what if guest needs to cancel, hose prefer stay with cancellation policy, guest start to threaten

[Jenny1132]

Hello, I experience now that the guest need to cancel a booking, yet the host prefer stay with cancellation policy, guest does not feel good and wanted to start a lawsuit. what do I do now?

[Luana130]

I'm sorry, it is not clear...are you the guest or the host?

If the guest wants to cancel, he can do that according to the cancelation policies he agreed on. 

If you are the host, call airbnb and tell them the guest is threatening you, and that you want to stick to the cancelation policy the guest agreed to when he/she booked.

[Jenny1132]

i am the host. now the guest asked to provide: 1. There is official Airbnb license for this listing. 2 . There is no legal restriction to renting this apartment and the building strata welcomes this kind of short term rental. how do I answer her? and does everyone has rental license before putting the property on listing?

[Jenny1132]

because he needs to cancel the booking and I wanted to stick to the cancellation policy, so she said:" Would you please kindly reply within 7 days as we are trying not to commit ourselves on any kind of legal issues."

[Mark116]

@Jenny1132  This sounds like someone is trying to trap you, they're not going to be able to sue you over a cancellation policy the guest agreed to, and hopefully whatever regulations exist in your area, you have followed.  If so, I might simply tell them that cancellation policy is one they agreed to when they booked and if they have any additional questions they are free to contact airbnb for more information.  Hopefully also you have everything on the airbnb message system so the guest can't lie to airbnb and the reasons for cancelling.  You might also put in a call to airbnb yourself and indicate that you are uncomfortable about the threatening tone of the message from this guest, it never hurts to strike first. 

[Helen3]

You don't need to provide your guest with anything relating to this @Jenny1132 . 

Just confirm to the guest that if they want to cancel they need to do this through Airbnb and Airbnb will process their cancellation in line with the cancellation policy they booked under. I wouldn't comment on any questions not relating to the cancellation. 

I don't know what your city regulations  or the building you live in, but I am sure if you need a licence to operate your STR you would have applied for the appropriate license/ and would be operating within the regulations for your building (if any)? Why would the guest need to know this if they are cancelling?

Make sure you give Airbnb a heads up that the guest is asking for information not relating to the cancellation.

[Jenny1132]

because the guest can not make it, they can not come so they need to cancel, but as per the cancellation policy, they won't get refund except for the cleaning fee. they asked for refund and I would prefer my cancellation policy, so now they asked: "We got the reply from Airbnb support and seems that no refund can be arranged. We have decided not to do any cancellation by our side at the moment and we would like to make sure the following are confirmed by you ASAP.
1. There is official Airbnb license for this listing. Can you provide it for our reference?
2. There is no legal restriction to renting this apartment on Airbnb and Fulton House welcomes this kind of short term rental.
Would you please kindly reply within 7 days as we are trying not to commit ourselves on any kind of legal issues." 

i live in Burnaby BC Canada, currently there is no license requirement for condo renting. I don't know what to reply them?

[Helen3]

All you need to do is confirm there are no licensing requirements for STRs where you live and therefore no documents to be provided @Jenny1132 

What was the guests reason for cancelling originally. Strange that now they can't get their money back they can suddenly come 🙂

Do make sure you keep all messages on airbnb.

[Jenny1132]

i checked my city requirement, it does not need license for condo now.

the guests just have some changes now and can not make it.

[Jenny1132]

now they said, if I can not provide such docs they requirements within 7 days they will put it on a higher level to get their money back.

[Lisa723]

@Jenny1132 in your shoes I would do as @Helen3 suggests. Call Airbnb and report that the guest is threatening you, then send them one last message referring them back to Airbnb, then stop responding. If/when possible I would also block them from messaging you again: click on the flag icon on their most recent message to you, report them for harrassment, then block the message thread. But you most likely can't do that until the reservation is cancelled.

[Mike-And-Helen0]

@Jenny1132 you don't need to provide this information to the guest.

They sound like a pita.

[Jenny1132]

We got the reply from Airbnb support and seems that no refund can be arranged. We have decided not to do any cancellation by our side at the moment and we would like to make sure the following are confirmed by you ASAP.
1. There is official Airbnb license for this listing. Can you provide it for our reference?
2. There is no legal restriction to renting this apartment on Airbnb and Fulton House welcomes this kind of short term rental.
Would you please kindly reply within 7 days as we are trying not to commit ourselves on any kind of legal issues.

this is the guest asked me to do. it seems like they like to escalate the issue. so I have a question: does the guest is not able to view the cancellation policy when/before they book, is this information is not visible to guest??

[Lisa723]

@Jenny1132 of course they can view the cancellation policy before they book.

[Helen3]

Of course they see the cancellation policy before they book @Jenny1132  Why have they decided to cancel?

As already advised just confirm to the guest there are no STR requirements in your area and leave it at that.

There is nothing to escalate.

Airbnb might ask you again to give a voluntary refund. Just say no.