Superhost Status revoked

[Jessica-and-Stacey0]

I have been hosting with Airbnb for over four years. Recently, I had to cancel a guest's reservation because I made an error in the booking. This is the first and only cancellation I've ever made but my super host status was revoked. This seems unfair! 

[Catherine175]

I am not concerned with superhost status because my guests mostly read my review and that is enough for me to have a constant stream of the very best gueststhat antone could wish for. I have only ever had one dud. SO don't anx of super host status.

[Maddalena3]

hi peter

i later found out that if yo have  instant booking and you are a super host you can cancell with no penalties .

you can cancel up to 3 time

[Fred13]

@Clare0Oh yes, I can see how tricky some hosts can try to be and get the guest to cancel. But what we are talking about is the ~guest~  requesting the ~host~ to cancel.  Why would guests (not hosts) even have that request option, which is causing so many problems for the 'unaware' hosts?  If a host wants to cancel they will do so anyway, request or no request.

This guest option has an inherent incentive to boot, if guests could trick the host to cancel, they get their booking fee back. Is Airbnb thinking that a host that wants to 'help out' a guest get his booking fee back, will contact a guest and tell them "Say, I am cancelling your reservation, want to get your booking fee back? Send me a request so I do it, I will be penalize anyway". 

This convention makes no sense. In fact, i find this so fascinating I will take the time and call them, and ask them the $64 million dollar question - why is it there?

[Clare0]

@Fred13. While I'm sure that there are some abuses by guests using this feature, the problem is that many hosts, in the situations I mentioned before, won't cancel and ask the guests to cancel.  This is the only way a guest can request that the host cancel or re-confirm that the host will honor the reservation as it was booked and confirmed.  

In situations where a host has failed to keep thier listings updated for pricing, availability, minimum stay requirements, it should be the host who cancels, not the guest.   Obviously the host should keep these reservations and not cancel since the penalties involved would preclude other bookings.

So lets say I book a place over Super Bowl weekend in Minnesota and later the host says "I forgot that weekend was Super Bowl and my rate is actually three times higher than the rate you booked.  I will send you an alteration to the price for you to accept".  I selected that listing because the rate advertised at the time suited my budget and was very attractive.  I've already paid for the reservation and now I don't know what to do since I do not want to pay more.  I need the host to either re-confirm they will honor my reservation as booked or cancel so I can get a full refund and look for another place to stay. 

I would grant you that the wording on the notice should be revised so that hosts don't believe that they are doing a guest a favor by cancelling.  Perhaps the wording should be "Clare requests that you confirm her reservation as originally booked and if you are not able to host her stay, please cancel."

If you are able to get an explanation from  Airbnb as to why this feature is available, I would be fascinated to know the answer.  Keep me posted!

[Fred13]

Boy how narrow a circumtance for that option to be of any value, to 'reassure' a guest, which a host may be badgering to cancel. but can cancel anyway without any shenannigans. 

Yes, if the wording is changed, it will help tremendously.

Ok, I will call Airbnb, I got a couple of contacts there, and we will undoubtedly have some fun with this one.

[Kelly149]

@Fred13 @Clare0

Does Fred get to keep saying he’s never called abb for a problem if he gets to the bottom of this for us?

cant wait to hear what they have to say - yes, it’s time for CS to be able to override the robots on occasion 

[Fred13]

Disqualified myself! But, but this is for a good cause. 🙂

Seriously, a couple of times, I had to write (not called, so I am still technically good there) to them to address an error in payment procedure with two guests, and they fixed them.

Wrote today to two people at Airbnb. Will keep you posted on the mystery of the 'Missing Rationale for the Guests Request for Host to Cancel Option".

[Clare0]

@Fred13 Can't wait to hear!!  And thanks!

[Oomesh-Kumarsingh0]

@Jessica-and-Stacey0 Sorry to hear that you lost the badge. You mentioned an error that you made, Can we know what was the error?

[Ashish11]

Maintaining 100% records is too hard. Airbnb must review its policy.

[Veronica227]

Are you guys saying if I accept a request to cancel, I still lose SH badge?  I have had cancellations before.  Is this just for a cancellation done within the no-cancellation period??

[Clare0]

@Veronica227. If a guest asks you to cancel (I provided a screen shot in previous posts) and you are able to keep the reservation, don't accept the request!

If it is the guest who needs to cancel, they should go ahead and cancel the reservation not send you the request to cancel.  

The request to cancel is mainly used by guests when hosts refuse to cancel yet tell the guest that the accommodation is no longer available.   So, let's say, for example, I have a confirmed reservation with you and all of a sudden I get a message from you saying that you are so sorry, but you have family staying and you cannot accommodate me or you tell me I have to pay $x more because you forgot to update your pricing for the holidays.   In this case, I would send you a formal request to cancel through Airbnb since you won't honor the reservation and you haven't cancelled it so I could get my refund.   You have the option to confirm my reservation or cancel it, and, yes, if you cancel, the host penalties will kick in unless you have Extenuating Circumstances. 

[Charlotte217]

I he only been getting 5star reviews since I started hosting in July 2017 but due to unforeseen circumstances I had to cancel 1 reservation in November. This meant that I lost my superhost status which I feel has affected the take up of bookings at my place and I felt I had to drop my rates. Despite 5-stars and 97-100% on all other criteria, I will not now achieve superhost status again until November 2018 which I think is too punitive for a high performer like me. In fact it takes away a lot of incentive to stay with Airbnb and Im inclined to move to another agency.
As almost all Airbnb hosts are individuals with personal lives in addition to their hosting responsibilities, I also feel that there should be at least the flexibility to cancel one reservation due to unforeseen circumstances per year without it affecting their superhost status. 

[Lizzie]

Hello @Charlotte217,

Lovely to meet you and welcome to the Community Center. 

It is really sad to hear your disappointment here. I just took a look at your listing and it really is lovely. It is such a beautiful part of the UK. 

In terms of your cancellation, it does sound like it was very unexpected, I wonder did you contact our Support Team about this? They may have been able to help. 

Even so, please don't give up, all your hard work doesn't go unnoticed, just look at all the wonderful reviews you have and I am sure you will have you well deserved Superhost status back in no time. 

Hope to speak with you again,

Lizzie

[Patrick180]

Same here. I can see losing the Superhost status for maybe a few months as anyway that status is reviewed/renewed quarterly (?) not annually.  But insisting on having a policy of ZERO cancellation in an entire year or else be penalized for a year is ridiculous. 
And since the cancellation, I have to look at this annoying notice on the dashboard for a year telling me that I have "Basic requirements that need your attention!".
😕