Cancellations after 30th April deadline

[Sue49]

Would be grateful if anyone could clarify a particular point that seems unclear re current cancellation policy for hosts.

We are Superhosts with two small rural properties in two different countries. In a recent email to hosts Airbnb stated: Cancel penalty-free by April 30. Whether you’re unable to host or you want to open your calendar for longer term stays, you can now cancel any upcoming reservations this year booked before March 15. You won’t pay a fee, have your calendar blocked, or have your Superhost status affected.

Does this mean we have to 'guess' what bookings way into the future may need to be cancelled if guests don't? I accept June is a 'washout' but from July to the end of the year we still have many bookings and until respective Governments announce when it is safe to host, travel, etc we have no idea what the situation might be months ahead.

Is this statement saying that if you don't cancel bookings (that guests haven't) by making a 'guess' up to the end of the year, you will be subject to penalties and loss of Superhost status?

Thanks!

[Anonymous]

@Sue49  Airbnb does seem to be purposefully vague here, since they haven't specified what the new cancellation terms will be from May 1. Hopefully this will be addressed in Tuesday's announcement. But since the policy and applicable dates have changed around so many times, everyone's rather confused.

In the meantime, I don't think you need to take any action on these future bookings unless you are looking to clear out your calendar for a long-term stay. Otherwise, you can leave it up to the guests to be the ones to decide whether to cancel as travel restrictions are updated.

[Sue49]

Thanks for that ... made me feel a bit better. Will await an announcement tomorrow and see what that brings in the way of clarity.

I just can't see the necessity for 30th April deadline for 'this year'. I would have thought this could be on a monthly or bi-monthly basis as with the Extenuating Circumstances Policy. Then hosts can judge better what might be best for them depending on their location and Govt guidelines.

[Tish6]

The email in question also says you can cancel up to four June bookings without penalty does it mean you could leave off cancelling those until closer to the check in dates? Also if I leave the bookings i have to stand and let the guests cancel (after 31st May) will they get a full refund or will Airbnb keep the gust booking fees?

[Sue49]

Yes 'may cover' is not clear at all, especially when it links to the existing Extenuating Circumstances Policy ending on 31st May. Taking this email at face value it looks like the deadline for all cancellations by hosts this year is 30th April (without penalty) but as has been pointed out there is an announcement due Tuesday (tomorrow I hope) that may provide some clarity. Other than that hosts are relying on guests to cancel.

[Susan17]

@Sue49 @Tish6 @Anonymous 

Guests for late July bookings are being urged to hold off cancelling until after the May 1 update, after which the Extenuating Circumstances policy may be extended, allowing them to cancel then for a full refund or travel credit. Not too difficult to work out what's about to happen here...

[Sue49]

Thanks interesting to see it from a guests perspective but am just hoping that any announcement for hosts tomorrow will clarify this 30th April deadline or replace it with a more regular update to policy.

I can't see how that is not reasonable, as the way it looks at the moment hosts are at the mercy of guests cancelling.

I already have one for 30th May checkin who indicated they wanted to cancel, waited for the extension of the Extenuating Circumstances Policy to get a full refund, yet haven't cancelled and not responded to any of the three messages sent with instructions of how to do this. 

[Ian-And-Anne-Marie0]

@Sue49 

My guess is: AirBnb are giving Hosts the option to cancel guests so that in the event of the Host cancelling they get no piddling payout.

On one hand AirBnb are encouraging guests to cancel, then on the other they’re wanting to create sympathy for the Hosts who have lost bookings and income and encouraging them to send money. This not to Hosts who have been cancelled on, but Hosts who they stayed with prior.

Hypocrites! Because I can’t post *bleep*!

[Susan17]

Lol! Yaaaay! You've discovered another new word we can get away with using now @Ian-And-Anne-Marie0! 😏

[Ian-And-Anne-Marie0]

@Susan17 

😂😂😂🙈

[Laura4111]

@Sue49 

Did anyone get any info from the video yesterday regarding this issue?  I feel like Airbnb is pitting hosts against guests! It seems coincidental that hosts need to cancel by April 30 without penalty but the very next day, May 1st there will be an update to the extenuating circumstances policy.

Are they going to announce that they will reimburse for June reservations but don't really want to pay out? I have a June 4th reservation and I wrote the guest to say I would probably cancel. They wrote back saying they would probably have to cancel but they were waiting for the May 1st update!  What is a host to do???? I don't want to pay a penalty.

[Sue49]

Just listened to it, and unless I missed something, it didn't clear up anything! So no better off than when I first asked the question & it is very disappointing.

As you say you won't know until 1st May whether there is an extension and that is after the 30th April deadline. I really don't think it reasonable at all to expect hosts to cancel all bookings to the end of the year.

The only way is to get guests to cancel and I'm sure if getting a full refund inc fees will do that, but what if there is no incentive? They will want hosts to cancel. 

I have seen time & again on here that if guests cancel outwith the Extenuating Circumstances policy... Airbnb email the host to encourage giving them a full refund but still charge their fees. Some guests have been left feeling that it is the host that has 'held back money'. This is not acceptable.

Airbnb need to address these questions urgently. I suspect there 'may' be an extension in June but what after that!