyable?
I'll tell you, the Universe knew I needed some healing spirits to cross my door way in order to get over 'Mr Grumpy'.
These boys were the ones who had used the tenants patio table that I spoke about, and which I received scoldings from the tenant first thing in the morning.
Whatever, yet another learning lesson how much I enjoy my apartment space and prefer not to rent it out long-term, yet the timing was perfect for income during those slow months, and I'd probably do it again if the same situation arose again.
As always,
With much aloha
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