Cancelling a long-term reservation

[Ignazio18]

I made a long term reservation and immediately realised that the schooling options for the kids were not right for us in that area of Boston. We need to change district. I notified the Host right away but she does not want to refund me. Check-in is in 4 months from now. Anybody knows what the cancellation rules are in this case (the website is not 100 percent clear on this) and has any suggestion on how to be refunded as much as possible? Many thanks for any suggestions! IA

[Emiel1]

@Ignazio18 

Did the listing offer a 48 hours free cancellation option ?

Please note the default cancellation policy will be automatically replaced by the "long term stay" policy.

That policy says first month will not be refunded.

https://www.airbnb.com/home/cancellation_policies#long-term

Or contact Airbnb asap:

Contact Airbnb - Community Guide [Updated]

Best regards,

Emiel

[Ignazio18]

Many thanks, Emiel.

Yes, the 48-hour rule was mentioned, but unfortunately I alerted her after 3 days, not 2. That was the time it took me to understand the schooling situation, which I was not familiar with.

I am trying to understand now whether she can claim more than what I have already given her as a deposit -- roughly 1 month, precisely.

I asked her to be flexible, based on the argument that, if I cancel now, she will have a better chance to find a new Guest. My understanding is that the cancellation penalty will not increase until the last month before check in -- but even on that I am not fully clear. She does not seem sensitive to that argument.

Good suggestion to contact Airbnb. I have done it already, but no answer yet.

Regards

IA

[Emiel1]

@Ignazio18 

Long term stay reservations are paid in monthly installments.

If you cancel before check-in (no matter how many days upfront), you will not refunded the first installment, but you will be refunded the cleaning fee. The 30 days rule applies when reservation allready has been started. It means in practice a guest allways loose 1 month of money when cancelling (or the money for remaining nights, if there are not 30 nights left in the ongoing reservation).

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

Also from the policy:

Cancellation policies may be superseded by the Guest Refund Policy, extenuating circumstances, or cancellations by Airbnb for any other reason permitted under the Terms of Service. Please review these exceptions:  https://www.airbnb.com/terms#sec9

Let us know how Airbnb decides !

Best regards

Emiel

[Ignazio18]

Many thanks again, Emiel. I will let you know what Airbnb answers. IA

[Helen3]

Hello @Ignazio18 

It is in your interests to cancel as soon as possible, if you want the host to be flexible.

You are much better approaching the host and kindly asking if you cancel the booking and she is able to rebook some or all of the time would she consider giving you a larger refund than you are entitled to. The advantage in her doing so is yours, rather than hers, so she doesn't necessarily need to be sensitive to this.

I think the policy you booked under is fairly clear if you cancel now for a booking that is four months in advance you will lose the first month fee.

[Ignazio18]

Many thanks Helen.

I already approached her and I am insiting, very politely as you suggest, using precisely that argument. No effect, so far. Conversely, If I cancel now, the incentive for her to be flexible disappears. This is why I am waiting.

I agree with you that the 1-month penalty should apply, but the website is not 100% clear to that effect. 

Kind regards

IA

[Helen3]

I don't take long term bookings, but if I did and you approached me I would be happy to agree that if I got a replacement booking then I would refund you for any days rebooked @Ignazio18  as you are not asking me to lose out financially.

However under the T&Cs you booked under, the host doesn't have to do so.

Have you made it crystal clear to the host that you are only asking her to refund you over and above the cancellation policy if she gets a replacement booking.? You use words like 'I am insisting' which is likely to not go down well when you are asking for a favour.

[Cormac0]

@Ignazio18 

https://www.airbnb.ie/help/article/1320/what-if-i-need-to-cancel-because-of-an-emergency-or-unavoida...

[Gordon0]

Are you suggesting @Ignazio18 should tell a porkie, @Cormac0?

[Cormac0]

@Gordon0 

No, just appraising him of what he didn’t read before he booked...

“There are known knowns. These are things we know that we know. There are known unknowns. That is to say, there are things that we know we don't know. But there are also unknown unknowns. There are things we don't know we don't know.”

Donald Rumsfeld 

[Gordon0]

If it were me, @Ignazio18, I would not hold you to term with so much notice. However, not everybody shares the same ethos and this host is simply holding you to account (like an airline or hotel would, ie. no refunds). I imagine the only thing you'll be able to do is stay there for the month and make plans to move as soon as you can. This surely (even with extra transit costs) has to be cheaper than losing a month's rent. 

If you haven't already been in contact with Airbnb, now might be the time to do so.