Guest not accepting change request in a timely manner

[Joe2348]

How frustrating. Second time having to type this due to an error.

I have a guest that will be checking in tomorrow. After making the reservation, they requested to stay an extra night via message. I agreed and sent a change request. The guest did not accept the change. In the meantime, my calendar is still showing open for that day. Since it was showing as available, I had an inquiry and had to decline. I then sent a message to the guest to request they accept the changes. I explained that my calendar was still open. Again, no response. I they received another request for that day. I decided to call this guest to confirm they were planning on staying as I did not want to loose the revenue if they weren't. They confirmed verbally that they were going to stay. I then had to decline the second request. I again sent a message to this guest requesting they accept the change. I finally got confirmation  this morning of the acceptance.

The problem now is that my Acceptance Rating has dropped from 100% to 91%. Since I am new to hosting, I am trying to maintain as perfect a rating as possible. Is Airbnb receptive to this type of situation and willing to adjust ratings if it is due to the guest rather than the host? If so, how do I go about doing so. Trying to navigate the Airbnb web site for this type of issue is rather difficult. That is why I am posting this topic here.

[Anonymous]

@Joe2348 The Acceptance Rate "requirement" is used to make hosts feel pressured into accepting bookings, but falling below the target doesn't have any tangible consequences. Far more important is the Response Rate.

That said, I don't recommend putting yourself in a position where you have to decline a request just because you're holding a date for someone who hasn't paid. Instead, when you send the change request, you can accompany it with a note nudging the guest to act quickly because the change expires if the date gets booked by someone else. The more successful bookings you have, the more reviews you get - and in turn, these increase the listing's visibility and appeal. And if the guest who wanted to extend her trip booked another home for the remainder of the stay, another host in the community will also benefit from your good fortune.