Guest Cancelation Unreasonable

[Michael5997]

Hello, I had a guest reserve our place for a month. They showed up yesterday and looked at the condo building and decided it wasn't secluded enough. They are demanding full refund. Our policy is Flexible, so they should pay for at least a night. They did not enter the condo, which is good, but they've locked up my calendar for a month. Seems fair to apply the Flexible policy but they are requesting payment from me. I know not to cancel this myself as a host, but what to do? What is appropriate in this situation? Our place is a condo in a restored mountain lodge. They are saying it feels like a hotel and is not remote enough. They also said it's too close to the highway. How do you handle people who don't know what a condo is? Also, how do you handle people who don't look at a map of the residence before coming. Very odd situation. Never seen this one. 

[Z-2]

@Michael5997 if I were you, I will ask her to cancel the reservation immediately and refund her all if she cancel it right away. One night charge is not worth the hassle and bad review.

[Michael5997]

Thank you. Probably best move.

[Laura2592]

@Michael5997 you can ask the guest to alter the reservation. They will be automatically paid back for any unused time. It would be nice if they paid for a night as a result of blocking your calendar unless there is a way you could have updated your listing to show the relative remoteness of the place. A few of our first guests were upset that we had visible neighbors, so we added captions to pictures, put info about it in our listing and mention it with check in. Theoretically guests can do a google search and see what the area looks like if the address is on street view. But some people take zero responsibility for this. 

If you want to retain the cost of a night you probably have to involve ABB which may not be worth it. They will probably give the guest a full refund especially if the guest makes up a story. Honestly, it stinks but I would probably just give them a refund to make them go away. 

ETA-- don't take long (30 day) reservations when you are just starting out. Check out this thread for some tips on being a new host...

https://community.withairbnb.com/t5/Hosting/Tips-for-new-hosts/m-p/1257038

[Michael5997]

Good ideas there. Thank you. 

[Hal3292]

Laura, thank you for this answer and also for posting your piece on tips for new hosts. When I started out about a year ago, I did not understand the pitfalls of someone wanting a monthlong stay. We have had three of them -- two without incident, but the third requested a refund 10 days in because she didn't like the neighborhood. (Just FYI, ABB called us to see if we would agree to refund her remaining stay, which we did without hesitation ... but now I wonder what would have happened if we'd said, No.) At any rate, I will now be much more careful in the future about agreeing to long stays.

[Laura2592]

@Hal3292 just read that review and it screams "high maintenance guest." I applaud you for your kind and patient response. 

As a woman who travels alone I NEVER go into an unfamiliar space without a thorough exploration of google street view. I will even go so far as to look at crime and noise stats and real estate listings nearby. I think this guest was a delicate flower who did not do her research. She is also a very frequent user of ABB, which in our region (MD/VA/DC/WVA) often spells trouble. These folks tend to pride themselves on their critiques and will work the system to get discounts and freebies. I am always leery when I see a lot of reviews from a local guest!

[Hal3292]

@Laura2592Thank you for the feedback! And thank you for the heads up. We'll look out for those indicators. My wife, who is a writer, helped to compose the response to that high-maintenance guest. She thinks many hosts don't understand that it's prospective guests who will read those reviews, and if a host fires back against a bad guest, a potential customer is likely to be put off. She says she is willing to help other hosts respond if they are having trouble with what to say. We will look for opportunities to be helpful in this forum, as we so appreciate the help we get from experienced hosts like you!

[Colleen253]

@Michael5997 If they booked for a month then your flexible cancellation policy is over ridden by the long stay policy. Tell them to cancel immediately to open your calendar to replacement bookings, and also tell them you will be happy to refund them when any of their abandoned dates get re booked. Hint that it's very likely to happen, but they must cancel asap to increase the chances. That will spur them on, give them hope, and appease them (hopefully).

Their reason for wanting to cancel does not qualify for a refund, and no, do not cancel for them.

https://www.airbnb.ca/home/cancellation_policies#long-term

[Z-2]

@Colleen253 Thanks for the link. I didn't know that.

[Michael5997]

Thank you Colleen, they are presently not canceling. I think they are afraid to do so thinking they will lose all of their money. The problem is that we're now on night #2 of their reservation. Odd situation. I guess I just need to wait until they cancel. I've told them I will refund them once they cancel, but no word from them. 

[Colleen253]

@Michael5997 They may be finally figuring out that they are going to be held to the long term cancellation policy (the terms of which they probably didn't read) and will have to pay the whole 30 days. If they were smart, they would quickly take you up on your offer of a full refund. But personally, I would only refund them for any days I could rebook. They've held your calendar hostage. Good luck. Do come back and update us!

[Helen3]

Hello @Michael5997 

It seems you haven't familiarised yourself with Airbnb's cancellation policy. If the guest has booked for a month she will indeed lose all her money if she cancels as she booked under the long term cancellation policy.

Personally I wouldn't offer to return all her money if she cancels. She is not entitled to it and doesn't have a valid reason for cancelling.

What I would offer is a partial refund if you are able to rebook any of the days. In that way you are being fair.

Why would you subsidise her decision to change her mind?

Don't refund her anything until you have checked as to what condition she has left your place in. 

[Sarah977]

@Michael5997  Tell them that the longer they wait to cancel, the longer their booking is blocking your calendar to new bookings for those dates. And that you are quite willing to refund them for dates you are able to rebook, so cancelling ASAP is to their advantage. The longer they wait, the less chance they have of being refunded.

[Susan990]

Advice on your monthly stay issue--absolutely do nothing, in the communication thread inform them that they need to cancel it themselves as you cannot do that, your flexible policy does not apply to a monthly rental, 30 day notice to terminate, so they get nothing refunded however at the same time you see their cancellation you will be offered an option of refunding, voluntarily, what ever amount you wish to give them. I have done this for a similar situation. Then the cancellation clears off your calendar, and you are in the clear.