Host Cancellation

[Amanda545]

I had to cancel a booking it was only for 1 night and it’s 2 whole weeks away. 

My husband had booked to take me away for mother’s day and I have only just found out.

I explained this immediately to the guest and cancelled the booking. 

Airbnb want to charge me for this, I’m furious! 

The guest doesn’t get charged if they cancel 

and sometimes that’s cost me money, buying in breakfast etc. 

This has cost my guest nothing at all. 

Do I have to pay this, if so I’m coming off AIrbnb altogether. 

[Elena87]

@Amanda545 

There are clear consequences shown to a host before pressing the cancel button on a confirmed guest.

https://www.airbnb.com/help/article/990/i-m-a-host--what-penalties-apply-if-i-need-to-cancel-a-reser...

It reflects poorly on airbnb generally if hosts are seen as not dependable. Impacts on the guest, their plans have been disrupted.

It is bad for your listing if you cancel, this automated review below has been applied to your listing, (nearer one week away than two it seems to me), which may influence future prospective guests to question your reliability and suitability as a host.

''The host canceled this reservation 9 days before arrival. This is an automated posting.''

You have the option to leave a reply to the automated listing in an attempt to justify your reasons for cancellation.

As a host, you are running a business, so things like a husband surprise holiday treats should absolutely come with a back up plan too, to continue to run your business.

It's a bit of whataboutery regarding guest cancellations, it's rather a much separate matter based on host selected policies.

[Amanda545]

Hi Elena, 

Whilst I appreciate that some are running a business, this is not what I am doing, and it was my clearly mistaken understanding that air bnb was originally set up as a safe way to stay at peoples homes as-hoc 

It makes me laugh a little that you are scathing that I have not made arrangements for someone to come in and cater for this 1 night stay. 

I am not a business my listing is not reflected as such, it’s my home where I occasionally have paying guests, which I love doing and my guests also love. 

Its a shame that this is now what Airbnb has become, just another place for business’ to sell their accommodation. 

You, I’m sure will be pleased to know that amateurs like myself will be removing myself from Airbnb, although that also appears to be some sort of challenge too. 

Thanks for your response. 

[Amanda545]

FYI At the time, I was unable to access any of the Airbnb services it kept asking me to sign in over and over again and sending me access codes, so I couldn’t get the relevant information I needed tbh I was just wanting to make sure the lady got her money back quickly. Also, at the time of advising the lady of the cancellation it was 14 days. 

[Gordon0]

Unless you are doing this for free, @Amanda545, then it's not a hobby, it's a business. As a guest, something I can attest to, it's a proper rubbish experience to be cancelled on, hence the host paying for it, financially or otherwise. It weakens Airbnb's brand too, because the one person you've cancelled is unlikely to talk about Airbnb in a good way to their friends.  

[Amanda545]

Again Gordon, I reiterate that Airbnb has changed from people wanting to provide cheap safe stays to a marketplace for business. I have great feedback I provided a fabulous intimate personal stay and met some amazing people.

It is a hobby for me, like making things and selling them on eBay. 

It has no relevance now, I see how it is, and I’m out. 

Thanks for taking time to respond. 

[Amanda545]

Oh, and I too am a guest user and I would be appalled if someone got charged for cancelling me, maybe If there were only a few days to go?  It has to be a two way street. 

I have been cancelled before, not a big deal, just booked somwhere else. 

Thanks again 

Amanda 

[Chris232]

@Amanda545 

I agree with @Gordon0 ,  if you are doing this as a hobby or not you are doing this to make extra money. You can not have it both ways. Guests are relying on you to provide accomodation and you must honour the bookings made through AirBnB.

You mention you are also selling on ebay, I hope you have registered this extra income with HMRC as they are now digging deep into Business sellers pretending to be private sellers  on ebay. (Making things to sell on ebay is a business regardless if you make a profit or not, and thus you need to be registered as a business with Ebay and HMRC)

[Amanda545]

Hi I’m assuming you are doing this as a business Chris?  So as I’m not how would you have handled this situation, I’m genuinely interested? 

As for eBay I’m not selling things on eBay I’m just using this as an example, hobbies can sometimes make money. Also if I did sell I wouldn’t need reminding about paying tax, it’s everyone’s responsibility to pay tax, I think you’re getting a little personal here which I don’t appreciate. 

[Chris232]

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@Amanda545 wrote:

Hi I’m assuming you are doing this as a business Chris?  So as I’m not how would you have handled this situation, I’m genuinely interested? 

---

The situation would never have happened as my partner knows I do AirBnB and we always discuss forthcoming bookings and plan accordingly

[Amanda545]

How perfect you are.

My husband is also aware, but is an extremely busy man, and it was an oversite on his part, however things can happen beyond your control and Airbnb for me was just something I enjoyed doing. As I said before all of this has no bearing on me really as I’ve decided to stop doing it. I think my family life takes precedent.

It’s a shame, but there it is, I have a beautiful home and wanted to share it and to meet lovely people. 

Thanks for your response, really helpful, helped me clarify my position. 

[Helen3]

Hi @Amanda545 

It is lovely your husband is taking you away, but I can't agree with your analysis of your situation.

I have been hosting on Airbnb for over three years, sharing my home. Airbnb has always made it crystal clear that it takes host cancellations seriously and will impose penalties on hosts that do so. Most of the other listing companies have similar policies.

And you are wrong guests are penalised if they cancel, in line with the cancellation policy you have chosen for your listing.

It is rather like you saying to the police that they shouldn't give you a fine for speeding, because you weren't aware that it was a 30 rather than 40 mile zone.

As hosts we should become familiar with the basics around how Airbnb works and it clearly tells you when you go to cancel a booking that penalties will be  involved.

Something as simple as a shared calendar in your kitchen say, will help your family understand which dates you have blocked out for Airbnb bookings.

Cancelling a guests booking has a severe impact on guests when this happens and often they struggle to find alternative accommodation as availability has gone down and prices up.

Regardless or not as to whether you regard what you are doing as a business. If you provide a service for money. Which is what you are doing it is a business.

I know you are upset, but quite honestly it is not very nice to see you making sarcastic quips and responses to your fellow hosts who have taken the time to respond after you posted on here looking for responses.

[Amanda545]

Hi, I think it’s my misunderstanding as I said, Airbnb is not what it was set up for, I have seen lots of complaints from property owners today  and yes I have a lack of experience, and also was unable to either acces the information or message Airbnb. So as I said, not for me. 

My husband has a digital calendar as he works away a lot, that I fill in, he just hadn’t noticed it. 

Its kind of irrelevant now anyway. 

Again thanks for your feedback, but I still feel a domestic host like myself should not be penalised in this way, I had no choice but to advise Guest and cancel, sometimes that’s just how it is. Life goes on. 

[Sandra856]

@Amanda545 If you feel that way you should definitely not be an airbnb host as guests need to feel safe and secured when they choose to book an airbnb. If a host can just cancel whenever it doesn't suit that host to host my guess is airbnb would become very unreliable very fast. 

[Emilia42]

@Amanda545 , you’re right, "sometimes that’s just how it is" and sometimes (most times) there are consequences. Life does go on.