is there a way to make my booking non-refundable?

[Andrew2873]

Hello, I know on one of the other sites you can make the booking non-refundable but I don't see a real way to do that on AirBNB. I talked with customer service who said they would contact me if the guest requests a refund and that I could refuse...but as I'm new I'm wondering if that is true. The reason I need to make this non-refundable is I'll be using my timeshare and 60 days before the rental date there is nothing I can do if they cancel. Thoughts?

[Mike-And-Jane0]

@Andrew2873you can take the minus 10% non-refundable option BUT it can still be cancelled if a guest claims extenuating circumstances.

[Andrew2873]

any idea how often that happens? just trying to judge my risk here...

[Mike-And-Jane0]

@Andrew2873rarely I believe unless the weather forecast is bad or Covid hits again.

Its very dependent on how people are travelling as well. If they are coming from afar with plane tickets involved there is a lower cancellation risk than if they are driving from a couple of hours away.

[Huma0]

Andrew, not tagging you here as the current glitches seem then to remove the text from the post...

I started hosting in my current house in 2016 and have had hundreds of guests stay here. Aside from 2020, when there were tonnes of COVID cancellations, I don't believe I've ever had a guest who cancelled for extenuating circumstances (only cancelled and got refunded within the boundaries of the cancellation policy).

I do remember a guest trying to get a full refund (she already got a partial one) for a last minute cancellation, claiming her grandmother had died. However, there was something in the correspondence and in her attitude that just didn't ring true. She really tried to pressurise me. I just told her she needed to apply to Airbnb for extenuating circumstances (sending her a link to the policy) and that was the put an end to the harassment.

[Bes175]

here are the exact rules Andrew

Mike told you but as a new member

you might want the long-form/ explanations:

Offer a non-refundable option

https://www.airbnb.co.uk/help/article/2600

g.luck

[Emiel1]

The non-refundable option has some restrictions when offered to guests:

A reservation would be eligible (for non-refundable option) if the check-out date is within 60 days (of booking)

It seems not to solve your issue completely, if guest will book more in advance, the non-refundable option is not offered.

The "super strict 60 days" cancellation policy is not availabe to "normal" hosts:

https://www.airbnb.com/help/article/475

@Andrew2873

[Sudsrung0]

Dont 100% rely on what airbnb say either way you're are taking a risk, they have been known to refund guest even though you have a "Strict" cancellation set,

I dont know about where you are regarding cancellation, for us having not had one for years I had 2 recently,

@Andrew2873