Guest wanted me to approve his request to leave reservation early, I wanted him to cancel

[Diana102]

Dear Fellow Hosts,

I have been hosting for about 11 months and this is the first time this has come up.  My guest made his reservation a month prior to his two week stay.  When he arrived, later that same day, he said he wanted to let me know that, if he was approved for an apartment he had applied for, he would be leaving at least a week early.  I told him that he would have to make the changes if he wanted to shorten his stay and he would have to do that through Airbnb.  He said he didn't know anything definitive but he thought someone would get back to him soon.  The next day he hadn't heard when I went up to bed.

I checked these message boards and there were many suggestions from experienced hosts, saying that I should not approve a change request because then my cancellation policy would not kick in.  My cancellation policy is moderate and to tell you the truth I don't know that much about how it works as I have never used it before.  A couple of days later, I see that he put in a request to change the reservation to five days shorter.  I did not accept the change as it is doubtful I can fill those five days on such short notice.  I didn't decline it either as I saw that some veteran hosts had recommended that those requests just go unfilled.  In the meantime, the guest and I have hardly seen each other becasuse of both being so busy, but we have been friendly and cordial the few times we have interacted.

He wrote me a message today reminding me of his request and that he wants me to accept it.  I saw him in person today and we talked.  I explained that he will need to cancel the days he is not using, he needs to do that through Airbnb.  He said that is what he did.  I explained that he asked me to change the reservation, that is not same thing, and I would need him to cancel the unused days and then the cancellation policy would be in effect.  (UNfortunately, I didn't know anything else about how it works to answer his specific questions)  

Basically, he thinks that since he let me know, verbally, when he first arrived that it was likely that he was not going to stay the whole time that he shouldn't owe me any money for the days he does not stay here.  Since I will be out money if I (likely) can't rent out those days, I don't want to accept the change request and want to get something in compensation.  I told him that if I can get someone in the room on those days, I will gladly refund those days, that i will do my best to get someone else in there, that I will lower my price $10/night to get someone else in but that is the best I can do.  He seemed frustrated and told me he has lots of friends who are Airbnb hosts and there is just a certain amount of vacancies to be expected.  But, this is the end of the busy season and there are far few travelers looking for accomodation than there were a month ago.

I like my guests to be completely happy but I also run a business.

What say ye?

Thanks in advance for your help.

Sincerely,

Diana

[Rehan-and-Maria0]

Hey,

Actually he can only send modification request but according to your policy you are not obliged to accept his request. On the other hand if you both are friendly & you agree with change you can accept the modification. He can't cancel particular days , he can only send modification request.

Its upto you now. In my case when i agreed with guest i accepted the change to keep my guest satisfied & it will help you in long run to be more flexible.

BR

Rehan

[David126 · Accepted solution]

It does not matter what he verbally says or does, he has booked your place and you can not let it to anybody else unless and until he cancels.

If he wishes to cancel then he can do so, and if it was me and I let that time I would refund him as I would not wish to be accused of double dipping.

I look at the modification option for something in advance, not as a sneaky way of avoiding your cancellation conditions.

[Diana102]

Hi David and other fellow hosts,

I need to send a reply in writing to my guest who is to leave today.  How does he cancel the last days of his stay?  How does he let Airbnb know he left early?  What is the format for that?  As of now he is still booked through the tenth.  I did tell him verbally, that I will lower my price by $10/night to get someone else to book the nights he is leaving early.  What do you think is the best way to point my guest in the right direction?

Thanks for your help.

Diana

[David126]

I would not try and walk him through the system, he was motivated enough to book, he can cancel.

He can not tell ABB he has left early, he can cancel.

[Eric30]

I think you should do the right thing by your guest.

[Jools0]

I am new to Airbnb.  The way I see it, your guest has moved the goal posts after he arrived which is unfair and you have reserved those nights for him.  As a solution, could you send him a special price, reducing the original price to allow for fewer nights?  As he booked and payment will be through Airbnb it is logical that adjustments should be through Airbnb.  

[Dee9]

I am not flexible, so my opinion would be stick to your policy. Its his problem, not yours.

[Tayla1]

I have a strict policy and my guest just asked me to alter a 28 days stay to a 2 days stay. The monies were already in my account and now will be pulled. I hate that I didn't make him cancel. I wanted to do the right thing but the truth is the right thing would have been for him to plan his trip properly like I planned for him to stay for 28 days.

[Janette12]

Wait, what? 

[Steve-And-Wilma0]

Does anybody know if there is a time limit in which the host must respond to these change of date requests? 

[Janice33]

In February my guest reserved 5 days in June, but now a week later she says she reserved the wrong dates and wants to cancel the whole reservation. I asked her to cancel the reservation through AirBnB. She did that for several days and says she gets the message, "not able to cancel at this time. Try again later." She's tried several times and gets that message. Her reservation is still showing in June, blocking those days in June. It I cancel it will hurt my cancellation rate. What do I do? I hate to loose that income but her reservation is blocking those days from being taken by someone else.

Please, someone, help! Thanks, Janice

[David126]

I would suggest she calls ABB if she can not cancel on line.

[Matthew285]

@Janice33, can the guest request a change in dates instead of cancelling the reservation?

[Janice33]

No. She rented a motel room instead!

Thanks for your reply. I don't know what I can do since AirBnB isn't responding to her requests to cancel. If I cancel there will be consequences for me, and I'm not the one who rented the incorrect dates. I do understand, though, she'll be out a little over $1,000. Thanks, Matthew.

Janice