U.S. Guest wants to cancel due to Coronavirus -- how do I let her?

[Judy41]

Hello!  I have a guest who wants to cancel a "strict" reservation for late March, due to to coronavirus concerns. My place is in Texas; I don't know where the guest is traveling from. I am willing to let her cancel, if she wants. However, I have no idea how to give her a refund. To be clear I (the host) am not the one who wants to cancel, the guest does. How do we handle this? 

[Sarah977]

@Judy41  As a host, you don't have to "let" a guest cancel- they can cancel anytime they wish. Just tell the guest that as she is one who wants to cancel, she is the one who needs to contact Airbnb to do that. And that Airbnb handles the refunds and are the ones holding her payment at this point. They may allow her to cancel under the extenuating circumstances policy (altho she may very well be using the coronavirus as a handy excuse for simply deciding to cancel for other reasons), and refund her in full, or perhaps not, but in any case, the ball is in her court as far as cancelling. 

You may get a message from Airbnb asking if you are willing to refund her in full, which you can either agree to, or not.

[Sarah327]

Refer to Airbnb's updated cancellation policy in light of the recent Coronavirus outbreak: www.airbnb.co.uk/help/article/2701/coronavirus-information-and-extenuating-circumstances-policy

[Judy41]

Hi!  I don't think the coronavirus EXC policy applies here. I think the guest is coming from the U.S. But, I am willing to let them cancel, if I can figure out how. I just don't know how to do it. (I am not willing to accept a cancellation penalty from AirBnb, because I am not the one who wants to cancel.) 

[Sarah977]

@Judy41  Did you not read my response to you? There is nothing you need to do but tell the guest to contact Airbnb to cancel. There is no reason whatsover for you to do anything, there is nothing for you to need to figure out. The guest needs to initiate the cancellation.

[Gabrielle248]

I will start losing a lot of money here in the UK if I start refunding money just because a guest doesn’t fancy travelling. Surely they can claim on their insurance???? GB

[Helen3]

Hello @Gabrielle248 

Do have a look at Airbnb's EC policy on the Coronavirus. Guests and hosts are allowed to cancel penalty free under this policy.

[Marit-Anne0]

@Gabrielle248  I have seen from certain travel fourms that many travel insurances for example in the US do not cover pandemics.  

And no, insurance companies do not cover those who do not fancy travelling. There must be a valid medical reason or, the case in many European countries, an official travel warning from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.  

[Gabrielle248]

Thank you!