DELAYED RESPONSE TO A REQUEST

[Suzanne802]

I booked a stay for a 2 night stay 3rd sept for 1br entire apartment. I paid on 23rd Aug within 24hrs of making the booking I requested the host to provide me with an extra blanket since my brother would be checking in before me to purchase some foods stuff since I would be arriving very late at night. 

The host did not reply to my request so I assumed that meant the she was okay with the request. She texted me yesterday, 5 days after the request was made to say she could not accomodate the request. If I cancel now I will get 50% back. What do I do now?

[Elena87]

@Suzanne802 

You should follow the procedure below, down to the letter.

https://www.airbnb.com/help/article/1250/if-your-host-needs-to-cancel

A full refund to a booker is made when a host initiates a cancellation, so don't you press the cancel button.

A tip though, it's best to make special requests and arrangements prior to booking, not afterwards.

[Suzanne802]

@Elena87 This is very helpful. 

[Gordon0]

Does the host allow second guests (as in someone sleeping on a sofa bed), @Suzanne802? It may be you've requested a service she doesn't offer. As @Elena87 said, this is something you should have asked before booking. 

[Suzanne802]

Within 24hrs of making the booking, I made the request. She did not reply until 5 days later.  If she had replied immediately I would have made different arrangements. 

[Branka-and-Silvia0]

@Suzanne802  from your post is not clear if you booked for 2 people or just for yourself.

Does this place accommodate just 1 or 2 guests?

Is the same price the same for 2 guests or the second guest is additionally charged?

If this place accommodates 2 guests and you booked for 2 then an extra blanket shouldn't be a problem .....but if you booked for 1 and now you are asking for another set of bedding (it's not just a blanket, he has to prepare sheets and pillow as well) and if your host is out of town or he doesn't have an extra set of bedding bc he can accommodate just 1 guest at the time, or he has to pay a cleaner to come again and prepare another bed for your brother.....then the only thing you can do is to cancel or to ask your host if you can pay extra for your brother.

Responding to messages within 24 hours is a good practice but not everyone has a mobile phone application and notifications so sometimes messages are not seen and answered timely. It happens quite often that my guests don't answer my messages for weeks and until the day of check-in

As others have said - extra guests and services should be communicated BEFORE booking through a link "contact host"