Why would I take any more Airbnb reservations?

[Ray43]

I had a guest not show up for a 4 day stay the day before Christmas.  They didn't cancel until today, 2 days after their due date and Airbnb refunded them all of their money because one in their party tested positive for Covid.   I couldn't rebook my place during peak season because the guest didn't cancel.   Why even have a cancellation policy if Airbnb will give a first time guest back their money instead of supporting a superhost like me?   I'm seriously considering not accepting any further Airbnb reservations.   We get 80% of our reservations from VRBO anyway, who actually follow the cancellation policy.

SO annoyed at Airbnb right now.   Considering small claims court out of principle.   EVERYTHING on the help site says this guest shouldn't have been refunded after cancelling after their checkin.....

[Emiel1]

@Ray43 

IMO Airbnb made a mistake here, not following their own policy.

The information on the COVID extenuating circumstances policy mentions:

"If a reservation has already begun (the check-in has passed) this extenuating circumstance does not apply."

Extenuating-circumstances-policy-and-the-coronavirus-covid19

Also mentioned in link below (info for guests)::

• Your check-in date is within the next 14 days
• and you haven’t already canceled it
• and you haven’t already checked in
• and you or another guest in your traveling party is currently sick with COVID-19

Does-the-extenuating-circumstances-policy-apply-to-my-reservation-during-the-covid19-pandemic

[Ramona-Bogdana0]

Hello @Ray43 ,

You can claim this decision of Airbnb, and ask the money for the days when you had your calendar blocked, I am thinking it is fair like this. 

Happy holidays to all!

[Andy2951]

You’re experience is why we switched to a strict cancelation policy. We will work with guests if they need to cancel, like if we rebook we refund them.

Any other cancelation policy has led us to disappointing results with Airbnb.

[Jenny349]

@Andy2951 Beware ! 

@Airbnb will refund guests in full whatever your cancellation policy and whenever they cancel, including last-minute (but must be before check-in) if guest, or anyone in the group, attests to being sick with Covid.

More and more hosts are getting stung by this unfair policy.

[Sarah977]

@Andy2951  If Airbnb applies the extenuating circumstances policy, that overrides your strict policy.

[Ray43]

This happened WITH a strict cancellation policy.

[Fred13]

This is the #1 reason why Airbnb reservations can't be fully trusted.  The way I look at it is best to 'overbook' and every once in a while some child at their CS department allows a full-refund improperly, and that time I grab to catch up with repairs or additions. 

[Branka-and-Silvia0]

@Fred13you are discriminating by age, it's a big no no! 😄 😄 😄

[Brenda328]

@Ray43  Unfortunately Airbnb will randomly refund entire reservations during peak times just because they feel like it.  Several years ago (pre-Covid) my Thanksgiving guests no-showed and did not cancel.  Several hours after they were supposed to check out after their scheduled four day stay, they contacted Airbnb and said that some of their group could not make it to my cabin due to weather conditions - weather conditions at their home, not at my cabin.

Airbnb gave them a full refund and I was left with no opportunity to re-book or go to the property to handle routine maintenance because they did not cancel until their stay was actually over.

And I have a strict cancellation policy also.  The random decision generator can strike any of us at any time.

[Inna22]

I just had a Covid cancellation and airbnb supported no refund. They are not sick but Chicago has new regulations and the guests are not willing/able to comply.

I guess yours fell under sickness of main guest? Or just bad luck? I would have been really bitter also if this happened to me

[Jenny349]

I think you were lucky @Inna22 - had your guest, or anyone in the group, reported sick with Covid they would have been entitled to a full refund under the current EC policy. 

[Julia3148]

I've just had New Years booking cancelled - my most lucrative nights. Apparently one of the group has covid. The rest of the group should be able to attend, albeit they are claiming close contact...RUBBISH as they are a group pf friends planning to meet up on New Year. Has anyone progressed a claim against Airbnb on this matter?

[Mike-And-Jane0]

@Julia3148 With Covid I think all hosts just need to recognise that cancellations are a near certainty and plan accordingly. If Airbnb insisted guests pay then we would either have guests turning up with Covid or guests would not take the risk of booking at all. A claim would be pretty pointless as Airbnb are only applying their rules that we have all known about for many months. At least Rishi Sunak's money should go some way to making up your shortfall.

[Julia3148]

Thanks for the response. I believe as a business it should be my decision on cancellation policy and if I am flexible (which I am) then more people will book knowing that they can cancel up to 5 days before. What I am so angry about is not being involved in the conversation between the guests and airbnb - which has cost me c£2k. I'm afraid I see people taking the p**s time and time again re Covid / being ill/isolating/can't work (I work in energy) and for a large group that's booked I do not understand why the whole booking is cancelled if 1 guest is ill.

We have decided to stop using airbnb going forward.