Onsite cancellation

[Jo-and-Steve2]

Hello.  Can you please advise.

This afternoon a guest checked in, used the bathroom and stayed in the bedroom for the duration of 1.5hrs, then checked out because she could  hear traffic . The noise is mentioned on the listing and has never been mentioned by previous guests. I now have to clean all areas to which she had access, including bedding & towels etc.. Will she get a full refund, and will I be compensated?

TIA 😊

[Lisa723]

@Jo-and-Steve2 assuming the guest has canceled the stay, she will be refunded according to your cancellation policy, which appears to be "flexible", so she will receive a full refund, minus the first night and service fee. You may want to read up on Airbnb's cancellation policy options:

https://www.airbnb.com/help/article/475/cancellation-policies-for-your-listing

[Jo-and-Steve2]

Thank you Lisa723. She was only booked in for the one night. I'm still trying to find my way around the site and policies. Thanks for the link 🙂

[Sarah977]

@Jo-and-Steve2  The Flexible policy is really of no benefit to hosts. You should use at least the Moderate policy.

Your disclosure of the traffic noise is buried way down in tthe Health and Safety section where few guests will ever see it.

Your listing description is really scanty- what you have writtten is only an introduction, you haven't described the space you are renting at all. 

There are several sections of the description to be filled out- The Space, Other things to note, etc.

Put the traffic noise disclosure in there somewhere guests might actually see it.

[Helen3]

The Airbnb Help website is good for the basics around managing your STR on Airbnb @Jo-and-Steve2 

personally I wouldn't have a flexible cancellation policy.

one thing you will learn quite quickly is that guests don't always read your listing descriptions 😁you need to mention the noise up front .

[Jo-and-Steve2]

Thank you @Helen3  😊 

In the couple of weeks we've been live it has been all go. It is a lot to take in and so far has been very enjoyable. I've been answering the listing questions in order and taking on advice from Airbnb i. e flexible cancellation policy 🙄 I need to go through it all again and perhaps look at other hosts listings to learn from. I still don't understand where I stand with the guest who checked in for 1.5hrs.  Learn as we go along 😀

[Lisa723]

@Jo-and-Steve2 never assume Airbnb's advice is in your best interest. Airbnb wants to maximize its service fees, not your revenue.

[Michelle53]

@Jo-and-Steve2   You might have to fight Airbnb for the payout (if you feel it's worth it).

I had a guest book for a weekend, and check in on the first afternoon at around 4pm.    At 7.30pm I got a call from Airbnb to say she could smell cats and wanted to cancel - pets are disclosed on my listing, but aren't allowed access to the guest area.   Airbnb granted her the full refund, no payout to me. 

Since I was out somewhere, I couldn't immediately assess the condition of the space after she left. 

Clearly, this person had made use of the space. Used the bathroom, turned down all the beds, helped herself from the snack basket and browsed the travel guides. 

I called the case manager back and said she couldn't have been that bothered by a cat smell if she spent 3 and a half hours making full use of the amenities.  The case manager said she claimed she was "very sensitive". I asked him why she would book a place that disclosed the presence of pets if she was so super sensitive.   He then granted me a payout for one night, which my cancellation policy should have paid me anyway. 

You can't assume Airbnb will pay out according to your policy if the guest called them directly about the issue. 

[Jo-and-Steve2]

Hi @Michelle53 

Very similar situation. During the 1.5hrs she was here she ate the complementary chocolates, had a cuppa, used the bathroom etc etc. She was very apologetic and said everything else was lovely.  Today Airbnb paid me. Does this mean she'll be asking me directly for a refund, or?

Where did you get your case manager details? I've not yet come across this. 

[Michelle53]

@Jo-and-Steve2  It was the case manager that called me. It was in the "good old days" before everything was automated though. If you got paid out by Airbnb, I think you can consider it case closed.  

[Mike-And-Jane0]

@Jo-and-Steve2 I think you need to be clearer in the description (or probably the next section) as to what guests can/cannot access in the house. Also do you really want a 28 day guest sharing your home? Great if you get on with them - not so good if you don't.