Cancelling bookings in August and September

[Gayle51]

I wish to cancel bookings into my home for August and September due to covid 

my home is on a Scottish island and there are significant issues with peoples ability to travel due to capacity restrictions on the ferries. 
I also concerned about the cleaning protocols and the ability to cover the additional costs and ability to remove all personal belongings as this is my home not just a holiday let. 
Also the island communities are nervous about tourists arriving and seeing a spike in the number of covid cases when we have been relatively protected over the last 3 months 

even though I feel bad cancelling peoples holidays - I feel I need too. 
am I going to be penalised for doing this? 

[Mike-And-Jane0]

@Gayle51 Most probably you will be penalised and arguably rightly so. Hosts were given the ability to cancel penalty free in before end May (if I remember rightly) and that would have been to time to do it.

You could ask the guests if they still wish to come. Some may well be waiting for Airbnb to extend their ability to cancel although this is by no means certain to happen.

Alternatively you could suggest a mutual no fault cancellation to the guests but they may well be most unhappy to be let down this close to their holidays.

At the end of the day you can just cancel and take the fines and loss of superhost status.

[Gayle51]

im not sure how ferry capacity and the general mood of islanders towards tourists is something i can control, however i take your point and maybe just have to take the hit 😞 

[Sandra126]

I cancelled all my bookings, had bookings up to November I think. Penalty free, still superhost. Contact Airbnb. They helped me .  Will host again when I feel safe to do so. Good luck @Gayle51 

[Gayle51]

thank you - will try them and see what they say

[Yadira22]

@Gayle51  definitely mention the points made regarding ferry capacity when making your point to them. If you are able to find any resource which mentions other restrictions please let them know. Good luck.