Strict Cancellation Policy - Booked 4 months ahead and cancelled 3 months prior to arrival date - No refund?

[Tia8972]

I am hoping that someone can help me out here.  I have a strict cancellation policy and a guest booked my place 4 months ahead of time and cancelled one month after, so she cancelled 3 months prior to her arrival date.  The policy it self is confusing to me: 

Strict

Full refund for cancellations made within 48 hours of booking, if the check-in date is at least 14 days away. 50% refund for cancellations made at least 7 days before check-in. No refunds for cancellations made within 7 days of check-in.

I reading the above terms for Strict it stats a 50% refund for cancellation made at least 7 days before check-in.  Here's the issue

1. Our earning from this reservation were going to be $2216.45.

2. After the guest cancelled it showed that we would receive $1018.50

3. The guest messaged me asking for a refund.  I asked her if she received any money and she said no, tells me this: I did not get any money back from Airbnb. It stated that my $0.00 refund was determined by "Tia's strict grace period cancellation policy," and that I had to request money from you?

Can anyone tell me where the other $1000 went?  Why didn't my guest receive a 50% refund? Am I reading this policy incorrectly? Any help at understanding the above would be greatly appreciated!  Thanks!

[Emiel1]

@Tia8972 

The guest will recieve 50% and you will be paid 50%, as per the cancellation policy.

The cleaning fee (if any) and taxes (if any) are always refunded.

The guest has received a message from Airbnb about the cancellation and the amount of refund (which is performed by Airbnb, not by you).

Please note guests sometimes are offered the oportunity to pay for a reservation in 2 installments.

If this guest was on such a plan, she payed 50% at time of booking and can pay the other 50% later. After cancellation there is no refund (except cleaning fee) if only the first installment is payed, being allready the 50% charged according the strict cancellation policy.

The guest must contact Airbnb, not you

[Tia8972]

Thank you for making me aware of the 50%.  I also went ahead and advised the guest to contact Airbnb directly if she paid 100% up front vs $50.  Thank you!

[Mike-And-Jane0]

@Tia8972 It could be that the guest only paid 50% of the price and hence gets nothing back based on your correct interpretation of the policy. You should get the 50% due to you when the guest would have checked in.

[Tia8972]

I think you are correct and the previous post commenter also stated the same thing.  I did reach out to the guest as well as Airbnb to find out if that was the case.  I also told the guest that if she actually paid 100% a the time of booking or prior to cancelling, that she would need to reach out to Airbnb to find out where her 50% is.  I had another cancellation 5 months before arrival date, no refund, and Airbnb is messaging me and calling me asking to me to give them a full refund, because "It's the Airbnb way". I am guessing I will be bullied into refunding this guest as well.  

[Ann72]

You'll only be bullied if you allow yourself to be, @Tia8972.  Just say no over and over again and they'll eventually stop.  I additionally use a tone of high dudgeon with Customer Service - "I am somewhat shocked that a representative of Airbnb would ask me to breach a Term of Service (clause 9.2) in this manner.  It flies in the face of the mutual respect that is at the heart of the spirit of Airbnb."

Then I laugh my a** off.

[Tia8972]

Thank you for that information!!!  Airbnb wrote me a lengthy message on how I shouldn't stick to my cancellation policy.  What I replied with was the facts and told them if they'd like to use their own money to reimburse them then they should, but this is my career, job and how I support my family.  The replied, but asked if we could have a phone call.  I did not respond.  I am so confused.  Guests should NOT be able to request a refund just because they feel like it's plenty of time to rebook the home again.  I don't get a refund on my airplane tickets or car rental.  

[Ann72]

Darling @Tia8972, in the words of the late great (?) Nancy Reagan,

[Debra300]

@Tia8972,

As a host, it's good to be informed of Airbnb policies, but you should always direct guests to contact Airbnb regarding payment/refund issues and questions, because they process all financial transactions.  Hosts don't receive a payout until 24 hours after a guest check-in, and have no insight into guest payments (partial vs. full).  

Airbnb's message to the guest is actually inappropriate, because they should not tell guests to request refunds from hosts if the transaction was completed according to the host's chosen cancellation policy.

[Tia8972]

Thank you for that information!  I will from now on inform guests to contact Airbnb directly.    One guest that cancelled contacted Airbnb and stated I would not refund them due to my policy and so Airbnb reached out to me on her behalf.  The other guest after she cancelled received the option to request a refund from me within the app.  The option should not exist nor should Airbnb reach out to me as it's their cancellation policy, that they created and I chose.  If they Airbnb thinks that all hosts should just refund everyone and/or they are going to contact the host on behalf of the guest,  then what's the point of a cancellation policy?

[Debra300]

@Tia8972,

I think it's alright for the guest to have the option to ask you directly for a refund when they cancel, because sometimes a host does agree to issue a refund, and the request is the best method for a host to give a reservation refund (again, never give a refund through the resolution center).  However, if the host declines to issue a refund and wants to stick with the terms of the chosen cancellation policy, that should be the end of discussion.  Airbnb CS reps should not contact you or tell a guest to follow up with you in a further attempt to make a host issue a refund.  These actions are only to the benefit of Airbnb:

1. They have already retained their service fee.
2. They look like they are more customer focused and a guest advocate against the inflexible, greedy host.  Thus, building greater customer goodwill at the expense of host earnings and reputation.

I say this at least once a week, a person should purchase travel insurance to protect their travel investment regardless of the destination, duration and distance of their trip.  A policy is typically less than the ABB service, which they would be reimbursed if a covered event occurred, and protected against numerous calamities that can impact travel.

[Tia8972]

@Debra300 I agree with all of that and I think that the insurance is a great idea.  I run a lodging business as well and we have a PMS (property management system),  where ppl book directly with us.  I have a 60 day cancellation policy to receive your deposit back (we only collect 50% at time of booking), if you cancel less than 60 days, I actually give the guest an option to book at a future date so they don't loose the money and can come back at more convenient time or forfeit the deposit.  In the past 2 years I only had 1 person who scolded me for not giving a full refund and instead doing this, everyone else said how generous that was and wish more lodges offered that.  Now, I did tell the guest that if her group decides to choose other dates (they didn't want to come for the dates she booked), that I would gladly move the deposit to that new booking.  She didn't comment back.  But that is something I could do if I gave them a special price, correct?  This isn't an option that airbnb has right now, correct? 

[Debra300]

@Tia8972,

A guest may submit a request to amend a reservation: https://www.airbnb.com/help/article/913/changing-a-reservation-for-a-place-to-stay.  Again, a host shouldn't make a date change on behalf of the guest.  It would make the reservation appears as a new booking, and restart the time period for a cancellation policy (sometimes this provides a new 48 hour free cancellation period).  When a guest changes the date, the cancellation policy is based upon the date of the original booking.

Just about all answers to questions about Airbnb processes and policies are found in the Airbnb Help Center: https://www.airbnb.com/help?audience=guest.  I highly recommend that all hosts bookmark it for quick reference.

[Tia8972]

Thank you! 

[Dora486]

@Ann72 @Agree!  And like your tone of high dudgeon strategy!   Must remember that one x