Cancellation (by Host) after confirmation that guest booked for someone else

[Willem30]

Hi

I need some direction or help please. I cancelled a long-term reservation (on the book-in day) after the potential guest admitted that she made the booking on behalf of her husband. This only came to light three hours before check-in.  I accepted this guest based on her six verifications. It is also clearly stated by AirBnB that you are not allowed to book on behalf of another person. 

Due to the rules I now have a cancellation listed on my profile and will not be considered as a Superhost for the next year and might also be fined $100 due to this. I do however feel this is unfair to me as a host, since the potential guest was not truthful, but I am penalised.

Is there any way to plea my case and ask that this case be reviewed and reconsidered?

Thanks, Willem

[Steve143]

Hello @Willem30,

In those cases it's best to contact Airbnb support first and have them cancel the booking for you.

Type "contact airbnb" in the "Search the community" box on these forum pages where you posted your question. Scroll down a little in the list of suggestions that appears and click on the "Contact Airbnb: A Community Help Guide[UPDATED]" one. That lists phone numbers and ways to contact them via Twitter or Facebook.

Steve.

[Sarah977]

@Willem30    In the future, you might want to make it clear to guests when they make or request a booking, that third party bookings are against Airbnb's Terms of Service,  that the person who made the booking must be one of the people who are coming, and that any unregistered guest will be refused entry.

[Letti0]

@Willem30  Contact AirBnB via a direct message on Twitter to AirbnbHelp, explain it was a 3rd party booking and against their TOS. Do this immediately, unforunately there is no direct phone number for South Africa for AirBnB. They should be able to remove the penalities. Never cancel a booking always contact AirBnB to do it. 

[Willem30]

Thanks for the help - as a matter of clarity (not clearly communicated in my original text) - This booking was cancelled telephonically on my request by AirBnB support.

[Mark1054]

I'm in a similar situation, I've been "marked down" for refusing requests made on behalf of someone else, in fact at the moment I'm in discussion with someone who's made a booking when he's not intending to be one of the guests. Could someone send me a link to where Airbnb state that this is against the rules, so I can verify this? Many thanks, Mark Dawson, UK

[Chris232]

@Mark1054

Hi Mark

Here is a link concerning booking for others

https://www.airbnb.co.uk/help/article/427/can-i-book-on-behalf-of-a-friend-or-family-member

[Mark1054]

Thanks Chris

[Kelson0]

Always have your guest cancel. If they dont tell them they need to and if they still dont call airbnb and they can cancel it