Guest Cancelling Long Term Reservation via a caseworker!

[Christine168]

Dear Community please help,

I have been hosting since 2012. I have a strict cancellation policy. I have a first time guest staying for two months. On Dec. 20th I received a call from a Airbnb caseworker named Kathi, she asked how things were going. I told her that my guest was problematic in various ways, mainly he was over 2 hours late initially to meet me to get the key and move in, he was home when he promised to be out during a maintenece check, he wants his friend to stay with him for 5 days and he wants to use the mailbox! We chatted about it and at the end of the conversation she asked if I wanted him to leave- I asked to sleep on it and to chat with her the following day to make a decision as travel and finances were to play a part in my decision (I had not intended to be back in Oakland to prepare for a new guest and it's over the holidays) she agreed. That night I logged in and his reservation for January was CANCELLED!  I have a STRICT cancellation ploicy, he left NO comments in the inbox- he had NO COMPLAINTS. Why did she allow him to cancel? If I don't receive the payout on January first I'll loose my apartment.  How can airbnb do this? He's a first time guest with no comments, I'm a 5 year host with a strict cancellation policy. Will Airbnb comp me? Has that been done before? The caseworker cancelled the reservation. Luckily my sister was with me and heard the entire conversation and has written a statment. Airbnb recorded that call so there is no mystery that we did not agree to cancel.  What to do?

[Liz18]

This will definitely need to be settled by airbnb.

You didn't say why the caseworker called you in the first place.  Is it possible your guest had complained?  

I would go directly to them to see how you can get the money/agreement rectified.  

Good luck!

[Kirstie]

Hi @Christine168,

I'm sorry to hear you've had a long term reservation cancelled, I can see how this must be frustrating. As @Liz18 said, you will need to speak to Airbnb again to find out what happened and why your cancellation policy isn't being enforced. This Community Help Guide explains the best ways to contact them.

I have moved your post here to a new thread so that it doesn't get lost in another discussion. It will make it easier for others to find as well. I have given it a title, please let me know if you want to change it!

I hope you can get this resolved.

Kirstie

[Linda108]

@Christine168  In reviewing your listing it appears that you have a minimum 31 day stay so you are very experienced with the long term guest.  As @Liz18 stated, there is not much the host forum can do about your refund, but I did notice that January is completely open so at least you can book that month.  Just in case there is some problem with a refund, perhaps at this late date, you can change your minimum to less so you can recoup some of the money.  

I wonder if you had agreed to the cancellation in your discussion with the caseworker if you would have been responsible for the cancellation and thus you would have had all the cancellation penalties.  Looks like the caseworker did you a favor!  Keep us posted!

[Christine168]

Hello,

Thank all of you for responding! I don't feel so alone.

The caseworker called me on December 20th, she said that my guest called her to ask what his last day was. He and I had met in Decemeber and he was 2 hours late to meet me (again- he was over two hours late to pick up the key for check in). I told him that I didn't like the poor communication between us and that perhaps we should consider a different arrangement for January. We planned to discuss it a week later and check out our options. Because he was booked I couldn't  open my posting and find another guest so it seemed I would have to keep him- aside from being rude he wasn't a very bad guest- the place was being well cared for, and no complaints from neighbors.

On Dec. 20th when the case worker called she said she was just checking in with me becuase the guest had called her- she did not say that he complained or asked to alter the reservation. She and I agreed to talk on Dec. 21st to decide if I should ask him to leave. I decided to let him stay yet the evening of the 20th I saw the reservation had been cancelled through the site.

The caseworker Kathi did not call me on the 21st- I called airbnb and spoke to two different representatives. Kathi left for vacation 😞  As suggested by an Airbnb representative I wrote to my guets through the site asking him was occurred- no reply.  Again in the airbnb inbox there is no complaints from myself or my guest- I never called airbnb prior to receiving the call from the caseworker on the 2oth.

 She finally reached out to me on the 27th (SEVEN DAYS LATER).

This is my last communication from her: I will need to reach out to Daniel again and see if he is agreeable to returning to a check-out date of 1/31/2017. If he is agreeable, I will be more than happy to process this change for you.

2 DAYS form the first of the month! Waiting, so stressed out!  I opened my listing on the 20th after she cancelled the reservation and have had no inquiries!  It's going to be a huge expense to fly there on the 31st if I do. How culd this happen? Will I be compensated?

[David126]

Caseworkers do not call out of the blue, sounds like the guest had an issue.

[Christine168]

If he did he didn't let me know and neither did the caseworker- I promise, no one has told me of any complaint.

[David126]

Sounds like the reservation has been cancelled. Perhaps for extenuating circumstances.

[Christine168]

Thanks David- I wish someone would explain. The conversation with th caseworker was recorded. I've requested a transcript. Very clearly at the end of that call the caseworker agrees to call me the next day, the 21st to confirm if I want to cancel. She cancelled it the night of the 20th, she never called or sent and email to me unil Dec. 27th after many complaints to airbnb from me.  What grounds does she have for cancelling? I have used the site for many years. I call about all sorts of questions and concerns- if I wanted to end the reservation I would have reached out- she called me, I did not give permission.  It's so sad. I have requested mediation. Does anyone know how these things are done? Of course I don't want to file a lawsuit but I will. It's about $1900 of lost payout, over the hoidays, high stress and quite unfair. Again the guest has NO prior experience. He wrote no complaints in the inbox. If we were having a problem wouldn't airbnb try to mediate? Why did they cancel the resrvation with no emails exchenged, no record of complaints? 

[David126]

I have seen pretty serious issues mentioned on here but nobody who has gone to the next step.

I assume because the cost of doing so outweighed any likely win.

[Christine168]

I hear you. I'm lucky to have someone available on retainer and I am happy to fight injustice if it benefits all of us. I'd like to start with mediation and the transcripts first though 🙂

[David126]

From memory Mediation is the only option under the terms and conditions.

[Gordon0]

I'm afraid that the two hours late thing is something that we all have to suck up from time to time, it's part of being in the business that we're in. And I fear that "I told him that I didn't like the poor communication between us and that perhaps we should consider a different arrangement for January" might be at the crux of the situation here. 

Good luck.