Availability window not working on one property...

[Donna1683]

Hi guys, I am managing 2 properties, which are both up for sale, the listings were created at the same time, and the settings are identical on both.  I have set the availability window to 3 months, so I can manage bookings if a sale starts, and it it working fine on one listing, but not the other...  Both say the exact same things on the Calendar Settings, but one shows the dates blocked off and the other doesn't...  I guess I must have another setting overriding this one somewhere that i have missed?? Can anyone help please?

[Joelle43]

Hello @Donna1683 

I went onto your profil and see that there are not 2 listings but 3 listings showing!  All 3 of them are showing an availability window over 3 months as well!  

Are you using a Channel manager by any chance?  or Airbnb's professional tools?

Which are the two listings that are up for sale?  I would go back onto your calendars and block dates manually because as it stands, guests can reserve way beyond 3 months and then you'll be facing financial penalties if you need to cancel reservations if you find a buyer.

[Donna1683]

Hi, Number19 is my own property and is run via a channel manager, Salix 3 & 4 are the ones I am managing/co hosting and the ones for sale.  These are not run through a channel manager (yet), just AirB&B.

Appreciate what you are saying about blocking the dates, but when I have chosen the option to show 3 months availability automatically, so it updates automatically, I shouldnt have to, should I?

[Shelley159]

Hi @Donna1683 

I can only see #19 on your profile right now - looks like you've temporarily unlisted Units 3 & 4?

@Joelle43 has already asked all the right questions. If you want to list Units 3 & 4 again and there's still something strange keeping you from setting the 3 month availability window, you can try to set your availability to "Dates unavailable by default". This is a very safe option, as guests can only book the dates that you manually open up. Hope it works.

[Donna1683]

Thanks, I will have a look into this - I have blocked them off for now - spoke to Customer Services and they say there is no error or any reason why it should be ike it is.

No19 is run through Eviivo, No3&4 are not - we did wonder if the Eviivo link was affecting the others though, so unlinked me from them, but it still wasn't working....

Sounds like we are stuck...

[Joelle43]

Hello @Donna1683 

I've been to double check again the availability window for Salix 3 and 4 and they are bookable until end of February 2026!!  A year out and not just three months so I would highly recommend using @Shelley159 advice to block the dates on your calendar using Dates unavailable by default

Can't explain why that 3 month window is not working but I would check these parameters again nevertheless.  FYI, Airbnb uses a rolling calendar method which means that with every day that passes, an extra day is opened up on your calendar 3 months on so if you don't want to have reservations beyond a fixed day, lets say mid may, then you need to permanently block the dates by using the unavailable by default method.

All the best
Joëlle

[Elisa]

Hi @Donna1683 😊, 
Thank you so much for asking this question here, it's really interesting!

I'm happy you’ve found many hosts to discuss this with! 😍

Could you please confirm if you’ve been able to resolve this?

Also, would you mind marking the 'Top Answer' if you found one particularly useful?

Warm regards ‌🌻‌,

[Donna1683]

No it's not resolved, as in the 3 month window is still not working, but I will block it for now and keep on with it...

[Marcin65]

Hello @Donna1683 , @Joelle43 , @Shelley159 

Still unresolved : 

Solved: Re: Calendar open one year in advance but my setti... - Airbnb Community

[Joan2709]

@Donna1683 

Are you using Instant Book? Airbnb has added a new feature (didn't tell Hosts) that automatically opens up your calendar past your availability window if using instant book. These guests will have to request to book and it appears your calendar is open further out. I would check that setting on your calendar and turn it OFF. Airbnb defaulted it to ON! Bad idea:

[Shelley159]

Ah @Joan2709 that could very well be it! Perhaps the "Allow dates beyond" slider is set differently on the listings @Donna1683 

[Marcin65]

Yes, that worked, thank you @Joan2709  . It's just a shame I won't be able to get requests for stays outside the open (six month) calendar. 

[Joan2709]

@Marcin65 

You can get requests beyond a 6month availability window, if your turn the slider to ON (using Instant Book). However, many of the Hosts I'm working with find this confusing, as when they look at their calendars from the Host side, it looks like more dates are open (past their set availability window). Technically they are, as guests can view those dates as open to book, but can't instant book - they have to send a request to book. This is Airbnb's attempt to get Hosts using Instant Book with short availability windows to open up more potential dates for booking.

Many Hosts don't like this, as they are manually adjusting pricing and only want their chosen availability to show open. With the slider ON and using Instant Book, a guest can still send a request to book beyond the availability you have set. If the Host is not paying attention, they may accept a booking at a price they didn't want. This could also lead to having to decline a booking request, if the price is not what they wanted. This might mean a higher decline rate on the part of the Host - not so good. Airbnb likes it, as it could drive more bookings, even at the expense of the Host if they aren't careful.

I would bet that most Hosts using Instant Book are not even aware of this "new feature" as Airbnb calls it. Some Hosts received an email I guess, but the Hosts I work with never mentioned seeing it. Of course, this would only affect Hosts using Instant Book. That said, if a Host decides to turn Instant Book on, or a Host is creating a new listing, they should be aware what this feature does to avoid confusion and potential problems. Airbnb should have defaulted this to OFF, but of course, that wouldn't accomplish the objective of opening up more dates for booking right away.

[Marcin65]

As always, fully professional @Joan2709 . I wish AirBnB would give you CS management 🙂 Maybe I would get an answer to my questions someday. As for now, 2 cases are stuck with "engineers", and they have been there for a long time.

[Joan2709]

@Marcin65 

LOL....😁...yes...working with Airbnb CS is "challenging" 🙄 😠

I don't really blame the front line, outsourced CS staff, as they are not trained properly and told to read from scripts or continue to point to "Help" articles that don't pertain to the issue at hand. Their focus is to close tickets - not to solve problems of any complexity. Airbnb should, at a minimum, have some CS personnel that really understand how the platform works. Additionally, there are some things an end user fully understands but a coder or programmer doesn't. What is logical to "engineering" is sometimes baffling to the end user (both Hosts & Guests). Understanding  how people interact with the systems and tools on the platform is key; both from a Host and Guest standpoint.

I don't understand why they don't create a Steering Committee, or Host Advisory Panel for platform development. Some would gladly participate in that and help Airbnb do a better job; not just for Hosts and Guests, but also to make the platform more efficient (and therefore more cost effective) for Airbnb?

I have worked for some large companies in previous careers and it is always better to have the end user provide direct feedback for product improvement and development. Not doing this doesn't make good business sense (IMHO).

Ok...rant over. 😉