FAIRNESS OF CANCELLATION POLICIES EQUALITY FOR HOSTS & GUESTS

[Tobias297]

As a host I am able to offer a 48hr or a 30 day or a 60 day cancellation policy for my guest. - all good and well.

BUT

Then as a host I should be allowed to cancel on a guests booking in either 48hrs/ 30 days/ 60 days. 

What"s good for the goose is good for the gander?

I have a property which has earned me good rentals. However I am now trying to see if I could achieve a good sales price.  As I understand it I am not able to list this property for vacation rentals until I have a decisive outcome of my sale.

Your explanation will be appreciated.

Tobias

[Mike-And-Jane0]

@Tobias297 When you come to sell all you can do is restrict the bookings so that they do not go beyond the likely closing date.

If you want to get bookings 3/6 months in advance you need to be willing and able to host those guests 3/6 months in advance.

[Tobias297]

many thanks for your comment.  I am able to take bookings for upto 12 months in advance; however a sale might happen with 30 days plus some extra days for transfer; this is a problem?

[Tobias297]

guests are able to cancel at short notice; hosts do not seem to enjoy that privelage?

[Mike-And-Jane0]

@Tobias297 if you could sell within 30 days then you should limit your booking window to the next 30 days.

[Tobias297]

well the sale could take 6months

[Huma0]

@Tobias297 

Yep, it's not fair that there are such different rules for hosts and guests. Airbnb's reasoning is that it's super disappointing for the guest to have their stay cancelled, especially if it is a new user, and they may then never use the platform again.

They don't consider that it is also often very disappointing when a guest cancels a booking, but then we have the choice to choose our cancellation policy (bar for long term stays). What is more disappointing is when Airbnb CS completely overrides the policies that both the host and the guest has agreed to.

As for your situation, I think you simply cannot advertise the listing as available if you are not sure it will be. Or, you just be upfront with the guest from the outset (which would probably mean turning off IB) and tell them the situation, i.e. that you may need to cancel if a sale is confirmed. They can book or not. Promise them a minimum of 30 days' notice and a full refund. If you are planning to stay in the business as an Airbnb host, too many cancellations could hurt you, but if you are planning to get out of it anyway, that might not be such a big deal.

[Tobias297]

thanks so much for your very constructive input.  It is a gamble; I do not know whether the sales agents are making me impossible promises; the mandate is 3 months.   but I do think that airbnb policy gives guests preference to hosts...

[Tobias297]

many thanks for the advice. I will follow that. However I own 3 properties all of which I advertise on airbnb and I would not like the penalty for cancellation on one property to be carried forward to my rating at the other properties.

[ChuckandCarole0]

Oh Tobias, we are in the same boat here in Portland, Oregon. although hopefully you are in contract by now for a sale? and now airbnb is taking fees for cancelling at all, even though the last time we had a guest who broke the rules and i worried for my safety, he received a full refund. 

We cannot really even show the space if someone is staying here, much less sell it, that coupled with the update on policies we hosts received today. i am unlisting with airbnb. i have been a superhost for 11 years now and feel that airbnb now feels they get to control my space as opposed to the host being in control. other platforms are much more savvy.