Airbnb just cancelled 2 reservations for 3 nights each after check in time and did not even contact or notify us

[Davin52]

So we have this guest, R who booked 2 of our places from a month ago. He was very demanding and obnoxious guest from the very beginning. 10 days prior check in day he said he wanted to reschedule, we asked to confirm the date he said he'll let us know by tomorrow morning. Then nothing, even after we asked him because we could not just kept waiting for him. 3 days prior check in he suddenly said he wanted to reschedule to dates no longer available. 

We told him based on our House Rules it's not possible to ask reschedule 7 days prior check in date, but even if we wanted to help the dates have been booked. so he decided to keep the original date. Just the day before the check in date he said he wanted to cancel and want to get full refund which was not possible as we have Strict Cancellation Policy. He came with lots of excuses, even told us that right now my city is on lockdown (which never happens), then there is a surge of Covid cases in the area, he just keep coming with some new ones. We already told him if you want to cancel, you can contact airbnb support. He kept pestering me outside airbnb platform with calls and messages. Threaten to leave 1 star review and make the worst review if I don't refund him. I have even reported the guest. But still trying to be as professional and patient as I can, because in my mind, I still have to host him.

We know usually when someone wanted to cancel and asked full refund, airbnb would contact us as a host to confirm. Today, just now on the check in date, after check in time, he contacted us bragging that the2 reservations have been cancelled with full refund, in your face kind, hurling insults and everything. I was shocked to find out that those 2 reservations have been really cancelled by airbnb and they did not even notify or contact me at all. No email, no call, no messages and fully refunded. From someone who's been hosting for more than 3 years, superhost for the last 3 years, hosted more than 3000 reservations, collecting almost 2000 reviews, this really hurt me.

I have contacted the support team and they said they will investigate this and contact me again later. But i honestly can say that I'm extremely disappointed with this one sided decision without even involving the host.

[Mike-And-Jane0]

@Davin52 Whilst this is clearly not acceptable you have probably avoided a dreadful guest staying with you. I suspect the guest has said he has covid which would get him a refund under the Extenuating Circumstances policy. You can keep fighting with Airbnb but it is sadly likely that it is a lost cause!

[Davin52]

Thanks for that, I was thinking the same thing, this person could just made any lie but at least he need to show test results or something for airbnb to consider that. And the support team did not even inform me if that is the case. It's totally unfair and considering it's past the check in time, I really thought it wouldn't be full refund. 

[Helen3]

I would appeal against the refunds. 

also why are you communicating with the guest outside of Airbnb ? You should keep all communications on the platform unless there's a genuine emergency . 

[Davin52]

I did exactly say that to him when he called he first time and even blocked his number and what's app. He then used a different number to call again before I blocked him again. This went on and on, that's why I reported him right away on airbnb

[Colleen253]

@Davin52 “He was very demanding and obnoxious guest from the very beginning.” This is a rather large red flag which you should try to always take heed of, going forward. Use it as a vetting tool and decline a guest like that. Guests such as that rarely end up being worth the payout, and will usually end up costing money/causing major grief for you in some way or another.

Definitely push Airbnb on this and fight it, but I suspect Mike and Jane are right, and the guest claimed Covid Illness. 

[Davin52]

I really pushed this and finally got the payout !! Support team admitted their mistakes in making decision without even involving the host. The guest lied about the lockdown in my city, which never happened. And support ambassador just simply believed him without confirming to us first, pushed on this hard and happy to get my payout back

[Sarah977]

@Colleen253  I agree with Colleen, I would not have accepted a guest who communicated in an obnoxious or demanding manner, and if the booking was already confirmed, I would have asked Airbnb to cancel it on the basis that you are very uncomfortable with the guest's rude and threatening communications. 

I would pursue this refund, although not to the point that I was wasting a huge amount of time on it. But if you are persistent, a lowly CS rep's poor decision is sometimes overturned by a more senior rep, so ask that it be escalated to a supervisor.