New strict cancellation policy update

Lizzie
Former Community Manager
Former Community Manager
London, United Kingdom

New strict cancellation policy update

Hello everyone,

 

The Airbnb team heard feedback from you and the host community about the upcoming change to our Strict cancellation policy. In order to address your concerns, we’re delaying the change until May 1, 2018.

 

Before the change goes into effect, we’ll share more about what we’re doing to address your concerns, particularly around protecting your listing details from being shared with guests who cancel. But for now, we’d like to clear up some confusion and help you better understand the new policy and how it will benefit the whole community:

 

Here’s how the new grace period policy will work—and some of the protections we have in place for hosts:

 

Limited-time refund within 48 hours after booking when the check-in date is at least 14 days away

Guests must cancel within 48 hours after booking and can only cancel if their check-in date is 14+ days away. This means that no matter how far out your guests book, they only have 48 hours from the time they book to cancel for free. We want to make sure that if guests change their mind, you have enough time to get another booking.

 

Three refunds per year per guest

To prevent abuse, guests are limited to three fully refunded cancellations a year.

 

No full refunds for overlapping bookings

To make sure guests are not making multiple bookings and then cancelling, any booking made by a guest when they already have an active booking for those dates will not be covered under our grace period policy.

 

Your hosting success is top of mind for us, and tests of this policy—including among hosts with strict cancellation policies in place—strongly suggest the change will result in increased bookings and successful stays. With this grace period, not only do guests book with more confidence, but they also have the ability to resolve booking mistakes without requiring your valuable time and intervention.

 

We value your feedback, and will follow up shortly with more insight into how your ideas are shaping this policy.

 

Thanks,

Lizzie

 

----------Update April 24th, 2018----------

 

Hello everyone,

 

Just to let you know there is now an update regarding protecting your listing details, as mentioned above. 

 

Here is the link to take a look: An update on the Strict Cancellation Policy

 

Thanks,

Lizzie


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1,325 Replies 1,325

@Lizzie I don't understand the overlapping concept. Are guests currently allowed to make multiple bookings for the same dates? They obviously can't be in the same place at once and they are not allowed to book for Third Party/ someone else so how can  overlapping be permitted anyway? 

 

@Lizzie What is also REALLY needed is a special feature to allow hosts to modify cancellation policy for specific dates  such as holidays (New Years Eve, Xmas etc) 

I agree with many that the cancellation policy should be 24 hours instead of 48. Also, as others mentioned, sending out hosts information before the guests 48 hours run out.  This circumvents the system and jeapordizes Airbnb's income.  Example:   I had a potential guest who got my contact info, then cancelled.  She then contacted me directly and tried to negotiate, effectly cutting Airbnb out as the "middleman", saying "it would save us both by not paying Airbnb".   Slimey!

My concern is more on the last minute cancellation. How much refund do we allow them if I am not able to rebook. If we are still a number of months out this is fine.

 

If we are one week out- a few hours should be a enough

 

One month out- one day

 

over a month- two day

Paul1073
Level 2
Darlinghurst, Australia

I have a property that has 9 bedrooms and that I rent out as an entire property (not individual rooms).  It has a swimming pool and that is its attraction.  As such, it is seasonal.  Such a property appeals to multiple couples who are friends or families.  Such guests book well in advance.  If they are allowed to cancel it is unlikely that the property will be filled, even if it is a month or two prior to the booking.  With other booking sites I am able to seek a NO CANCELLATION policy.  This should, after all, be the choice of the host.  With Airbnb I am in danger of ending up with weeks that cannot be rented out as it is too late.

Earlier this autumn I had guests suddenly, from one day to the next, cancelling their last 2,5 weeks due to a mother's illness. (They were already in the apartment)

Fair enough and I suggested they get a doctor's certificate to ensure a refund for themselves & the (presumed AirBnB insurance) to fulfil the payment of the 2,5 weeks rental to me.   What happens?? 

AirBnB takes the doctor's certificate to claim the refund for themselves and, as a host, I'm left with 2,5 weeks empty in peak season and no income.

So much for Host protection.

As so many of you, I have noticed over the years the attitude of bending over to please the guest but always at the expense of the host.  This is not a good long term policy.

We are decent individuals, working hard to keep our places spotless & welcoming.

Why do they think they can push us around, soon over the limit, in this manner?

I, and I'm sure many others, would welcome a fair competitor on the scene who understands how to value their assets, ie us hosts!

Without us, where is their business??

Thank you very much for listening ... have a good day 

Thea40
Level 1
Great Barrington, MA

I would only advise that the best policy is to keep it simple. If it is too complicated both guest and host will suffer.... I changed to a more relaxed policy but now is that nil and void?

Liz513
Level 2
Vermont, United States

Dear Airbnb,  I run a fairly high occupancy rate with a lot of repeat business, which I have built over the past 13 years, as I began before you existed--my background in corporate and incentive travel...  As such I have been able to fully refund all of my Airbnb guests who have cancelled--who provided at least 2-3 weeks notice, so that I was able to rebook their time, though I was not required by you to return their deposit.  

My question is this:  Can I gain credit for these 'above and beyond' refunds I have made, that can be applied to other cancellations that may leave me short, when a cancelled booking remains unbooked after the cancellation? 

Buen día.

 

Es importante tener en confidential la información de los anfitriones porque están obligándonos a desactivar los anuncios con altas sumas de dinero por multas

Since the new strict cancellation policy was implemented and our busiest time of the year has started in Santa Fe, NM, AirBNB has sent me form emails twice stating

Travel Tip: Book your Santa Fe trip at least 2 months in advance.

 

YES! That is what a host with one property needs and what we had until it was taken away.

 

This is rubbing salt in the wound. It's the kind of insensitive thing internet businesses do that drives flesh and blood hosts crazy. 

 

I'd like my cancellation policy back. I appealed, got nowhere. There is no Plus program for Santa Fe, NM. 

Why don’t you have an option for strict cancelation with 48 hour “regret” option and just have the regular strict cancelation policy?  That way it can still be the hosts choice?  Hosts don’t get to cancel on guests within 48 hours if they made an error without penalties.

But the problem that I and other hosts have had still remains....all a guest has to do is type up a doctor's certificate (which cannot be validated due to privacy of patients) and claim exceptional circumstances for a 100% refund even on the day they are to arrive. The host is left with $0 even though they have spent money on preparations and no replacement guests. 

 

I still do not agree with you extenuating circumstances policy as people surely expect to pay something as a cancellation fee if things go wrong in their life - no matter how unavoidable.

This kind of sounds like we are getting boned on our strict policy. I don't think this is a good policy for hosts that choose to have a strict cancellation policy at all. Please explain how this is a benefit to me. 

Wait, so this happened May of 2018 or next May?  Your post shows May of this year which would be seven months ago.