Cancellation

[Jeffrey50]

New host. Thought I was off to a good start.  Two long-term bookings in the first 24 hours after I listed a week ago - one for 51 nights, the other for 37 nights.  The 37 night booking for February/March is solid.  The other one has become problematic.

Short history.  Monday a guest from out of town who had previously setup an appointment to see the home, liked it, then, while here, booked for 51 nights after her inspection tour.  Ostensibly the reason for her stay was that she wanted a home base while she looked  for a winter-destination property in January and February of 2017.  In actuallity - I've since learned from her - she actually wanted to book the home in case she couldn't find a property during her initial visit and would be forced to wait until after the holidays to resume her search.  She booked the two most popular months of the year in AZ (January-February).

Bottom line - she found a home to buy on Tuesday- the day after she booked our home, and didn't bother to tell me. She wouldn't respond to my messages.  I finally reached her by phone at night on Thursday when she told me that she found a property and that it will close Dec.1. First she wanted me to cancel.  Huh? I insisted that she cancel the reservation immediately especially since I've had more than a hundred views of our home after she blocked the two most popular months of the year four days earlier. She notified me last night that Airbnb could not process the cancellation last night and it should be resolved this morning.

What are my options if the cancellation isn't resolved this morning?  As the host am I subject to any fees?  If I have to cancel her reservation will I be fee-punished and/or will it go against my record?  If I hadn't been able to contact her (which it seemed might happen) apparently, under Airbnb's long-term cancellation policy she could have dodged my phone calls and messages until the end of November then cancelled outside 30 days from occupancy if she needed with little or no punishment. The clock is ticking as two premium booking months remained blocked on my calendar. Thanks for any advice.   

[Victoria57]

@Jeffrey50 one of the mistakes that new hosts often make is to cancel a booking, either because the guest has asked them to or because they think it will be no problem. It's a BIG problem: Airbnb will block off the dates so you can't re-book them, you will lose the potential for superhost status for a year and there may be a financial penalty. Details are here. Even if you get an email from Airbnb asking if you agree to a cancellation do not respond as Airbnb are being tricky and will treat it as a host cancellation. If this guest & reservation continues to be a problem then contact Airbnb and explain the situation. Contact methods and details are here and currently Twitter seems to get the best results.

You've clearly made a good start but one thing I would warn against is inviting potential guests to view your home before booking. This has often been used in the past to check out a place prior to a burglary and you will not be protected by Airbnb if you do this. Everything a guest needs should be in the photos and description on your listing.

[Jeffrey50]

Thanks Victoria.  I've noticed from other comments in the forums that It's a bad idea for a host to cancel a reservation.  This guest is from my home state, had just sold a property for a tick under a million dollars (which I was able to check out) and is a long-time Airbnb host (which I also checked out). Thus, I had no qualms about her visit. Also, after I finally reached her,  even as an Airbnb host she casually suggested to me that I cancel the reservation "from my end" (probably because  I was a new host and she thought I might not know any better?). The awful part about this is that from her experience she clearly understands the negative impact my cancelling a reservation would have had on my start as a host and had no conscience about it.  I hope this is resolved today and I'm not forced to explain this situation to Airbnb. Just want it behind me. 

[Andrea9]

@Jeffrey50

She has to cancel. And from your description of her and the situation she will indeed cancel in such a way ticking the box that host wants to cancel. Thus you get an email asking if you agree to the cancellation.

DO NOT tick Yes. That will as @Victoria57 explained bounce the cancellation to you.

You simply tick the box saying you would continue through with the reservation.

Sounds strange but this simply communicates to ABB that you're not the one who wants to see her go.

She will lose some money but also won't be able to leave a review (which in this situation probably wouldn't be that positive anyway).

[Jeffrey50]

Thanks Andrea from Amsterdam.  I will not be "ticking any yes boxes."  

[Lawrene0]

It sounds like you are well-researched on this, @Jeffrey50, so you likely know this one other thing. I'll mention it just in case.

Not answering your questions until you phoned is one way she is keeping the conversation off the Airbnb radar. If you have not already, write a note to her on the platform saying "Just to confirm, as per our phone conversation,..." so at least you have that, and she knows you are playing hardball. 

Despicable of her to try to trick you into cancelling. As you said, she was fully aware of what would happen to you.

You are being ill-used. And on your first transaction! It is not usually like this. All the wonderful transactions, of course, never make it to the community forum. 

Will you let us know the happy ending? 

[Andrea9]

Good point to bring up @Lawrene0.

Always advisable to keep note of everything said outside the platform confirmed on the booking messages. There have been sneaky guests cancelling on hosts giving ABB horror stories about vermin in the accommodation and other major shortcomings to maximize on refund. 

[Scott80]

You need do nothing. She said that the cancellation will be resolved between her and AirBnB and if she does not cancel you get paid anyway so perhaps, to put it is AirBnB CSR terms 'disengaging from the conversation' is the answer. Like you said if you cancel the you'll get no money and the dates will be blocked anyway, so you're just going to have to wait for the guest and AirBnB to sort it out.

[Jeffrey50]

Sorry. On the contrary Scott. Since I hadn't heard from Airbnb about a cancellation request, I phoned them to make sure an inquiry had been made. Remember Scott, the clock is ticking.  Fifty-one prime nights beginning in less than 60 days are blocked. As it turns out there had been a cancellation inquiry by the renter last night, but I had not been notified by Airbnb. I subsequently found out a case manager had been appointed this morning to supervise the cancellation. The woman I spoke with told me she was glad I called so that my position could be clearly noted. The days, she added, would be unblocked and that I would not be assessed any penalties or fees.  I would get final word from the case manager.  I wouldn't recommend a host in this position "do nothing." 

[David126]

The AirBnB Cancellation system discriminates against the host so yes you are at a disadvanatge,

Seems that she knew what she was doing from day one and that you were free insurance in case plan A did not come through

You have been used. I do not book long term, from what I have seen if I wanted to do so ABB would not be my platform of choice to do so. They system was designed for short term home sharing, it has expanded and how such issues as this have been dealt with is not to my taste and comes with consequences.

If you cancel you will be blocked from rebooking on AirBnB as well as the other penalties which may not be that important, do you have other listing options?

[Jeffrey50]

David, thanks for the response. Yes, I agree.  She clearly understood what she was doing and I was plan B.  I was, in the venacular, "gamed" by someone who knows the system. Won't happen again.  To be proactive, like in so many things, is to be safe.   

[Amy38]

She can request a "change in reservation" which is sent to you.  If you want to agree, then the change ocurrs, no harm, no foul to either party except she has to pay the abnb service fee...of course she want you to cancel And you would lose the whole month!  Abnb would block those days to punish you.

As a host, NEVER cancel unless for some reason you feel you absolutely have to.

[City-Limits-Ranch0]

If your Guest tells AirBnb

"My Host, he wants to cancel Me!"

AirBnb will email you.

They'll  ask you if

This tale is true.

What should you do?

You should decline!

The reservation is quite fine!

Just tell them no.

If he wants out

Then he may go but there's no doubt

The Guest should have to pay the price.

You're quite the Host,  but not THAT nice.