Cancellation emergency or scam to work around 2 night min.

Brian--Dawn0
Level 2
Rapid Bay, Australia

Cancellation emergency or scam to work around 2 night min.

Hi. I need some ideas. We book based on 2 night min. Our guest arriving today, has told us they will only be able to stay one night due to medical emergency. !? Though we want to be sensitive to medical matters ( and have been in the past) we can't help but wonder what kind of medical emergency you can have a day in advance.... does that make sense?

7 Replies 7
Sharon1014
Level 10
Sellicks Beach, Australia

@Brian--Dawn0   No it doesn't make sense at all, definitely trying it on.  They need medical evidence if they want to cancel for extenuating circumstances (medical certificate).  Options - ask them if they need to cancel before arrival or let them arrive and wait see.  Sounds like they have simply had a change of plans, no medical emergency in sight.  Depends on your cancellation policy what if any dollars you get to keep.  Just make sure the guest does the cancellation (if necessary) and not you, otherwise you will be penalised.  Keep all your contact with the guest via Airbnb msging so there is a record of who said what when.  Suspect they are going to be trouble in any event.  Explain if necessary that you can't re-book the extra night on such short notice.

Lisa723
Level 10
Quilcene, WA

@Brian--Dawn0 are they trying for a refund for the second night or just telling you they won't be staying? If the former, I would just tell them to cancel their stay and the standing cancellation policy will apply. If the latter, you can hardly require guests to remain in residence for nights they have paid for.

Brian--Dawn0
Level 2
Rapid Bay, Australia

Second night only cancel, on a NEW profile, unreviewed guest.

Sharon1014
Level 10
Sellicks Beach, Australia

@Brian--Dawn0   Well they won't be hopping over from your place to mine, that's for sure *relief*   We have guests due in this arvo, and we also have a 2 night min.  Reckon they will be heading down to Victor or somewhere else beachy since the weather is going to be awesome this weekend.  Yup, great beach weather, reckon that's the reason for the 2nd night cancellation.  Btw, we have a strict 2 night min now given the extra cleaning.  I wouldn't be refunding them a cent if at all avoidable.

So as it turns out I'm a softy & a sucker. Thanks to all for the feedback in the community (better than the official customer service). Level 2 hung up on me and the online chat support was not timely and upon contact, useless.

 

Below is how it went:

As I'm trying to get help, guest is pressing me for answer, reframed the situations as "Fam. Med. Emerg." Which surely would be knocked back by extenuating circumstance due to being a 3rd party matter. 

My options:

1.cancell the lot, loose all dollars

2. Make a single nights worth, good faith guesture, loose 1 nights income.

3. Say: No. risk damage, loss of stuff (towels, kitchen bits, deal with retalitory filth, sabotage of reputation -- guest had brand new profile, no skin in game.) 

 

Choose number #2, as our tiny house guests to date have been so extreemly exceptional, thought benefit of doubt could be way to go, at least I DIY clean.

 

Guest's next Q was: How fast do I get my money back?😒😔

They dont even have the sense to pretend to not come across as dodgy.

(We are in site of beaches here... be curious to see how they are upon arrival).

 

~D

Mark116
Level 10
Jersey City, NJ

@Brian--Dawn0  Scammers.  I'd tell them you are so sorry to hear of their medical  issues, and they can contact Airbnb to work out the cancellation.  Depending on how far fetched and fake it is, they may or may not get reimbursed by Airbnb, but I would at  least make them do the work and go fully through with the fakery.

Sarah977
Level 10
Sayulita, Mexico

Airbnb guests sure seem to have a much higher percentage of "medical emergencies" than the general population 😉