Different service fees

[Armando2]

I'm an Airbnb host but this time I'm acting as a guest.

I was looking for a place with my girlfriend, on her computer, and we found a place to our liking. The service fees shown were €38 (nearly 12%)

Now I was going to book using my own account and I get a service fee of €47 (nearly 15%)

How can this be?

I've noticed this before, but the reservation was only for a couple of days and I thought it was a rounding thing. But this can't be a rounding issue!

Thank you for any information

Armando 

[Clare0]

@Armando2 It's possible that the extra 3% is a currency conversion fee.  The payment currency is determined by where the payment method (credit card, for example) is domiciled.  Here's more about this subject:

https://www.airbnb.com/help/article/95/can-i-pay-with-any-currency

[Armando2]

Hello Claire,

Thank you for your reply.

But it can't be that. The currency is always the same (for me, for the host and for the airbnb website version I'm using).
But I think I already know what it is. Being also a host, airbnb is treating me as if I have a company and that I can consolidate VAT in my accounting. Unfortunately, although completely legit, being a host for me is just as a side income and I don't fall into the requisites of having organized accounting and I can't consolidate VAT. I can't be sure because values are rounded to the currency unit, but that extra is probably VAT that Airbnb is not charging to guests with simple guest profile. I asked a friend with guest profile to try it and he also gets lower fees.

regards,

Armando

[Clare0]

@Armando2 That's an interesting theory.  Since I'm in the US, I'm not familiar with how VAT works.  But, doesn't the breakdown of fees list VAT separately on the list  of the reservation costs? Are you seeing a difference in that category or is it all lumped together in the service fees section?

[Armando2]

It's a lump. I just see a total for Airbnb fees.

Reading carefully through airbnb help I found that fees should be 6% to 12% and that in some specific (but not specified) circunstances VAT can be charged over the fees.

Portuguese VAT is 23%.

12% added of 23% is 14.76% and given the rounding it fits the final fees that are presented to me.

I'll just ask my girlfriend to register and make the reservation on her name. That solves it.

thanks again