Cancellations 6+ months out

[Lisa1145]

Hi there

I'm pretty new to air bnb so would love someone to help me understand the following.

We had someone for book for 3 months in January 2019.  I sent special offers, amended it a couple of times and the transaction history looked very messy.  I asked them to cancel and rebook with their confirmed dates.  I assumed since it was so far out and I had not received any $ yet, that would be the simplest way of sorting it out.

They have now cancelled I had an email telling me they canceled but also stating their funds will not be released to them until the check in day (January 2019), but gives me an option to send them $.  If I send $ (but haven't physically got any money) how does that work?  

Very confused!!!  I'm pretty sure now i've made a real mess of this when only trying to simplify!....

Look forward to any insight!

Many thanks

Lisa

[David126]

Well you get the first month when a long term cancellation cancels, must admit I have never used special offer but whatever you ended up offering would apply, you get paid as usual, the day after they would have booked in.

[Lisa1145]

Thanks for responding. Sorry that does not make sense to me. 

The booking was so far out that as a host there would be no cancellation fee, they would be entitled to 100% refund.  Are you saying they will not get any of the $ they have paid to air bnb back until Jan 2019?

I have not received anything to my bank account for this booking yet.

[Ange2]

@Lisa1145    If the reservation is more than 28 days the first month is not refundable doesn't matter how far in the future the check-in date is.

Have you tried the steps to refund a guest – go to Your reservations, select the reservation, and click Issue refund.

If you decide to send them $$$ out of your pocket you won't be paid until their check-in date.

[Lisa1145]

Thank you for responding Ange!

This is making more sense.

So the amount they paid through Airbnb will stay with Airbnb until they would have checked in? Then since they had cancelled it would be paid back to them?

To give them their $ back earlier than January I would do the refund, then do air bnb give me the $ when they ‘would have checked in’.

 Is this correct? I had no idea long term booking was so different. I wish there was more information!!

My cancellation policy meant this far out they wouldn’t be charged any penalties, so i thought it would be straightforward. 

[Ange2]

@Lisa1145

"So the amount they paid through Airbnb will stay with Airbnb until they would have checked in?

Yes,  if they keep their reservation.

Then since they had cancelled it would be paid back to them?"

If they cancel now, you can agree to have Airbnb refund them right now, no reason for them to wait until January.

To give them their $ back earlier than January I would do the refund,

No.   At your say so Airbnb can go ahead and refund the guest today.

then do air bnb give me the $ when they ‘would have checked in’.

That is supposed to be the way it works, But seems a crazy way to do this when Airbnb has their money in the bank and can issue a refund today.

Click here to CONTACT AIRBNB

[Matthew285]

@Lisa1145 it does not matter what your cancellation policy is in this situation.

For long-term bookings (28 days or more), the Long Term Cancellation Policy always applies.

https://www.airbnb.com/help/article/1361/how-do-changes-and-cancellations-work-for-long-term-reserva...

The first month is always non-refundable, not matter how far in advance the guest cancels.

I think it would be good to ask for help from Airbnb support.

[Lisa1145]

Thanks Mathew. The non refundable amount is eventually paid to the host though right? Not kept by Airbnb?

Yes i will definitely contact support if i can’t get clarity through these channels 🙂

[Jessica-and-Henry0]

@Lisa1145

Yes, ABB will hold into the non-refundable amount (payout for the first month) until the original check-in date (Jan 2019). The host recieves nothing till the intended check-in date.  

If you issue a refund to the guest now, then you are giving the guest money out of your own pocket. 

I recently experienced a cancellation for a long-term reservation (guest change of mind), and the guest kept insisting that I (host) had to approve a full refund. I made it very clear I recieved no money so there is nothing for me to refund. I told her to take it up with ABB. I did later say that if I am able to book the rooms to someone else, then after I recieve a payout for the cancelled booking and for any new reservations, I would be willing to consider some sort of refund out of "goodwill" but it would all depend on what happens and I could not commit to anything yet. I basically said the same thing to the ABB rep that contacted me on the guest's behalf and handled the cancellation for the guest. 

[Matthew285]

@Lisa1145 yes, the non-refundable amount is eventually paid to the host (at the same time it would be paid if the guest had not cancelled).

Airbnb does not keep it forever.