Super host & Cancellations

[Julie1462]

Good morning Airbnb Community - Perhaps you can offer advice to me on a situation I find myself in with Airbnb? I have just been informed by Airbnb that they are taking away my Superhost status as apparently I didn’t meet their criteria due to cancellations. Let me tell you why these cancellations happened and maybe you can advise accordingly.

Last year I hosted a couple who had been to stay with me previously with their one Labrador all was fine and I welcomed them again for a 10 day booking, however before the longer stay was to take place they booked a shorter visit, this time they brought an additional Labrador.  The dogs barked constantly and scratched at the door anytime someone passed the cottage front door. The owners did not clear up their dogs excrement and I was horrified by this especially as I had a quick turn around to welcome my next guest having to make sure that I had picked up all the dog poo they had left behind and they were big dogs! 

I contacted Airbnb to inform them of this unacceptable situation and cancelled their next visit marking their profile not to host again. As a result of this I took the decision to not allow dogs to stay at my property and informed another guest of my decision as they had dogs so s result of this decision they decided not to stay as they wouldn’t holiday without their pets.

So because of the behaviour of one couple who I felt quite rightly that I had to cancel their visit and changing my policy because I could not risk this happening again my Superhost status has been revoked! Has something like this happened to any of you where you have been penalised by Airbnb because you have cancelled a visit  and changed pet policy due to a guests behaviour?  

[Emiel1 · Accepted solution]

@Julie1462 

Airbnb only checks the amount of cancellations, no matter for what reason the host cancelled a reservation.

BTW A host can ask Airbnb to cancel penalty free if there is a special reason (Extenuating Circumstances)

If the cancellation rate is more then 1%, the requirements for Superhost are not met.

https://www.airbnb.com/help/article/829/how-to-become-a-superhost

No Superhost status does not mean no bookings. Life goes on and  even NOT being a Superhost can be an advantage, as it brings expectations of guests to a normal level.

[Julie1462]

Emiel1  Thank you for your reply and to be honest when I started my holiday let business in 2006 I did it without being a member of Airbnb! I joined Airbnb as I had stayed in a couple of places through them and thought it would increase my worldwide presence and it has introduced me to some really lovely people. This Superhost business does bemuse me as to be honest I had no idea I had been awarded this status until it was pointed out to me! I am quoted happy to continue just providing a lovely and welcoming place to stay in a gorgeous location I have no need for statuses, bells or whistles! It was just that Airbnb sounded so patronising when they ‘informed me’ that I had ‘lost’ the status through the fact I refused to have unsuitable people stay in my accommodation! 

Even when they gave me the status I just carried on doing what I do to welcome my guests and ensure they have a comfortable and happy stay so I shall just carry on doing that! 

Have a lovely day 🙂

[Yannick49]

une aberration ce 1% !!!  entre celui qui heberge 10 sejours dans une année et pour ma part plus de 50 ....il y a 5 fois plus de risque de devoir annuler une resaervation qui ne semble pas correcte !

[Helen2]

Similar experience but my extenuating circumstance was when I was transferring VRBO bookings to Airbnb. In the seconds that I unblocked dates on airbnb, another guest booked before my VRBO client could. I literally had to cancel them to orchestrate the booking. I called airbnb to explain but they did nothing. Another cancellation was because our plumbing completely went out. We explained the situation to the guest and asked that they cancell but we got no response. Airbnb customer service is useless, all they say is "there is nothing we can do. That is how our system works." Sad that a multi million dollar company can't invest in customer support for their super hosts. VRBO always went the extra mile to help, considering taking my business back to them.