Cancellation policy options

[Emanuel-and-Michaela0]

Dear all,

I hope to get some help here on the a.m. regulations.

So far we are using the "strict" cancellation policy for guests - booking can be cancelled by guest either within first 48h after booking or latest 14 days before arrival for a full refund.

The problem is that in our experience it is almost impossible to get a new booking after we receive a guest cancellation only 14 days before planned arrival.

We had this expereince 2 times now and had the apartment unoccupied for the cancelled periods, which are missed opportunities and missed income.

Now we saw, that it seems possible to change this regulation to a 30days / 60days before arrival cancellation option, however, only " by invitation".

Does anyone know how this works, how one gets "invited" and what other possible solututions to this problem there might be?

Thank you & sunny greetings from Portugal

[Lisa723]

@Emanuel-and-Michaela0 are you possibly misunderstanding the strict cancellation policy? "For a full refund of accommodation fees, cancellation must be made within 48 hours of booking and at least 14 full days prior to listing’s local check-in time (or 3:00 PM if not specified) on the day of check-in." This means that the guest has a grace period of 48 hours after booking to cancel, or until 14 days before check-in, whichever is shorter. So if a guest cancels, you must have received that booking no more than 48 hours previously, and you must have at least 14 days remaining to try to rebook. If that was clear, but your concern is that you might have received a different booking within that 48-hour period, you could review this thread about the prospects of getting the super-strict policy: https://community.withairbnb.com/t5/Help/How-Do-I-Get-Invitation-To-Super-Strict-Cancellation-Policy...

[Emanuel-and-Michaela0]

@Lisa723 the strict cancellation policy is absolutely clear to us  - exactly as you stated. The problem is that a cancellation 14 days before arrival by guests leaves us only theese 14 days to get a new booking for this cancelled period and in our experience is very unlikely to happen in such a short time. That is why we are asking to the option of changing to vera strict polica 30 or 60 days.

[Lisa723]

I see. I also have the strict policy on one of my vacation rentals and the way I look at it, a booking between 16 days and 14 days out is not significantly more likely than a booking between 14 and 0 days out, so I'm pretty unlikely to have lost my only chance for a different booking during that 48-hour grace period. I think the super-strict policy would deter guests from booking. Anyway, best of luck. I'm sure many on this forum would be curious to know whether/how you succeed!

[Emanuel-and-Michaela0]

@Lisa723  Thank you Lisa, actually the probability for bookings 60 or 30 days before is extremely higher in our experience. Besides - all other vacation rental portals allow this options as a free choice and I really do not see why it should not be possible since it is the financial risk of the owner we are talking about... Thanks for your comments and I will  keep you posted.

[Lisa723]

@Emanuel-and-Michaela0 Sure, but if they book 60 or 30 days before, then cancel with 48 hours, you still have lots of time to re-book, right? I thought your concern was about bookings made and canceled close to the 14-day cut-off. I definitely agree that hosts' cancellation policies should be their own choice!

[Kelly149]

@Emanuel-and-Michaela0 this is way more confusing than it has to be.... I think this is what strict says which is what @Lisa723 was trying to explain:

guests have 48 hours from time of booking to cancel without it costing them 50% (but ONLY if they are more than 14 days away from arrival!!!), otherwise 48 hours after booking then the guest is always out 50%. There is an AND in that clause that is important and confusing. "For a full refund of accommodation fees, cancellation must be made within 48 hours of booking and at least 14 full days prior to listing’s local check-in time"

so, if they book 35 days out, then at 33 days they can no longer cancel and it goes to 50% due to host

or, if they book 13 days out then they don't get 48 hours to cancel, it's immediately 50% due to host

But you're right the ABB choices are not ideal and I much prefer my Vrbo cancellation policy

[Cindi0]

I seem to have a number of cancellations recently. My policy is moderate. A few weeks ago I had a booking, then a day later, on the 5th day, she cancelled. I did rebook that date, oddly enough (a lot of my guests are last minute weekend getaways so they wait for a weather report...that isn't unusual). I was not expecting to be paid in full, which I was, and fully expected the guest to contact me looking for a refund - which she hasn't. Now I have another last minute booking for this weekend. She booked yesterday, then today she said she found other accommodations (free) with a friend. I explained that we are 3 days out, so she will have to deal wit the Resolution Centre. I offered to concede to a refund if I could rebook. Then she sent an Alteration request for next month, but only for one night and my setting on that weekend (its a long weekend) is set for 2-night minimum. SO I declined. 

Problem  is, if I don't give her a refund, she will be able to leave me a bad review, whether she comes or not. 

[Cindi0]

Update on the above.... oh boy, now I know how to use the system. I declined the alteration request for the long weekend, and explained the 2-night min. So she enters a new alteration request for a different weekend. I accepted it, then she CANCELLED! So there, she got her way. 😞