Long-term guest request to shorten stay after check-in

[Catherine1286]

I'd like some help with a new scenario as a long-term host. 

1. My current guest made a booking on 19th July to stay 5th September - 13th December
2. Shortly after and on the same week she amended the booking to 1st September - 13th December
3. Guest checked in and all was well.  We have met and chatted and I like her as she's lovely. 
4. Yesterday the guest texted me to say a friend has unexpectedly offered her a room and she'd like to move on 4th October.  She loves the flat and knew what a pain this was for us so hoped the 30 days cancellation notice would help recover our losses and not leave us out of pocket.  I was sympathetic and agreed that the 30 day notice period would apply so we'd proceed on that basis. 
5. The guest sent a host request to change the reservation with a revised check-out date of 4th October.  I accepted the change request.  We both understood that a 30 days cancellation fee would apply. 
6. When I look at the amended booking, it does not appear to include a cancellation fee.   It also does not break down the pay out per night- it just has a Total Stay Price.  The dates have been amended to 33 nights instead of 103 and there is no mention of a cancellation fee being applied but I'm finding it hard to get clarity on the amounts because discounts have been applied so it's hard to compare the figures.  

Can anyone tell me if by accepting a change request there is no cancellation fee or whether the cancellation fee will have been included in the new Total Stay Price?

[Emiel1]

@Catherine1286 

A cancellation "fee" (in this case a no re-fund for 30 nights, as stated in the "long term stay" cancellation policy) only applies when the reservation is cancelled by the guest.

In this case the reservation is not cancelled, but shortened, so you recieve the money for the 33 nights.

best regards,

Emiel

[Catherine1286]

@Emiel1 

thank you for your helpful response.  This clarifies the situation, however I feel as though Airbnb should make this really clear as neither the guest nor I were aware of this. 

[Elena87]

@Catherine1286 

I'd think you are entitled to receive payment from 1st Sept to 22nd Sept plus 30 days paid notice as per long term cancellation policy including up to the check out day of Oct 4th. 52 days in total as long as you agreed to enforce the cancellation policy.

With an amendment to a long term booking, the host has to accept or decline the request if there is less than 30 days of notice. You are also asked if you wish to enforce or waive the cancellation policy at this point, so if you waive the policy it means you would be paid only for the days the guest actually stayed - 33 days

https://www.airbnb.com/help/article/448/what-does-it-mean-to-enforce-or-waive-my-cancellation-policy

[Catherine1286]

@Elena87 

That is exactly what I thought with regards to your first paragraph.  That the guest would be charged for 52 nights for the amended booking. 

When I received the change request from the guest there was no option to waive or enforce the cancellation policy and there was also more than 30 days of the booking left so I thought it would add the 30 days fee automatically.  

I am now in a position where I am asking the guest to contribute but am dependent on her goodwill.  It makes it unlikely I will consider guest requests to amend their booking going forward.  I will just ask them to cancel.  

[Emiel1]

@Catherine1286 

The changing of a "long term stay" reservation has some bugs. They are reported frequently, also by me. It becomes even more risky when the reservation is shortened to less the 28 nights stay., becoming a "short stay"reservation.  Then the automatic calculation of right price often fails.

Therefor in future:  If a "long term stay" reservation need to be changed, allways(!) do it yourself (So not the guest). Then you can see what new price is calculated and have the option to amend the pricefield manually to what you think/want price must be.

BTW Also perform the change yourself when a "short term" reservation has to be extended in such way it becomes a "long term" stay !

And last but least:

"long term stays" has payment/payout done in installments. So check your Transaction History (also future transcations) to see if everything is OK.

If the guest agrees on some extra money to pay, you can change the reservation again and only amend the amount of money involved (click in the pricefield to change it)

best regards,

Emiel