Finally good news for the hosts! Updated cancellation policies. Thank you ABNB!

[David8879]

As our partners on Airbnb, Hosts do an incredible job of honoring reservations and going above and beyond to support guests every day.

But when Hosts cancel on guests for preventable reasons—like accidentally double-booking or wanting to host friends and family instead—guests lose the confidence to book on Airbnb, and this ends up hurting all Hosts. Airbnb also absorbs the cost of these cancellations when we need to help guests find a new place to stay.

For these reasons, starting August 22, 2022, we’re updating our Host Cancellation Policy, which has been in place for years.

If a Host cancels a reservation for a preventable reason, a fee will be deducted from future payouts. The fee depends on the reservation amount and how close to check-in the reservation is canceled.

The minimum cancellation fee is $50 USD and the maximum is $1,000 USD under the updated policy. The total reservation cost used to calculate the fee includes the nightly rate, cleaning fee, and any pet fee, but excludes taxes and guest fees.

• If the reservation is canceled more than 30 days before check-in, the fee is 10% of the reservation amount.
• If the reservation is canceled more than 48 hours and less than 30 days before check-in, the fee is 25% of the reservation amount.
• If the reservation is canceled 48 hours or less before check-in, or after check-in, the fee is 50% of the reservation amount for the nights not stayed.

If you have to cancel for unavoidable reasons, we’ll work with you and help your guests find another place to stay, without fees. These situations include:

• A valid reason beyond your control, such as emergency repairs (like a gas leak or a burst pipe) or serious personal illness, that prevents you from hosting.
• Proof that a guest intends to have a party or break your house rules.
• An extenuating circumstance, such as declared emergencies and epidemics, certain natural disasters, or government travel restrictions.

[Tina183]

Ugh yeah. I had a powerline break and had to cancel a reservation. I called customer service and they documented it but they still listed that one against my SuperHost status and I lost it for a year until it came off. I expect there will be cases of being charged for a cancellation when we shouldn't be. It does seem like Airbnb will be making more money while hosts could lose more.

[Emilie]

Hey @Tina183, 

Thanks for your comment, and sorry to hear about that powerline break and that it wasn't handled in a satisfactory manner! I can't comment on that specific issue however as explained above and in this article, under the updated policy if you cancel for a valid reason beyond your control, such as emergency repairs (e.g. a gas leak or a burst pipe), no fees will incur. 

Emilie

[Kate867]

@David8879   And how do you see this as a good thing?  I have only ever cancelled a guest once… when a tree fell on our cottage during their stay.  I was reprimanded and informed that this was a ‘Host Violation’ … The customer services representative informed me that a note would be made on my file to that effect.  Given the many different answers you get and issues with Airbnbs customer support, probably mostly due to high turnover of staff and inadequate training, I have very little faith that a genuine and proven cancellation will be taken seriously and that I would be fined.

[Laura2592]

@David8879 I fail to understand how this benefits anyone except ABB. 

There are already steep penalties in place for canceling so now we are adding loss of income to the pot as well? If you block your calendar, ABB hounds you to "open popular dates." Now if you legitimately have something happen where you need to cancel, and it does not fit into the very strict categories outlined (I was told when I had surgery scheduled and potentially had to cancel a stay that someone from ABB needed to actually speak to my medical provider before I could cancel. Huh? Are you my mom? Its my house. I got lucky and was able to schedule the surgery for a time when I could block my calendar, but that has always sat really poorly with me.) Basically now ABB is charging you as though THEY own the property and you owe them for the right to use it. 

Unbelievable. 

[Emilie]

@Laura2592 Thanks for the feedback! There were already fees in place for those cancellations, the fee structure is however evolving so that it'll now depend on the reservation amount and how close to check-in the reservation is cancelled.

I'm sorry to hear you've had some challenges in the past with a cancellation for a medical procedure though and I appreciate the concerns you've voiced - I'll made sure to relay them internally.

Emilie

[Maggie-and-Norm0]

Another nail in the coffin.

[Stephanie365]

@David8879  Is this sarcasm?  LOL

[David8879]

@Stephanie365 we've got a winner! I was about to lose my faith in himanity (I am single BTW...exactly for that reason)

Now

I do think it is a good news in comparison
First there was good exciting news about amazing cool can not use cursive categories news
We eagerly awaited what else comes after that - since good news for contractors without benefits which we all are never come alone - and lo and behold we got good news that in the best interests of hosts - guest will be allowed to stay at our wakes unless we had a very good reason for dying.

But wait - there is more!
Next news will be even better and you would wish you appreciated good news today, because next news will be so so so good that you will never want any better news, no more news please - we are all ecstatic now!

just wait...now...now...any moment now.....

[John2406]

I've not long seen the message Airbnb sent out about the new policy about cancellations, and it wasn't long after that I read @David8879 's word for word post.

Whilst I would - to a certain extent - agree with Airbnb re a couple of the instances being unreasonable by way of cancellations, I would just like to know whether Airbnb have introduced an almost identical set of rules relating to Cancellations, but in that respect, for Guests?

C'mon Airbnb, or whoever it is who makes up the Rules (aka Terms & Conditions) you call US Hosts, "partners" and then treat  us as though we're naughty little children - yet I don't see Guests being treated the same way, which in the parlance of employment law, means that Airbnb us extremely biased towards Guests, but doesn't appear to have much concern for its so-called "Partners".

Let's face it, without Hosts, the very concept of Airbnb wouldn't/couldn't exist, let alone survive, yet sometimes its attitude to Hosts would seem to suggest that we're an anathema to them, which surely isn't the way a major player in the Tourism Industry should treat those who greatly help to create Airbnb's profitability what it is.

By all means weed out those Hosts who may well cancel Guests' bookings for the wrong reasons, but to create new Rules to penalise EVERY Host is not what Hosts should expect, and indeed, Hosts' should never be subjected to such ill-thought out treatment.

Hopefully, Airbnb will reconsider their blanket cancellation policy as written, and also will reassure Hosts who are NOT and/or NEVER are irresponsible, by Airbnb sharing their "spoils" with those Hosts who always operate according to the book.

[Stephanie365]

Once again, AirBNb is contradicting their own Terms of Service with a new policy! Simply amazing!

As the provider of the Airbnb Platform, Airbnb does not own, control, offer or manage any Listings or Host Services. Airbnb is not a party to the contracts entered into directly between Hosts and Guests, nor is Airbnb a real estate broker, travel agency, or insurer. Airbnb is not acting as an agent in any capacity for any Member, except as specified in the Payments Terms of Service(“Payment Terms”). 

Payment Terms of Service: 

Airbnb Payments provides payments services to Members publishing, offering and booking Accommodations, Experiences or other Host Services, including services in connection with the Open Homes Program and other current and future services provided via the Airbnb Platform. These payment services may include (if available) the following (collectively, “Payment Services”):

• Collecting payments from Guests (“Payin”), by charging the payment method associated with their Airbnb account, such as credit card, debit card, bank account or PayPal account (“Payment Method”);
• Effecting payments to Hosts (“Payout”) to a financial instrument associated with their Airbnb account, such as a PayPal account, bank account, a prepaid card, or a debit card (“Payout Method”);
• Effecting payments to a third-party Payout Method designated by a Host;
• Collection and payment of charitable donations;
• Payment collection services; and
• Other payment related services in connection with Host Services.
  
  Now, let us not forget that AirBNB's Terms of Service for Hosts state:
  
  5.3 Independence of Hosts. Your relationship with Airbnb is that of an independent individual or entity and not an employee, agent, joint venturer, or partner of Airbnb, except that Airbnb Payments acts as a payment collection agent as described in the Payments Terms. Airbnb does not direct or control your Host Service, and you agree that you have complete discretion whether and when to provide Host Services, and at what price and on what terms to offer them.
  
  
  And yet we don't have complete discretion nor can we set our own terms.
  AirBNB says you can't ask for ID.
  AirBNB says you can't ask for a security deposit. (Unless you're a hotel or use a management software package. So, protecting corporate entities but not the bread and butter of ABB.)
  AirBNB says, "We've decided to override your cancellation policy, so you can s*ck it". But they keep their fees. Imagine that.
  
  
  **[Content removed in line with the Community Center Guidelines]
  
  

[Stephanie365]

Partners? When did that happen?

[Rhonda301]

I wonder if they do try to impose the fees for cancellations within the extenuating circumstances etc etc if legally a host can file against them for that using this clause to circumvent their new dumb policy?

[David8879]

@Stephanie365 

BRAVO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Gillian166]

sorry, why is this good news?