Cancellation policies

[Karen3131]

So we have a booking where the person booked last May for a long stay of 4 months.  About six weeks ago she changed her trip to 2 months.  Luckily we filled part of that time.  Now she isnt due to arrive till   April and says she is considering cancelling stating concerns over Covid.  We had a strict cancellation policy when she booked.  We did change that to firm now.  Would her booking be under the terms we had then? I really dont feel she is due a refund and in particular a full refund for holding up 4 months of booking time.  Thoughts?  Whats fair?  Dont want any negative reviews or loss of Superhost status.  
*one key note—after cancelling half her time stating their plans changed she asked about parking space for her trailor of which we have none and it is against bylaws at our place.  We gave her good options on where she could park her trailor in the area.  I have concerns this is really why she is cancelling.

Karen

[Mike-And-Jane0]

@Karen3131 the cancellation policy in existence at the time of the booking is the one that applies. If you want to be fair to the guest tel her to cancel and you will refund any part of her trip that you manage to rebook. She would obviously lose the Airbnb service fee though so be careful how you word this.

[Sandra856]

Hi @Karen3131 🙂

When a guest books for more than 28 days it will be under the "long term cancellation policy" and if a guest cancels the guest will have to pay for the first month. As a host you can't choose cancellation policy for longer term stays. If a guest wish to cancel I would personally offer the guest a refund should any of the dates get rebooked. That is a fair way to meet the guest I think 🙂 But you have no obligations to offer that of course. Remember that if the guest needs to cancel the guest will need to do it from the guests side alone. Never accept a "request to cancel" from a guest as it will then look like you cancelled. If the guest cancels you will receive an e-mail about it with the updated pay-out. Guest will have to pay for the first month and no more than that. 

About your question for shorter bookings and you altering the cancellation policy. When a guest books a stay the guest agrees to the cancellation policy at the time and it wouldnt be fair or legal to just change it after the booking has been confirmed. So if you change the policy it will only include new bookings. 

[Sandra856]

@Karen3131 Another important thing is, when your guest cancels, the guest will get refunded automatically according to your cancellation policy - in this case long term. You dont have to do a thing. Just explain kindly to the guest that Airbnb is taking care of anything that got to do with payments, refunds etc. and that the system is acting automatically when your guest cancels. If your guest then contacts Airbnb and Airbnb then contacts you - just tell Airbnb to please respect your cancellation policy. As I wrote I always explain to the guest (and Airbnb if they contact me, if the guest contacted them) that I will gladly refund days a new guest books. 

[Colleen253]

@Karen3131 

@Sandra856  Is spot on. 

Note that you are under no obligation to accept a date change request from a guest. A date change generally benefits the guest, not the host (a penalty free cancellation essentially). It’s also a good idea to set a limit to how many times you will allow a change, if you do, at the time of request. No more than once is advisable.

This guest is putting out red flags, and your suspicion is likely right that they no longer wish to stay, at all. The sooner you get this booking off your calendar the better, so that you can get the dates filled, and this person out of your hair. You might strongly encourage the cancellation along by offering to let them  out of the cancellation policy they agreed to (long term policy) IF and ONLY if,  they cancel immediately, to open your calendar.