Strict cancellation: Guest refund

[Frances27]

Hi everyone, 

I have a strict cancellation on my property. My guest first stayed for 3 months and asked to make a new booking for 120 days more (Jan-May ending). After staying for a while he has sent me a request to shorten the stay from 120 days to 77 days because he has found another place. The requested change has automatically gone through and a refund issued to guest without my approval eventhough my booking policy is strict and this booking was made before 8th march 2023. First the customer service agent at airbnb said l am the one who approved the change, which is not true. Now he says its possible for the guest to make such changes in booking because he had more than 30 days left of his stay. Has anyone else experienced this and is it true that the guest can shorten their stay without my approval eventhough my cancellation policy is strict, guest has been staying here since October 2022, doesn't seem to have extenuating circumstances for changing and the new booking was confirmed in january 2023 ie. before 8th march 2023?  

[Helen3]

Hello @Frances27 

Unfortunately it seems you haven't familiarised yourself with Airbnb's long term stay cancellation policy that applies to any booking over 28 days.

the booking you accepted means guests have to give 30 days notice under the long term cancellation policy the guest booked under so the advice you have been given is correct. 

[Frances27]

Hi, yes l am familiar with rules but l did not interprete it the was the customer service agent did. It says "If a guest cancels after that, you’ll be paid for all nights spent plus 30 additional nights from the date of cancellation." My understanding is that the guest will pay for all nights used until the checkout date, plus an additional 30 days. In this case 77 + 30 days. 

[Joelle43 · Accepted solution]

Hello @Frances27 

As @Helen3 explained, your usual "strict" short term policy no longer applies when you have a stay of over 28 days as your cancellation terms transfer automatically to Airbnb's  long term cancellation terms - 30 days notice.

Your guest was able to shorten his stay without needing your approval because he has given you more than 30 days notice.

So my interpretation of what the Customer Service person said to you is that your guest owes you the time already spent in your place from the time he notified you of the change - 47 days + 30 days notice = total owed 77 days.

To check this out here is a link that details cancellations/alterations to long term rentals:

https://www.airbnb.co.uk/help/article/447

Joëlle

[Helen744]

@Frances27 the guest is charged a month at a time so any month outstanding is automatically refunded. .. H