Cancellation Policy ISN'T Applied As STATED on Site

[David199]

Airbnb states that Dlexible Cancellation Policy at Check Out is: "

If the guest arrives and decides to leave early, the accommodation fees for the nights not spent 24 hours after the official cancellation are fully refunded."

We re in the realm of First Grade, possiby Kindergarten class: a guest who booked July 17th-23rd canceled July 17th and left the premises shortly after noon July 17th.  In CONSIDERATION of unforeseeable travel delays, I have no Arrival Time specified at my listing.  Guests who said they would arrive at 3PM have arrived at 3AM without penalty. 

Airbnb refunded the guest who cancelled July 18th-23rd for July 18th along with the dates after that.  EVERYWHERE on Planet Earth, July 18th is BEFORE 24 hours from noon July 17th, NOT after.  Therefore, Airbnb should NOT have refunded the guest for July 18th.  I called Airbnb today and spoke with a supervisor, who went around in circles for an hour, trying to convince me that July 18th IS 24 hours AFTER noon July 17th, and REFUSED to escalate my contention, claiming that SHE is the FINAL authority on the matter.  The Resolution Center is not the appropriate place to resolve the matter.  My beef is not with the guest.  It is with Airbnb NOT adhering to its own Cancellation Policy, as it is WRITTEN in plain black and white.

IF there is some kind of Community Committee that can take the matter up with headquarters, please have them do so, on ALL hosts' behalves, and let me know that the matter has been put forward to them, as well as what, if ANYTHING, I can do to redress my GRIEVANCE.

[Mike77]

So how much money are you talking about?  Is it worth all your aggravation?

Mike
AirBnB Treehouse for Rent
https://www.airbnb.com/rooms/7292887

[Danny9]

I am clocking my 37th  year in travel business and hospitality industry. 

One of the very first lessons I have ever learnt in this line of work was that people tend to change their minds VERY often if there are no financial consequences to them, and if someone else is there to pick up the tab. I am afraid, no one can change this, admittedly less savory trait of the humanity. 

I am all for the strict cancelation policy. The moment someone reserves my listing for any specific period of time, it is taken off the market for that specific period of time, too. I update my database, my Housekeeper gets her update, my family members & friends understand that they cannot use the Suite during that time, and plan accordingly, etc.. The deal is done, and we have got to move on to other things in our lives. 

I do not fancy getting engaged into lengthy correspondence with the guests who are changing their minds, finding a less expensive or more suitable place, or whatever their particular case may be. I also do not wish to spend my time updating my files, changing vacancies and basically wasting all the time and effort for no gain at all. 

If a guest bases his/her booking on the fact that he/she can cancel it at a whim, with hardly any expense to themselves, I'd rather they take their business somewhere else. Simple and easy!

Danny

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[David126]

So they paid you for the 17th and refunded the rest?

Which is what I would expect.

Your listing makes interesting reading, do not think it helps sell your space.

[David199]

Dare I ask, David, because IF I'm mistaken, as you suggest, I'd like to put the matter to rest.  HOW did you DERIVE that expectation?  Guests sometimes arrive at 7AM, sometimes at midnight or later, without penalty.  The guests in question left July 17th after noon.  That's TWELVE HOURS from July 18th proper, EIGHTEEN HOURS from July 18th morning; in other words LESS THAN the 24 hours that the Airbnb Cancellation Policy stipulates, so Airbnb should have CHARGED the guest and PAID me for the 18th, not just by MY calculation but the way time is told UNIVERSALLY.  I just don't like being pushed around, or anyone else being pushed around. The policy should be CARRIED OUT the way it is STATED on the site.  Since you DISAGREE with the way I am reading it, would you be so kind as to CLARIFY why you wouldn't expect to be paid IF you don't stipulate an arrival time, OR the guest leaves WITHIN 24 hours OF your arrival time the following day?

[David126]

People book room per night, you seem to be very generous as to what times you allow people to check in, but that is irrelevant.

Under your cancellation policy if someone turns up and does not want to stay then you still get paid that first night, they are refunded the rest.

Looks like you have now changed to Moderate which for most Hosts makes much more sense.

This is a forum of mainly Hosts, a few Guests, if you wish to discuss it further contact ABB.

[David199]

Not to NAG, but ... I DO understand and COMPLETELY accept the scenario you drew, and have been there with NO complaint, BUT ... these guests DID stay--two nights, then canceled and were refunded for the rest, even though like I said the 18th is well WITHIN 24 hours of the 17th.  The 19th is AFTER 24 hours.  THAT is where, according to what the Airbnb policy states, their refund SHOULD have begun, the way I read it.

I DID take it up with airbnb first, and simply don't understand HOW they calculate July 18th to be AFTER 24 hours from noon July 17th, is all, and the supervisor insisted that she is the Final Word, which I doubt.  Airbnb has changed policies many times.  I don't think the call center supervisor is the driving force, or even has a say in them.  All I asked was for her to escalate the matter, which she REFUSED to do.  I don't dig being stonewalled--by ANYBODY.  I was hoping someone knew another route than the call center number.

[David199]

And actually, if memory serves me correctly, under the Flexible Policy, if someone decides on Arrival Day not to stay that night OR the next, Airbnb charges them for BOTH nights because (again)the 2nd night is still WITHIN 24 hours of when they canceled.  I COULD be wrong, but again to my recollection if someone due the 17th cancels on the 16th, they ARE still billed for the 17th.  The arrival date has to be AFTER 24 hours from when they cancel.

[Mike77]

Everyone should go read this guys listing.  🙂  Makes for a fun read.  🙂  Here is a sample...

"On the other hand, there isn't as MUCH privacy as a bedroom offers; just folding louvre doors to the kitchen. A sex maniac guest might mind not knowing if someone in the kitchen were listening to their ongoing escapades, but I don't think there's ever been a love story where two people HAD TO have it EVERY NIGHT! Then again, WHAT do I CARE if people are enjoying the den to the fullest while I get my late night snack? If the frig door opening and closing bothers YOU, that ain't MY fault."

https://www.airbnb.com/rooms/7417487

Good stuff... 🙂  

Mike
AirBnB Treehouse for Rent
https://www.airbnb.com/rooms/7292887

[Mike77]

More good stuff at: https://www.airbnb.com/rooms/3638636

Some of David's replys in the comments are funny.

🙂  

Mike
AirBnB Treehouse for Rent
https://www.airbnb.com/rooms/7292887

[David199]

Thank you kiiindly, suh, BUT ... do you happen to know ANY way to REACH someone of authority AT airbnb, to whom I can plead my case?  Most institutions have a hierarchy of command, like the courts and legislatures and executive branches at every level of government.  I've won more than one Medicare appeal, sometimes from the carrier, sometimes it went to an independent board, and even once to a telephonic judicial hearing.  I've taken on the Chief Legal Counsel at Discover, Chase, and the humongous NYC Taxi Limusine Commission.  DOES this Community Center have any oversight group, who MIGHT take an issue to headquarters, on my behalf, or IS THIS JUST A FRIENDLY CHAT ROOM?  The Community Page indicates that you re a Level 7.  What does that MEAN?  You've got INFLUENCE, colonel?  Or you're just a three-stripe staff sergeant in charge of the latrine?

I tried seeing your profile or sending a direct message, from the drop-down menu clicking over your photo here, to no avail, so rather than do this twice after sending and seeking you out elsewhere, I couldn't help wondering since you apperciated my way of putting things, whether you want to pursue the subject further, in case you work somewhere that might appreciate someone who speaks at institutes and conferences like Dale Carnegie and the National Federation for Independent Business on subjects like Life As A Reading Comprhension Test and The Coloring Book for Thinking.  www.LearnHow2Learn.com  http://www.innovationcenterstonybrook.com/Home/Blog

[Mike77]

I am just a host like you are, David.  I am "level 7" becuase I leave messages in the forum.  There are no "super powers" involved in being level 7.

I was, and still am, amused by your comments.  That's all.  

As far as giving you a job... probably not going to happen.

As to how to contact AirBnB, do a search in this forum with the search box at the top of the page.  Search using the phrase "contacting AirBnB" and you will find multiple messages about how to do that.

Amused.  🙂

Mike
AirBnB Treehouse for Rent
https://www.airbnb.com/rooms/7292887

[David199]

Corporal Agarn reporting for duty, Sergeant O'Rourke, SIR!

[David199]

Howdy Again, Mike,

I just tried sending this directly at your listing, but couldn't unless I selected dates, so figured it might interest you, and this was the only way:

Howdy Mike,

Your place looks coo-oo-oo-oool!  I'm a Cal grad and backpacked all over the West from Death Valley to Juno.

I see now what you do.  If you check out the flinstonian website and the university blog I write, which I sent at the COmmunity in response to your comment about "Cancellation Policy Isn't APPLIED As STATED," and want to partner in marketing my program, which a school administrator described as a Microsoft of the Mind, let me know.

I don't charge a dime for cleaning fee OR take a security deposit, trying to be competitive with the many hotels near me, and only get $10/ extra guest, BUT ... I'm busy most of all spring - fall, so who knows?  I just raised my price to $125 because I was getting more requests than I have room for.  I often wondered if I'm selling myself short since 4 guests take up TWO bedrooms, and I only get $20 for the extra two, wherea another couple could rent it for another $135.  On the other hand, I DON'T get two requests for every weekend.  You win some; you lose some,as they say.

Hope our paths cross again, one way or another.

[Mike77]

I see that you are already "level 2" ... congratulations!  🙂  You are well on your way to being a level 10!  Chuckle.

Mike
AirBnB Treehouse for Rent
https://www.airbnb.com/rooms/7292887