Guess is asking for refund but I have flexible- non-refundable policy cancellation

[Alma344]

I am a new hosting, please help me!

My guest is asking me for a full refund after she cancels a reservation for 30 days, (two weeks before check-in). After she cancels I received a notice from Airbnb that they will refund me, however; after that email, I receive another email saying "Your guest is requesting additional payment for an issue related to their Victoria trip. You have until Fri., Dec 11, 2020, at 8:59 AM PST to respond to this request. Hosts with multiple unresolved requests like this one may be subject to review"

I don't know what to do? Do I need to refund her even when my policy is non-refundable?

[Colleen253 · Accepted solution]

@Alma344 here is a link to the terms of the various cancellation policies FYI. You may also wish to look at the covid/extenuating circumstances policies as well.

https://www.airbnb.ca/home/cancellation_policies

But It sounds like Airbnb have applied the long term cancellation policy and the guest is upset that she isn’t getting money back, so she has sent you a resolution request for a refund. You don’t have to accept it but may want to respond. in your reply message you can remind her of the terms she agreed to upon booking, and in your response to Airbnb state the same, and that you wish to uphold the terms that the guest agreed to, and will not be refunding anything.

If you wish, you can offer to refund the guest if you get a replacement booking. No obligation to do that though.

[Helen3]

Not that new to hosting @Alma344  as you are a superhost 🙂

Say no to giving the guest a voluntary refund. If she is cancelling because of illness etc she can claim on her travel insurance.

Or she maybe eligible for a refund under Airbnb's extenuating circumstances policy (do familiarise yourself with this).

Also do have a look at the Airbnb Help website it covers most of the basics around managing your listing.

You can say to the guest that if you manage to rebook any of the dates, you will consider a proportional refund for those dates, but this is entirely option (although personally I think this is the right thing to do).

[Sumann0]

Hi @Alma344 

1.check first email of confirmation booking

2.check which she opted for, flexible or non refundable. 

3.if flexible she will get full refund even a day before check in

4.if non refundable, then you get to keep payout. Contact Airbnb help for more details. 

5. As she sent refund request via other route she might have opted for non refundable option. You are not obliged to accept, though you can respond.

6.best would be talk to Airbnb help to get better clarity of this situation. 

Thanks! 

[Emiel1]

@Sumann0 

This is a  "long term stay" (30 nights) , so the "non-refundable" choice is never offered and the default cancellation policy (e.g. flexible) is allways(!) overruled by  the "long term stay cancellation policy".

[Jessica-and-Henry0]

@Alma344 

A 30-day stay automatically becomes a long term booking and the long term cancellation policy will apply; 1st month's payout is not refunded. 

It is up to you (host) to decide whether you want to refund more than what the guest is due per the cancellation policy. BUT technically you cannot refund money you haven't received, so I would suggest that you wait until you actually get the payout before you send (refund) money to the guest. Also, if you do decided to refund the guest, be very very careful about double refunds. 

You should at least acknowledge the guest's message and reply what you plan to do. (refund? not refund? partial refund? refund only if you get an alternate booking for same days?) 

https://community.withairbnb.com/t5/Help/Long-term-stay-is-quot-offer-refund-quot-the-best-safe-way-...

https://community.withairbnb.com/t5/Help/Double-Refund-1-by-me-1-by-AirBNB/m-p/1285175

https://community.withairbnb.com/t5/Help/Payout-short-because-of-double-refund/m-p/726438

[Amanda1349]

I am finding the site is getting worse and worse with NOT following the refund policy for hosts.  Anyone else found that?  

[Emiel1]

@Alma344 

You have 26 reviews and you are a Superhost. So why start with" I am a new hosting" ?

The title of your post says "I have flexible- non-refundable policy cancellation".

But the reservation is for 30 nights, so the "long term stay cancellation policy" is attached to it.

[Mark-and-Gabriela0]

Airbnb DON’T RESPECT our STRICT NON REFUNDABLE cancellation policy!! 

the people who is in Customer Support are a nightmare, totally useless 

[Mark-and-Gabriela0]

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