loss of super host status when you have consistently 5stars!

[Jane3119]

Hey, so I consistently get 5 stars for everything, and as I didn't not make the 1% cancellation rating,  which basically was out of my control! Floods/rain/Covid cancellations, and  I still offer the free cancellation policy as during the assessment time it was still tricky times....... I think it is a bit harsh. My 2 cents worth?? 

Anyone else? 

Love some input? Should I stop the free cancellation policy now?

Cheers Jane

[Emilie]

Hi @Jane3119, 

I'm really sorry to hear you've lost your superhost status recently! Could you tell us a bit more about what you mean by free cancellation? Are you referring to the flexible cancellation policy? 

Regarding your status, if you feel like you lost it due to circumstances entirely outside of your control, I invite you to contact our Support teams to look into it further. 

Thanks, 

Emilie

[Jane3119]

yes, sorry I meant the flexible cancellation policy. Here in Australia especially last year, if people got covid or were a close contact of someone with covid they cancelled, we also had lots of rain and the road into Crescent Head where my airbnb units are... the road would be closed for a day or so, so of course if they couldn't get here they cancelled.  After losing super host status due to that... I have since changed my cancellation policy to moderate.  I have decided that  future guests can still read and look at all my reviews   and ratings which are 5 star for every area.... ... and my bookings are still good regardless. I know I offer good quality, and good value, I have decided that I  don't wish to spend time emailing to and from someone  or an automated computer response via the  support team and trying to get someone to re instate  super host.  Many of my guests often become regulars who return every year  so that is the best feedback/rating  I can have .... thanks for the reply.

Jane

[Lawrene0 · Accepted solution]

I'm confused, @Jane3119 . Guests cancel here all the time, and for the same reasons as yours: floods, covid, work, the dog is sick, etc. Them cancelling does not affect my superhost status. It's me, the host, cancelling that affects it. 

You must have cancelled someone or cancelled for someone?

Moving from flexible to moderate won't make any difference to this.

[Jane3119]

Oh @Lawrene0  thanks for making that clear.  I just went through all my bookings from last year to double check it all.  All guests cancelled themselves, except for 2, one was cancelled by airbnb and it says penalty free cancellation.... as it was major flooding and roads were closed. It was couple  coming to stay on their honeymoon, they did not answer any messages and phone calls 24 hours   prior to arrival I was trying to contact them to tell them to cancel...turns out they were getting married and partying 🙂  and  they had their phones turned off....they did not even know it was flooding up north where they were going to drive to!  They got refunded and all was fine. 

The other cancellation was by me! Which I forgot about.  I have the calender open to book 6 months in advance only.  Mainly due to the fact that I don't like to take bookings so far in advance as we all know things can  change, and also my family and relatives  still use the  apartments which are located close to a popular beach.  So I had someone in July 2021 jump on book for Jan 2022  for 11 days..... when it came through I realised I had forgot to block the calender 😞      those dates  my family and relatives would be in  the apartment. ... so I had to apologise and explain in fact the apartment was not available and it was a mistake  that I had not blocked it......I offered different dates available,  was hugely flexible and  apologetic ,but it didn't work out so I cancelled so he was refunded. Not knowing that one cancellation of 11 days would make me lose super host I guess. Oh well lesson learned. I only started in Jan 2021 with airbnb so I am still learning. So would you advise that I keep the flexible cancellation or moderate??   Thanks for reply.

Cheers Jane

[Lawrene0]

Yes, it takes only one cancellation, @Jane3119 . Guests will leave the platform when a host cancels on them, as it is a huge disappointment, so it is zero tolerance. 🙂

You have to be right on your calendar, but you know that now. I proactively block dates all the time. Would a three-month window work better for you?

If you are like me, with floods and all, then I advise the flexible policy. Sometimes it is a pain in the neck, as guests do use it for last-minute less-urgent cancellations, but I tend to get replacement bookings quickly. If I don't, I don't worry as we are usually pretty solidly booked anyway. I do find it reduces the drama. They cancel and get all their money back. They are going to ask for it all back for, say, bad weather anyway, so I might as well make it easy on both of us.

In other circumstances, moderate or firm policies make sense. 

Hope that helps. 

What a lovely spot you have! Love those stairs!

[Jane3119]

Thanks for the explanation @Lawrene0  I understand  now. Though I did jump on and explain within 3 minutes of booking to the guest I had to cancel but yes I know now.  I rose to superhost straight up when i started so I just thought I was on a roll...... so yes Im onto that calender for sure now:    Yes I could do 3 months in advance however I  do get families wanting to book advance for school holidays etc.....I think I will go with moderate cancellation policy. Mainly due to the fact we sleep 6  people in each apartment. I often get families,  small groups of friends etc  and groups of surfers. We are located by a very popular surf beach, I think sometimes if the surf is not pumping then they can just cancel 24 hours before  because of no surf,

and then it is not that easy for me to  get a booking again at such short notice.  Also most people come for at least 4 to 5 days or a weeks stay and plan a head a bit. The last minute ones for me always seem to come in a midnight while they a scrolling lol then I see it in the morning and make sure everything is ready to go.  Thanks so much for your replies, help and explanations.  Love your tree house too, how gorgeous, Id go off grid there and chill for sure!  Love Canada, one of my sons is in Banff now snowboarding, then with friends in Calgary and onto Vancouver before flying home, he is loving it now borders are open! Yes Crescent Head is a really lovely beach spot in Australia! 

Cheers Jane