Hosting - cancellation policy - guest says her screen tells her she has only 48 hours after booking to cancel

[Janet1083]

We have a guest looking to book for more than a month in the autumn.  We have a moderate cancellation policy, i.e. full refund up to five days prior to commencement of booking.  However, our potential guest says that she cannot find that policy and that her screen tells her she has only 48 hours after booking in which to cancel. 

Can anyone help explain this please?  Does the fact that we have sent her a special offer make a difference?

[Johanna394]

@Janet1083 

Since the guest is looking to book for more than month (28+ days), the reservation becomes a long-term one, and this is what Airbnb's long-term cancellation policy says:

"

• Reservations are fully refundable for 48 hours after the booking is confirmed, as long as the cancellation occurs at least 28 days before check-in (3:00 PM in the destination’s local time if not specified)
• More than 48 hours after booking, guests can cancel before check-in and get a full refund, minus the first 30 days and the service fee"

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

[Janet1083]

Many thanks Johanna!

[Colleen253]

@Janet1083

@Johanna394 answered your question but you may want to read this timely new post on the pitfalls of a LTR. It may help you. 

https://community.withairbnb.com/t5/Hosting/Long-Term-Rentals-Important-to-Know/td-p/1457678

[Janet1083]

Many thanks, Colleen, for that very useful link.  Surely there should be an automatic reminder that AirBnB's long-term stay cancellation policy will override the host's cancellation policy.

[Sarah977]

@Janet1083  An automatic reminder to the guest, or the host? Your guest should be able to see the cancellation policy applied to her booking on her trip information.

Nor is it at all difficult to find this information- all one has to do is type "Airbnb cancellation policies" into a Google search.

[Janet1083]

 I am new to hosting and no doubt 'all one has to do' is read the cancellation policies but a reminder to the host would be useful in the event of a long-term request.  

[Sarah977]

@Janet1083  I realize you're new, I wasn't faulting you for not knowing the long term policy, that's why I asked if you were talking about a pop-up for the host or the guest.

You said the guest couldn't find the cancellation policy, but that is written somewhere in her booking info.

[Janet1083]

No problem.  Yes, she could see the 48-hour policy, which she wasn't happy with.  My issue was that as far as I knew, our cancellation policy was moderate so I kept telling her that.  Ignorance of the law is no excuse but an alert to the host when a long-term request is received would be welcome.