I am now already in a +10 day discussion with Airbnb on an i...
Latest reply
I am now already in a +10 day discussion with Airbnb on an issue of blocked days that are being switched to 'active' in the c...
Latest reply
Sign in with your Airbnb account to continue reading, sharing, and connecting with millions of hosts from around the world.
Hi there, I have a booking and I'm really concerned that it's for a party. They told me it was for a 50th birthday visit, but then gave me the names and ages of the guests and none are 49/50. Then I looked ta th eprofile and they have a wish list for '30 surpirse party'. ThenI have directly asked the guest saying 'this is actually me home, we live here with my daughter and will return on the day of your checkout, please tell me if you're using our home for a party'. And the guets hasn't replied and it's been 24 hours since I sent this message. My gut is telling me to cancel and just take the penalties. What do you all think?
Wait and see their response. If you do not hear back, I would message again reminding them that you will be around to check on the house to ensure there is nothing going on and you hope they enjoy their stay. Them knowing you will be around should deter them from having a party. They may cancel on their own. DO NOT CANCEL unless you are willing to face the numerous penalties.
Don't cancel! Just get in touch with Airbnb and explain your situation. My experience is that they are actually quite flexible as it comes to situations a host doesn't trust. If Airbnb is willing to do the cancellation, you will not get a penalty. It's at least worth the try.
Option A
Contact ABB and see if they will cancel.
Option B
Tell your Guest that due to a change of plans you will be in the area and should they have any issues to contact you as you can be there asap.
I would btw never give somebody the impression that there is nobody around.
As an experienced host, I would cancel this reservation without fear of penalties. In other words, I would not let Air BnB policy get in the way of your following your instincts. You are worth it. And by the way, everyone should take note that when you cancel a guest, Air BnB asks you for the reason afterwards. If you choose "I wasn't comfortable with this guests' behavior," then no penalty is applied when you cancel that guest. But even if there were sanctions applied, so what? It's your home, it's your property. When we give our power away to a third party, we can experience consequences from that, and they will probably be negative. The people you are writing about are not being honest. They are going around you to get what they want. Is that the kind of guest you want to invite into your home? For some of us the answer to that question is yes, for others, no. It depends on our level of experience in being taken advantage of and how much we are willing to put up with to get paid.
It is not about having a third party to make decissions for us. It is about having them make the same decission as we would have made without getting a penalty. If Airbnb is able to help, topic starter can still cancel the reservation.
"And by the way, everyone should take note that when you cancel a guest, Air BnB asks you for the reason afterwards. If you choose "I wasn't comfortable with this guests' behavior," then no penalty is applied when you cancel that guest."
Are you sure about this? Since I have never made a cancellation, I have never seen this option. But it seems to me that this would be an easy way out for hosts and it would be misused in many cases.
EDIT: I see this only applies to Instant Book Hosts.
I wasn't clear on how soon the guests are scheduled to come and how many people they are claiming will stay. I agree if you have a bit of time, send them a reminder and wait for a reply. Also, is it possible that the party is being held elsewhere and these are 'out of town' guests looking to stay at your home so that they can attend? Last comment I have to add is that if you do not already have a refundable security deposit, consider adding that to your listing, if all is good it is refunded to the guests by ABB, but if there are problems, the funds are already being held. In the end, I agree that it is your home and your listing, and if you do not feel comfortable, go with your gut. Good Luck.