Airbnb for work, guests prefer to stay in a different area after 3 nights into 11 night stay

[Dawn241]

Supposed third part Instant booking for 2 employees. They show up on Monday July 4th. All is going well from the looks of outdoor security cameras. Thursday evening I get this email:

The ladies whom were staying in your home requested to stay elsewhere due to the area. They did not specify any concerns with the airbnb specifically rather that they would prefer to be in another area. I apologize for this change. Is there any way to be refunded for the portion of the stay that we will not be using?

we have flexible cancellation policy -full refund 24 hours before check in. No cancellation policies require any refund three days after check in . They wanted to stay 2 more nights before they move to a different “area”.

I respond with:

Airbnb guest service fees $193.87 and occupancy taxes $199.81 are not refundable.

There is nothing wrong with the area. It is across from a grade school and a block from the hospital and a beautiful park and surrounded by mansions. We have all 5 star reviews. We were super host until recently because we were closed for $23K exterior remodel and bathroom remodel so we didn’t have any reservations for several months. 

I provided you with the link to air cover that describes what is and isn’t covered if at any time the listing is not as described. examples are- If you can’t get into the listing, if the refrigerator is broken and cannot be fixed, and a 24 hour safety line. They would need to call the 24 hour safety line and be more specific about why they are not comfortable with the area. If airbnb deems a creditable threat they will relocate you immediately, not on the 9th (two days later). That’s how it works.

I called Airbnb who stated this was not a third party work booking. The girl that booked is actually one of the two guests. Outdoor security camera images match the Airbnb profile picture. I don’t understand why she is pretending to be the employer and not one of the guests. Airbnb told me I did not have to accept the reservation date request nor give her any refund. This is the first time I have ever felt fully supported by Airbnb customer service. 

aircover for guests covers if they can’t get in, if something major is broken like heat or frig, or if they feel unsafe but not if they prefer a different area. Kudos to Airbnb!

[Sandra856]

Hi @Dawn241 🙂

Just so you are aware - the flexible cancellation policy says : 

Flexible

• Guests can cancel until 24 hours before check-in for a full refund, and you won’t be paid
• If they cancel after that, you’ll be paid for each night they stay, plus 1 additional night

So if you guests choose to cancel they will automatically have to pay for one extra night but will get  refunded for any remaining nights. 

[Dawn241]

I don’t know because Airbnb emailed me they support my decision   not to accept the reservation change request and I do not owe them a refund. I don’t think people should book for 11 nights, stay three nights, then email they prefer to stay in a different area, but want to stay two more nights. It just doesn’t make any sense.

there’s also the fact she said she was an employer booking for two employees. Airbnb confirmed as did outdoor security cameras that there is no employer. The person who booked is also one of the guests. So I don’t understand the ruse, but she must have thought she could get out of being responsible if she says she’s an employer not a guest.

It’s just very strange. In 5 years of hosting, this is a first. 

[Sandra856]

Hi again @Dawn241 🙂

I understand that you do not wish to accept the “request to alter” the stay - but they could simply choose to just cancel the stay from their side and they would automatically get refunded - meaning they would only pay for an extra night and get the rest of the stay refunded. That is what the cancellation policy says. You are telling them that they can not get refunded - even if that is what they signed up for. You seem to have misunderstood your own cancellation policy. Maybe choose the moderate instead? 
Best, Sandra 

[Sandra856]

@Dawn241 @Another thing is you don’t have to accept a request to alter (shorten) the stay because that would mean that they would get a full refund (not following the cancellation policy). If a guest needs to cancel a stay - all they have to do is cancel on the day of departure (before check out time) and they will automatically get refunded according to the host’s/listings cancellation policy. 
(Just remember - guests always have to cancel from their side - you don’t ever have to accept neither an alteration and never ever a request that ask you to cancel the booking - as it then will look like you cancelled the stay and you will get penalised) 

[Dawn241]

Correct, when I choose flexible I only see the first line- full refund up to 24 hours before. Not the second sentence you are all referring to.

The bigger issue here is she lied about her identity saying she was an employer not one of the guests. Airbnb confirmed as did the outdoor cameras she is indeed one of the guests. So because of that Airbnb  said she is not entitled to any refund. 

[Emilia42]

@Dawn241 

I don't think this is strange at all. Aircover or "support from Airbnb" really doesn't have anything to do with it. If the guest wants to cancel, for any reason, they can do so and your cancelation policy will apply. If you don't like your cancellation policy you really should change it.

[Dawn241]

Thank you. I was not aware flexible meant they can “cancel” mid reservation. When I choose it, this is all I see

[Sandra856]

Hi @Dawn241 

Yes, that really is a huge problem! I have noticed it as well - that Airbnb only show parts of the cancellation policies for instance when using the app - I can’t even believe that they are allowed to do that! 

[Dawn241]

Thank you. I thought I was crazy there for a minute. 

one guest left last night and one this morning. I emailed her to cancel on her end if they don’t intend to return to the house this week. They will only pay for mon- fri plus one extra night. 

I’m assuming Airbnb won’t refund their taxes and fees either. And they shouldn’t be entitled to the 25% weekly discount anymore either. 

[Sandra856]

@Dawn241 I can sure understand that - I really think it is very misleading not showing the policies in full! Guests can always cancel from their reservation page and that is what they are supposed to do if they need to cancel a stay for whatever reason. If your guests haven’t already cancelled - you can maybe just write them via the Airbnb message feed and tell them to cancel asap and also that Airbnb will refund them automatically when they press the cancellation button on their reservation. As I already think I mentioned you don’t have to do a thing - meaning accept a request to cancel or anything else as it will then look like you cancelled from your side and you will get penalised. The system is set up to refund a guest that chooses to cancel. The guest will always get refunded according to the cancellation policy and whatever the policy says about fees. As soon as the guest cancels - your calendar will re-open so new guests are able to book. 
So if a guest ever writes you -telling he/she will need to cancel - all you have to do is tell them to cancel from their side (press the cancellation button) and they will get refunded automatically according to the policy agreed to when the stay was booked. You don’t have to do a thing from your side 🙂

[Dawn241]

I emailed to let her know to cancel today. Thank you.

[Dawn241]

No I was not aware of the second sentence. When I choose flexible I only see the first sentence. See image below. Been hosting for 5 years. I most recently used free cancellation but that went away with the recent revamping of the website. 

[Sandra856]

@Dawn241 This is all the current policies in full :

https://www.airbnb.co.uk/help/article/475/cancellation-policies-for-your-listing?_set_bev_on_new_dom...

[Dawn241]

here is the last post on this guest. this sums up the entire story from start to finish. sorry for the length. 

The Good: The house was left in good condition.

The Bad: The heat was turned on to 78 in July and trash bin in carport was filled with unopened food- eggs, milk, ice cream, fruit, lettuce, etc. not in a bag, melted all over the inside of the bin, and carport gate was left open. Fortunately, no wildlife came in an knocked it over until the cleaner arrived two days after departure. The cleaner- my 70-year-old mother- had to dump out the bin, bag the trash, and clean out the trash bin with dish soap and a hose.

The Ugly: Courtney instant booked for 11 nights stating she was an employer booking for two employees. On the evening of the 4th night I emailed Courtney to tell her the outside only pest control was coming the next day, just fyi. Courtney emailed back right away and did not ask us to reschedule the pest control. “Thank you for letting me know. The ladies whom were staying in your home requested to stay elsewhere due to the area. They did not specify any concerns with the Airbnb specifically rather that they would prefer to be in another area. Is there any way to be refunded for the portion of the stay that we will not be using?” Me: “You will have to contact Airbnb to change dates and confirm how the refund works.” Courtney: “They expressed that they were uncomfortable with the area so we wanted to ensure that we accommodate for that. I have completed the request to alter the dates.” Me: “There is nothing wrong with the area. It is across from a grade school and a block from the hospital and Vista Park” and mansions.

I immediately called Airbnb who confirmed Courtney was not an employer, but one of the two guests staying in the house. They also emailed me confirming that if I decided not to give her any refund, they supported that decision. I posted to the Airbnb community forum who told me to decline the date alteration request and instead tell her to cancel on her end and she will be refunded according to the cancelation policy.

The guests stayed two more nights at which time I emailed Courtney the Flexible Cancelation Policy and told her to cancel on her end so she would only pay for the nights they stayed plus one extra night. Sunday, I got a notification from Airbnb that the reservation had been canceled and refunded according to the flexible cancelation policy.

Monday, I got an email from the Airbnb safety team about an incident report they received regarding this reservation. They asked me to answer the following three questions:

1. - Are you aware of any incident that happened during your previous reservations? NO
2. - Are you aware of any intrusions that took place during one of your previous reservations? NO
3. - Does your property have blinds installed? BLACK OUT CURTAINS

This is my personal second home for myself and extended family. We have hosted at this location over five years and never had anyone cancel mid-reservation before nor have been told of any other incidents.  

Airbnb closed the case as they determined there was never any real danger to the guests. They are not allowed to tell me the details of the complaint due to their guest privacy policy, however, since they asked us if our windows have blinds on them, we think it had to do with the outdoor pest control guy who walks the perimeter of the house spraying and brushing for cobwebs. Again, we told them Thursday night that the outdoor only pest control person was coming on Friday, and they did not ask us to reschedule him. In the future we will reschedule the outdoor only pest control person if it coincides with a guest reservation.