Please advise! Have AirBnb guests fees changed in the last two days?

Please advise! Have AirBnb guests fees changed in the last two days?

Hello everyone. We've been hosts since 2017 and enjoy reading forum posts but rarely post ourselves. That is until today...

 

We send all new guests a message with a copy of our rules and we only confirm bookings until hearing back from them. If it's getting close to 24 hours we'll ping them and if we still don't hear back we'll send another message before declining and let them know we will hold their dates for another 24 hours. 

 

We received a request yesterday from someone with a five hour time difference (behind us, so it was Wednesday for her). We had to decline because we didn't hear back in time but she had really good reviews so we had no problem holding the dates. After declining she responded this morning and we coordinated a time to re-request and confirm. Communication was pleasant and friendly. Shortly after we confirmed the booking we got a message asking why the reservation was priced higher ($65). We explained that we did not change our prices and that AirBnB charges a fee and collects state tax. We offered to contact AirBnB but she declined, saying she wanted to do so herself. 

 

Well, less than an hour ago we received a message from her saying that AirBnB told her they can only charge what we have our listing priced at. The dollar amount for what we are getting hasn't changed from yesterday to today. We are wondering if AirBnB has raised guests fees in that short time frame? If so, why didn't they clarify that to the guest? We don't want to call CS so any advice on how to proceed is appreciated!

 

At this point we are thinking that we should just explain again that we did not raise our prices and say that she's welcome to cancel. 

 

 

 

 

4 Replies 4
Emiel1
Level 10
Leeuwarden, The Netherlands

@Carl-and-Pandora0 

The price calculator (part of the listing calendar) shows what is earned by host or what is charged to guests (including fees/ taxes). So there can not be a misunderstanding about it. Also when you simulate a booking on your own listing, you will see what potential guests are charged.

@Emiel1 

 

Thanks for the response! Unfortunately it doesn't show if there is a difference between yesterday and today.

 

The guest has since written to say that she confused our booking with another one in a different state.  Still unsure how to reply.

@Carl-and-Pandora0 Okay, so it seems this was a guest confusion issue, not a pricing issue. I'm not sure what you are asking re how to reply. Either she wants to bookor she doesn't. If it was an inquiry, rather than a request, you don't need to do anything further. If it was a booking request, and she doesn't respond in time to things you need answered, you'll have to either accept or decline.

 

@Sarah977  Thanks! It is a confirmed booking. From experience these things tend to reflect badly either in star ratings or verbal reviews. Carl wrote a very diplomatic response. But the feeling here is that things could go either way with this stay.