Cancellation by guest

Yuliya18
Level 1
New York, NY

Cancellation by guest

Hello my last booked was canceled by guest how I can open my calendar for another guest than to cancel reservation 8-22 match! And how its work any cancellation fee? Or in.my booking every one will cancel!??? I think after my approval of booking my reservation will be stability and not easy cancel 

8 Replies 8
Jeff158
Level 10
Caernarfon, United Kingdom

Unfortunately @Yuliya18 you accepted a request from the guest to cancel, this means YOU cancelled the booking and have been punished by airbnb.

If you ring customer service and plead new host ignorance they might remove the penalties.

The link below explains the penalties.

https://www.airbnb.co.uk/help/article/990/i-m-a-host--what-penalties-apply-if-i-need-to-cancel-a-res...?

Sarah977
Level 10
Sayulita, Mexico

@Yuliya18  Yes, it was a host cancellation, not a guest cancellation. Therefore Airbnb blocks your calendar as punishment. As Emiel, says, talk to Airbnb and explain you didn't understand how the cancellations worked.

You have a flexible cancellation policy. That means guests can cancel up to 24 hours before check-in and receive a full refund. You should change that to at least moderate cancellation policy.

Also, I really suggest you work on your listing info. There is really no description of the place at all. "Clean, modern, new" isn't much of a description. I suggest you look at other listings to see how others present their places. There is nothing there about your interaction with guests. There is no information about the washer and dryer, which you have checked as an amenity "Free or for a fee". If guests have to pay for the laundry, you should mention that in the description. You have "Breakfast provided" checked- do you make breakfast for the guests, or do you leave breakfast food for them? You need to make all this clear.

Thank you for help in pretty new in my listing! Unfortunately I don't know how I did!  Guest write me message first about changing plan to stay in my apartment! I do not do anything! I did only approve than guys maybe write message to airbnb support! I don't have any idea why I have to do! I have only history message with my guest! I need write again to support! 

@Yuliya18  It's kind of what I would call a sneaky trick against hosts.  You get a message asking something like do you agree to cancel, I don't know the exact wording,  maybe someone else will verify.   You think you are just acknowledging the guest cancelling, but in reality, you are cancelling and will be penalized.  I have no idea why or how airbnb does things in such a negative way, many hosts have done what you did and then gotten penalized.  I agree with @Sarah977  you should call airbnb, plead ignorance and ask them to remove the penalties and make it a neutral cancellation.

Sarah977
Level 10
Sayulita, Mexico

@Yuliya18  When you get a message that a guest wants to cancel their reservation, asking you to approve or decline the cancellation, if you click Approve, it goes down as a host cancellation. Whenever you get that message, always decline the cancellation. Then the guest has to cancel from their side and there will be nothing for you to approve or decline.

That you didn't know this isn't your fault- nowhere is it explained- it is a sneaky thing Airbnb does to get hosts to cancel instead of guests.

Jody79
Level 10
Chicago, IL

Thank you Sarah! I haven’t had this happen yet, but very good information in the event that it does!

Cynthia475
Level 5
California, United States

Wow!  Thank you Sarah for the explanation.  Fortunately in the 2.5 years  of hosting I have not had a cancellation through Airbnb but had I received a message as you described I most definitely would have hit "accept the cancellation".  I will be much more aware when I encounter this. 

Sarah977
Level 10
Sayulita, Mexico

@Cynthia475 @Jody79    I've never personally dealt with a cancellation like this, but was alerted to it by many posts on these forums where hosts were caught out by it. So, happy to pass on the info.