super strict cancellation policy

[Robert760]

My property is primarily a summer rental. Renter book 1-4 weeks and generally book months in advance. For the past 10 years I've had a 60 cancellation policy with a full refund given when the house re-rents. Allowing a 1 week cancellation with a 50% cancellation fee is not an option. Is there a way of choosing a "60 Super Strict Cancellation" policy?

[Marzena4]

Invite only from what I know, @Robert760. Airbnb invites.

[Fred13]

I am on it (Super Strict 60), because of the nature of my lisitng, I suppose. My impression is that they are phasing out those options (Super Strict 30 & 60), since they do not fit the direction Airbnb is taking, meaning now more guest (not host) centric.

[Matthew285]

@Fred13, while I don't think they will offer the Super Strict 30 & 60 to very many people, I think certainly you will keep it, and I think AirBnB will keep it.

Someone else posted an article written for people in the Vacation Rental industry (or VR, as they call it), and those industry people demanded something essentially like Super Strict 30 & 60 for their resort-style properties. The article outlined 14 or so demands they had of AirBnB, and how AirBnB was changing their policies to help the VR industry people. (Not day-to-day hosts).

Anyway, AirBnB might keep Super Strict 30 & 60 very close to the vest, but some VR people with a lot of listings really want it to continue to exist.

[Fred13]

Good to hear @Matthew285; with the high-logistics places (foreign and middle of nowhere) it is very helpful. What I find, since I am booked back-to-back so far in advance, if anyone can't make it now, 99% of the time I re-schedule  them down the line (or re-booked it). I have yet to keep their money yet anyway, Super 60 or no Super 60.

[Katrina5]

When I called Air BnB, I was told Super Strict Cancellation policy is by invitation only, only for Property Managers. I find this disturbing. It seems to ENCOURAGE the hosts change to a property manager. 

[Turquoise0]

hello can you help me? I need to apply the super strict cancellation policy to all of my listings. How can I do it? Because, the strict policy with 50% is not a good option. 

[Steve143]

Hello @Turquoise0,

It looks like you've posted a question as a response to someone else's question without reading the responses already given.

The first response above points out that application of the super strict policies is at the invitation of Airbnb. That is, it's not possible for hosts to select those policies themselves.

The second response is from a  host who has a listing which is unusual enough that Airbnb invited him to apply a super strict policy.

The policy details page for the super strict policies says

"Note: The Super Strict cancellation policy applies to special circumstances and is by invitation only."

Steve.

[Fred13]

Aye @Steve0, someone in Airbnb called me during my first year and then they changed it to Super 60.

[Turquoise0]

Thank you a lot for your information

[Holly133]

How do I get someone to call me from Airbnb?!!! I alsway put in my responce to potential guests that I have a Strict 60 day cancellation policy and attach a copy of my rules.  Maybe this is not enough.  How can I communicate with aAirbnb to make sure?

[David126]

 Holly, this is your policy, I just looked at your listing:

Cancellations

Strict

Cancel up to 7 days before check in and get a 50% refund (minus service fees). Cancel within 7 days of your trip and the reservation is non-refundable. Service fees are refunded when cancellation happens before check in and within 48 hours of booking.

Super Strict is something only ABB can set up. Not a Host choice.

[Pat-And-Mike0]

Strict cancellation policy is unfair to hosts in Caribbean islands.  Guest can cancel one week before booking and get a 50% refund.  The guests (about 99%) on these islands originate from USA, Europe, Canada, UK. etc.  Hosts in these island have almost no chance of getting a replacement booking in just one week.  This needs to be changed to 3 weeks for us to have a chance to get a replacement booking.

[Matthew285]

@Pat-And-Mike0 contact AirBnB support and explain your situation. While the Super Strict 60 cancellation policy is invite-only, there is nothing wrong with contacting them and asking to be invited.

Explain the logistics and economics of your listing. If you have had problems with cancellations on AirBnB, give them some statistics on how many people cancelled a reservation with you and how often you were able to re-book the week. I would imagine this is the kind of information that can help them make a good decision about your listing.

[Fred13]

Besides what @Matthew285 said, but also perhaps try to go for Strict 30 first, it is easier to get than Strict 60. Above all, mention that changing reservations and not getting clobbered by the airlines requires 30 days, as does getting a passport (21 days) which comes up when your guests try to bring extra guests. So yes, finding a replacement does indeed takes 30 days.

   I am on Super 60 being all the way in Belize, and frankly it wouldn't work via Airbnb if I wasn't on it. In fact, I have a 90-day policy on my direct bookings, which because of Airbnb's Strict 60, I try to pass all bookings to them as a direct result.