Airbnb’s New Chargeback Rules: Why It’s Time to Push Direct Bookings

If you’re a property owner with a short-term rental listed on Airbnb, you’re going to want to listen up.

Airbnb just quietly updated its payment terms and rolled out some new rules that are advantageous to travelers… but highly unfavorable to property owners. Airbnb’s new rules, which went into effect for new users on June 26, 2025, and will impact users with existing accounts starting September 8, 2025, could leave you with empty nights on your booking calendar… and worse, with empty pockets.

Need an overview of all the changes rolling out to your Airbnb account soon? Here’s the scoop… and our best tips for protecting your short-term rental business despite the upcoming changes.

What Are the New Airbnb Rules — And How Do They Negatively Impact Property Managers?

#1

Guests can book without paying in full.

First things first. Airbnb is moving toward a “reserve now, pay later” model, which is great news for guests… but not great news for you.

With this new policy, guests can book a property with a small deposit, and, depending on the cancellation policy you’ve selected, can cancel the reservation just days in advance. This leaves you without a payout and with an empty spot on your rental calendar that is unlikely to be filled by another guest in such a short timeframe.

Not only does this policy add more financial risk to your short-term rental business, but it also increases the likelihood of guests cancelling at the last minute.

#2

Chargebacks can hit the host weeks (or months) after a stay ends.

Airbnb is rolling out a new chargeback process, which, again, is favorable for the Airbnb platform and users… but not for hosts. Basically, the new rule states that if guests dispute charges with their credit card company, Airbnb can reverse your payout… even after the stay is over.

While it’s unclear whether there will be a set timeframe for payment disputes (weeks, months, years…), what is clear is that it makes dispute resolution a lot more complicated.

For example, if a guest stays with you and never leaves a negative review or reaches out with concerns, you probably assume their stay was great, right? Well, if they think their stay was not great, and, without giving you a chance to make it right, reach out to their credit card company to issue a chargeback, you might see funds removed from your account to reimburse them. And, unfortunately, Airbnb is not on the hook to refund you, and, regardless of what happens, will keep the service fee.

#3

Payments can be delayed or withheld with no explanation.

Here’s the real kicker. Once these new changes and rules are rolled out, Airbnb has the right to delay or withhold payments due to the platform flagging the payment with a potential “risk,” such as a sudden increase in bookings, a guest dispute or issue, or a lack of documentation.

Since Airbnb owns the payment processing function of your business, this means future payouts are at the mercy of Airbnb, which can create serious cash flow issues for your short-term rental business.

Ensure You’re Prepared — Steps to Take to Protect Yourself from Delayed Payments & Guest Disputes

Now that you have a better understanding of how Airbnb’s new policies might impact your rental business, it’s time to implement a plan that protects your cash flow and prevents payout delays. Here are some tips for mitigating your financial risk as a short-term rental owner:

• Build Financial Protection — Now that Airbnb can delay payments for undefined amounts of time and chargebacks can wipe out thousands of dollars of income with one dispute, it’s more important than ever to have money set aside to keep your expenses covered and your short-term rental business running if one of these unfortunate events impacts your business.
• Choose Stricter Cancellation Policies — Airbnb does give hosts some control over their cancellation policies, so with the new “book now, pay later” model, consider moving to a less flexible cancellation policy to incentivize guests to keep their reservation, so you don’t end up with lost profits or an empty rental calendar from last-minute cancellations.
• Keep Detailed Records — If you aren’t already, set strict house rules, only welcome guests who are ID verified, and start keeping detailed records of your interaction with each and every guest, including messages, check-in and check-out records, and photos. This way, when a guest disputes a charge, you’ll have more leverage and grounds to hold onto your payment.
• Diversify Your Booking Platforms — Finally, if most of your short-term rental guests (and income) come from Airbnb, it’s time to diversify booking platforms to reduce risk. Consider listing your vacation rentals on other OTAs, like Booking.com or Vrbo, and, better yet, develop a direct booking strategy to ensure your rental (and earnings) are being controlled on your terms.

Why Direct Bookings Are the Solution to Airbnb’s New Rules — And How Special Places of Costa Rica Is Ahead of the Game

With Airbnb’s new rules, having complete control over your short-term rental business is more important than ever. That is why developing a direct booking strategy that puts you in charge (instead of a middleman, like Airbnb) is the best way to safeguard your investment and earnings.

At Special Places of Costa Rica, we’ve watched the “ebbs” and “flows” in Airbnb’s policies over the years, which have continually provided less and less value to property owners. That’s why we’ve never relied solely on OTAs, and instead, have always been focused on generating direct website bookings for our owners with proven marketing strategies like paid advertising and search engine optimization (SEO). As of August 2025, 40% of all bookings for our properties are made directly through our website.

When guests book your property directly, you have control over payment collection and terms, cancellation policies and disputes, the guest experience, and cash flow, which leads to less risk and more reward for your short-term rental business.

Boost Direct Bookings for Your Property in Guanacaste with Special Places of Costa Rica

Want to take control of your short-term rental business and invest in a direct booking strategy that actually works… but not sure where to start? If so, turn to our team at Special Places of Costa Rica for property management services in Costa Rica that lead to increased profit and peace of mind.Our done-for-you marketing approach lends itself to more direct bookings for your short-term rental, and often, direct bookings are the most significant source of revenue for our owners (even more than Airbnb!). Want to learn more? Reach out to our team to schedule a meeting and free rental evaluation!