By: GeninFrance

GeninFrance — Sat, 08 Apr 2017 20:10:26 +0000

Agreed. I just had a guest book today using “instant book” then send a question to which the answer was “skiing is closed then”. They wanted to come skiing. I was happy to refund them the full amount for this mistake on their part, but my listing comes with a standard “strict” cancellation policy (to protect me from people making frivolous bookings and cancelling them last minute, this is the only way). When I asked Airbnb if I could change the policy for the 1 booking so that the guest would feel OK to cancel they say there is no way. And if I cancel the booking as the host, then I am punished for 1 year with a nasty message in my listing saying I cancelled a guests booking (like some sort of nightmare host) and with a lowered listing standard. So the guest must cancel. What I found to do to get around this a bit was to 1. Propose a booking change to the guest to change the booking to 1 night instead of 7 and to reduce the nightly fee to a small amount. When they accept that change, and then cancel it, then they know that even if I was a “bad host” and did not go ahead and reimburse the 50% remaining of the reservation fee, the amount they’d be out was under 50 euros. So that is the way to get around it. Ask the host to change the booking to 1 night (that is the minimum you can do) and put 1 person on the booking for a very minimal price. Then the guest can accept that booking change (no damage to either party in that case). Then when the guest does the Cancel request even on a “strict” reservation policy, you will not be out tons of money while waiting for the mysterious “refund process” of the remaining 50% to take place (or you are also protected if the host decides to be a jerk and not refund the cancellation fee they agreed to do in writing or on the phone …. )

Comments on: Airbnb Refund Hell: Designed to be Complicated?

By: GeninFrance