Cancelling Just Before Penalty

[Ross648]

Hello All, 

I've noticed something "new-ish" recently, which has been an increase in cancellations just before my moderate cancellation policy kicks in.   The individuals who cancel do so without any explanation.     My hypothesis is an uptick either in people thinking about a holiday, the way that I might think of flying by private jet to the Maldives.  Or, booking under different names two or more properties and then "deciding."  

It would be nice -- THOUGH IT WILL NEVER HAPPEN -- to have the AirBnB recognize ip addresses linked to a pattern of "last minute" cancellations and allow host to block them.  

It would be nice, when they cancel exactly five days before arrival, if they sent a message to the host that they have inconvenienced.   Though that, too, will never happen.  

[Lisa723]

@Ross648 So consider changing your cancellation policy to Strict.

[Branka-and-Silvia0]

@Ross648 this was modus operandi on booking.com and the main reason why delisted there. At the same time Airbnb’s policy was if the guest cancels he is refunded by host’s policy but Abb service fee is not refundable. It obviously worked bc cancellations were very very rare. 

But then a few y ago ABB starts to refund its service fee up to x times per year and cancelations begin to grow.  We also had more cancelation in last few months than ever before.