Airbnb Just Changed the Rules!! (and you are the punchline)

Airbnb just quietly made some updates to their Payment Terms. If you're hosting short-term rentals, especially at scale, you should probably stop scrolling and start paying attention, unless you enjoy unpredictable income and surprise withdrawals.
Starting September 8th, Airbnb can reverse your payout long after a guest checks out. Weeks later. Months later. Doesn’t matter. They’re not obligated to warn you, reimburse you, or even fight the dispute on your behalf. But yes, they still keep their cut.
That means a guest could book a $7,000 stay, leave five-star reviews, and still file a chargeback two months later… and you eat it. Sound fair? Of course not. But it’s in the fine print now.

Oh, and it gets better.

Airbnb is doubling down on “Pay Over Time” programs. Sounds generous—unless you're the host. Because now guests can block off your calendar with a partial payment, then ghost you right before check-in. Depending on the cancellation terms and how the payment was processed, you might walk away with… nothing.
It’s basically a layaway plan for guests and a game of financial roulette for you.
So, ask yourself: Why is the platform with all the leverage taking fewer risks, while the people providing the actual asset are absorbing more?

If you’re still pretending this is passive income, I’ve got some beachfront property to sell you, in Kansas.