ArcaMax

Q: I don't understand why Airbnb deleted my account. I've been a responsible guest with excellent reviews. Airbnb says that I violated its community standards, but I know that I didn't. The only explanation I can think of is my location. I live in Zaporizhzhia, Ukraine, which is near the front line of the ongoing war but remains under Ukrainian control. Airbnb won't do business in Russia.

Some international services wrongly mark our entire region as "disputed," which feels discriminatory and unfair. Airbnb asked me to confirm my address, and right after I did, it froze my account permanently.

I appealed and sent all the information that they requested, including proof of residence. Still, they refused to restore my account and said that I can't create a new one. Even worse, I never received my refund of $1,000 for the cancellations. Can you help me get my money back and, if possible, my account reinstated? -- Daria Popova, Zaporizhzhia, Ukraine

A: Airbnb owes you both an explanation and a refund. The company is allowed to close an account if it believes that a guest has violated its terms, but it should provide a valid reason and process your refund in a timely manner. None of this happened here.

You followed the right steps -- appealing the decision, providing documentation, and contacting customer support. Unfortunately, it looks like you got stuck in a loop of automated replies from Airbnb. This left you without answers or access to your funds.

This isn't the first case where Airbnb got its geography wrong. I mediated a case at the beginning of the Russo-Ukranian war, where the platform banned a guest because she used to live in Russia and still had a Russian phone number. When the normal resolution process doesn't work, you can always appeal to an Airbnb executive. I list all of them on my consumer advocacy site, Elliott.org.

I reached out to Airbnb on your behalf. A representative said that the company would review your case. Shortly after, Airbnb asked you for your address information again. You provided it, but then received the same canned response that your account was permanently blocked. At this point, you still didn't have a refund.

So, I went back to Airbnb and asked for a second review, which finally broke the logjam. Airbnb refunded the full amount of your canceled reservations and reactivated your account. The takeaway: When a company ignores you, persistence matters. A paper trail, a clear record of promises that were made (like refund deadlines), and an advocate (if needed) can make the difference between losing $1,000 and getting it returned to you.

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Christopher Elliott is the founder of Elliott Advocacy (elliottadvocacy.org), a nonprofit organization that helps consumers solve their problems. Email him at chris@elliott.org or get help by contacting him at elliottadvocacy.org/help/.

(c) 2026 Christopher Elliott

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