Rules and bloody rules!

[Robin4]

There are circumstances where as a host you can cancel a guests reservation without penalty. There is an 'Extenuating circumstances' clause which will allow you to be released from penalty if you cancel a guest booking.

You can also cancel an IB booking if you feel uncomfortable with the guest, or you forgot to block your calendar.....or the sun didn't shine on the day, but unfortunately the world does not operate on the same set of Airbnb rules.

For us here in Australia, and much of the rest of the world here is the IB cancellation article 2022 rule....

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But, but, but..................here are the rules if you are in America.....SPOT THE DIFERENCE!

It makes it extremely hard to give advice to users when we all seem to march to the beat of a different drum. Both of those statements relate to Article 2022 of Airbnb's rules, but if you view it in Australia you will get one version, if you view it in America you will get an entirely different version!

I am sure some users may have been released from penalty for cancelling a guest reservation.....I would not want to put it to the test though!!!

Cheers.....Rob

[Gillian19]

@Robin4 Looks like a clear case of discimination to me. I'm sure that's against Airbnb's own policies!!!

[Branka-and-Silvia0]

@Robin4 so, in other words: host can cancel unlimited number of times if it is guest's fault and 3 x / year if it is host's fault. It is good to know.

But, I noticed that it is not written if host is allowed to do it by himself or he has to contact Airbnb to cancel. 

All this creates big confusion, especially with new hosts. 

[Robin4]

@Branka-and-Silvia0  

Now Branka, I can't tell you what the procedure is in the US because as an overseas user I can't see the protocol that they use for these circumstances....

That clause does not exist for me!

If, as an Australian host I simply forgot to block my calendar, or get enough advance notice..... then I am afraid that would just be, 'tough'..... my oversight, my problem!

But Branka, I am assuming that the method involved would be same so matter what set of rules you are operating under, and that is:

No host cancellation is automatically penalty free! If a host cancels a guest reservation for any reason whatever a penalty will be automatically applied. But the procedure is, the host must first cancel the reservation and once the cancellation takes effect the host can apply to have the imposed penalty removed.

It is not part of an automated response....you have to apply for it via this link....

https://www.airbnb.com/resolutions  and it is an adjudicated decision.

Cheers.....Rob

[Branka-and-Silvia0]

hm... @Robin4 so it means that hosts from US and the rest of us don't have the same rights? Isn't it discrimination? 😮

I cancelled once bc I felt uncomfortable with the guest who booked last minute. I contacted Airbnb and they canceled for me without penalty. So it seems that host doesn't have to cancel first and then apply to have the imposed penalty removed. Or is it new?
I am confused 😕

And btw this link is broken https://www.airbnb.com/resolutions

[Robin4]

@Branka-and-Silvia0  Sorry old link address, here is current....

https://www.airbnb.ca/resolutions

You are right with what you are saying Branka, you can make the move first and contact Airbnb and request that they cancel for you, and they will. Once again it is an adjudicated decision.

But the 2022 article doesn't imply this, it states you must first cancel and then seek a penalty release, the same as for the extenuating circumstances clause!

Cheers.....Rob

[Rebecca181]

The three times a year clause seems to apply to cases where the booking was made and it shouldn't have been due to an Airbnb computer software glitch. For example, a double booking, or a date that should have been blocked got booked. I'm wondering if the United States servers are overwhelmed so they put that clause in because it might be happening to a lot to people here. The one time I had to cancel when I was a newbie host due to the person not having a verified ID I called Airbnb and they agreed with my decision and called the guest and canceled it for me. I did give the guest an opportunity to take care of their ID and he actually did come to stay and had a great time with no hard feelings. I always call Airbnb for anything I'm not sure about and thus far they have been really wonderful to work with in customer support.

[Yvonne186]

Could you please let me know the costomer support phone number? Thanks very much Rebecca!

[Robin4]

 @Yvonne186  

Yvonne , you host in Canada so the contact number is the same as that for the United States...

United States and Canada

+1-415-800-5959 +1-855-424-7262 (toll-free)

Good luck Yvonne, I hope your issue can be sorted out to your satisfaction.

Cheers.....Rob

[Ulrich23]

my 2 listings where blocked by airbnb because i had 2 cancelation in 1 year!!!

the first cancelation i did because Airbnb quoted the guest a basicprise for a booking 2 years in advance (at 50% less).

the second, one a week ago ,because the guest canceled since he needed an extra large bathroom door for

his weehlchair.

I tryed to contact Airbnb but could not find a way to contact them.

[Art19]

I do not like instant booking for many of the reasons stated here already. But the biggest reason is My wife and I have a lot of money invested in our units, we want to protect our investments. It it comes down to taking a booking we think  could cause any problems of damage, we always pass. I really don't care what Air BnB trys to tell hot, they are not on the side of hosts, they make their profit from the guest so very pro guest. 

I have had online business for 20 years now, Air BnB reminds me of the early days on eBay, it was a great place and they cared about selelrs and buyers. 15 years ago when ebay cared I was doing great sales, now a whole years sales is equal to my worst month in 2006.... because they don't care about selelrs and view them as easy to replace. I really believe Air BnB has the same take about host.  They don't care if my units are listed, because they believe they can just replace me with a nother host. What they care about is guests. The cost to get a guest is high, a host is almost free to them.

I will stay here and make money but I will never let Air BnB become a big part of my business model. Use them to fill empty units unit they are rented to long term guest.

[Robin4]

@Art19....Hello Art, I do absolutely respect what you have to say but, my perception is a bit different from yours. I do not have a long association with Airbnb having only started in May 2015 but in that time I have had wonderful experiences with Airbnb. Airbnb has enabled me to invest in another piece of property and the company have supported me every step of the way!

I was like you as far as Instant Book is concerned Art, but things came to a head in November 2016 when I was informed by support, after noting that my views were virtually non existent that IB was becoming the default search option, the way of the future.

I reluctantly set IB as an option and Art, I have been quite surprised at the results. Of the 80 odd stays I have had since then about 67 of them have been IB's  and all have truned out to be great guests who I would welcome here again. In fact I have been having more success with IB's  than guests who wish to stay through a request.

I analysed what was happening and have come to the conclusion we live in an instant society where we expect to 'make that phone call at any time'...have that shopping delivered at the press of a button. The past has gone Art, we can long for it, we can remember it, but it has gone.

Guests who want to book through IB have seen your listing, like what they see and just want to pull out their credit card and book!  They don't have a heap of questions that could have easily been answered if they bothered to read the listing description and the house rules....The don't want to haggle over something or other they just want to stay.

Art, I would not dismiss IB, it is a wonderful source of business...you can set your security safeguards in place to restrict unverified guests or those without the required reviews.

I started this thread, not to debate the pros and cons of IB, although I am happy to do that......my concern was the variation in the host cancellation rules from one part of the world to another.

My feeling is we should all be subject to the same rules of business Art.

Cheers.....Rob

[Art19]

Rob,

Happy that Instant Booking works for you.... But you will not change my mind about it, if Air BnB changed over to it is required I'm gone. As I already have said, I do not need Air BnB, it is nice to have them but they will not control my holdings. Air BnB is a booking platform, I set the terms as needed and require. 

The past maybe gone but no one can control my holdings. One of the reason I no longer hold property in the United States is the control the Government puts over you. But as I already said if it works for you great, but please don't waste your time trying to convert me to IB, it will not happen.... 

Art