Same day cancellation

[Donna54]

So very unimpressed with AIRBNB policy

i have a moderate cancellation policy

i had guests book for 5 days. They said they came to town for job interviews. After 3 days they decided to return home as they had done their interviews

they asked to cancel the balance of their booking effective immediately and go home that day. I told them to refer to the cancellation policy

subsequently they contacted Airbnb to cancel.  Airbnb must’ve explained the same policy but advised them to ‘amend’ the booking.  To which they put in a request to do, so no penalties to them. Just a 2 day loss to me.  

I spoke with airbnb about this and they were just like that’s fine

i tried to explain/ask that how is that fair and why doesn’t the cancellation policy stand to which they replied they are not cancelling only amending.  I explained they are effectively cancelling the final 2 days.  Airbnb disagreed.  You couldn’t do this at any hotel/motel/bnb anywhere else that I’ve been.  If you shorten your stay on the day or after your stay begins then it’s tuff.  You pay.  

I ended up declining their request and compromising on a 1 day refund 

just unimpressed with Airbnb and their views and policy around this.  Make their cancellation policy a joke

definate loophole.  So for guests.   Book for any period.  Amend down to next to nothing and your penalties are minimal

anyone else have had any issue like this?

[Emiel1]

@Donna54 

If the guest sends a request to shorten the reservation you have the option to accept or decline !

If guests want to shorten a reservation, that "change" can also be done by the host. It gives opportunity to amend the (automatically calculated) price in the change form to what the host think is a fair deal.

I always(!) shorten or extend (if requested and granted) reservations myself, to be in control about what is calculated. Especially when it comes to "long term stays", as the "change form" contains several bugs in calculating the correct price. If the guest has sent already a shortening request themself, you can ask them to retract it (no decline or accept nessecary).

Please note shortening a reservation will also recalculate Airbnb Guest Service fee (so more refund for guest) .

[Marit-Anne0]

@Donna54 a change request like you received and accepted, it would no longer be under your cancellation policy. The only advantage would be freeing up the unused days. Declining, the unused days would remain blocked and you would have risked a bad review. Hard to say what would be the lesser of two evils.

[Elena87]

@Donna54 

It is a loophole, but only if you allow it.

It's best not to pay much attention to any wonky non-logical explanation given by an advisor either.

The ''not cancelling only amending '' reasoning sounds like an Ancient Greek philosophers paradox topic.

My usual strategy is to reject any amendments to shorten a booking that are subject to the period when the cancellation policy ( also moderate with me) is in effect. If a guest wants to shorten a stay during this time, their only option can be by cancelling.

I would consider additional refunds only if another booking falls into the freed up days.

If a guest has a requirement for a flexible stay, they should take responsibility for managing this.

[Donna54]

Yeah I dont mind shortening stays with reasonable notice, which I have done before

but doing so on the day and during their stay I feel is not on. Where I live, I don’t get same day bookings. They are all in advance

i know I have the choice but when they are standing in front of me I feel bad.  I can’t even use the cancellation policy As a reason as Airbnb told them a way around it

[Colleen253]

" I can’t even use the cancellation policy As a reason as Airbnb told them a way around it". I get what you're saying here, and about being put on the spot, but you absolutely CAN fall back on the cancellation policy, regardless of what CS tells the guest. Guests enter into a contract upon booking, and you have a duty and obligation to uphold that contract. You don't owe it to them to allow them to break it. If you are able to replace the booking with another, then sure, by all means be gracious and extend money back at that time, but otherwise, nada. @Donna54 

[Sarah977]

Try not to feel bad  about upholding your cancellation policy. Keep in mind that the guest doesn't feel bad about asking you to waive it and leaving you with unbooked days, with income you were counting on.

@Donna54