Host cancellation policy

Wassay0
Level 2
Oxford, United Kingdom

Host cancellation policy

I am a host and also a long time guest on Airbnb. The new policy on cancellation by host is not reasonable. The fact that host would be charged up to 50% of the payout which they didn't get is absolutely unacceptable. Like many other hosts I would never cancel on a guest unless its unavoidable. Having dealt with Airbnb support, i would hate to go through a tedious process just to avoid major penalty. This is just another way for Airbnb to make money. As a superhost, I strongly disagree with this new policy!!

8 Replies 8
Kate867
Level 10
Canterbury, United Kingdom

@Wassay0   You are not alone in your thoughts with regards to this change and it is being discussed / complained about extensively in this forum.  Hopefully Airbnb will take on board the comments and reconsider or make some amendments to make it more palatable to Hosts.

Mike-And-Jane0
Level 10
England, United Kingdom

@Wassay0 The policy only applies to avoidable cancellations. If the cancellation is truly unavoidable you will not be charged. Do you list on any other platforms? If so I suspect you will find similar concepts exist on these as well.

Kate867
Level 10
Canterbury, United Kingdom

@Mike-And-Jane0   It is the following part of the proposed change that concerns me, in particular the first point as we all know how ‘creative’ guests can be to get a cancellation or a free stay.  I also have little confidence in Airbnb CS and what they will determine as ‘unavoidable’. It seems to me that they this is just another way of sneaking in the wording that they ultimately removed due to protest when they updated their terms and conditions earlier in the year.

 

What happens if a guest finds a missing amenity or similar issue at my place?
Airbnb will assess a cancellation fee under the policy in the rare case that a space poses significant health risks or is substantially different from how it’s described in the listing, and the guest notifies Community Support soon after check-in. In some cases, your listing may be suspended until Airbnb has received confirmation that any violations have been corrected.

These situations would qualify as Host cancellations after guest check-in and result in a cancellation fee of 50% of the reservation amount for any nights not spent in the place.

These circumstances include:

  • Conditions in the space pose severe health risks: for example, mould is visually present in a Host-controlled space.
  • Incorrect home or room type was listed: the listing’s location or room type is substantially different from what is listed, e.g. if a Host lists a three-bedroom villa that is actually a one-bedroom apartment.
  • Incorrect location was listed: the listing’s location or address is incorrect and intentionally misrepresented, e.g. if a Host says their house is in Los Angeles but it’s actually in the nearby city of Burbank.
  • A critical amenity is missing: the listing lacks a signature amenity that was highlighted in advertising, e.g. if a Host says their space has access to a pool but it doesn’t.
  • A substantive change is made to a reservation by the Host at check-in: this could include substituting one place listed on Airbnb for another.
Mike-And-Jane0
Level 10
England, United Kingdom

@Kate867 Fair point. We have moved to Cottages.com and while we kept the right to advertise ourselves on Airbnb it probably isn't worthwhile especially as bookings stopped post the Summer update to the search engine.

Kate867
Level 10
Canterbury, United Kingdom

@Mike-And-Jane0  We looked at Cottages.com a few years ago but found their ‘owner weeks’ far too restrictive as we do use the cottage ourselves when visiting family.  However, it sounds like things may have changed and perhaps we should consider looking into that option again.  Thanks for the tip

Martin3344
Level 7
Edinburgh, United Kingdom

@Mike-And-Jane0 This is very sad news. I must confess that I have not been a regular contributor to this Forum. However I have always found it to be an invaluable source of information from all the host topics and dialogues that have come up over the years, and the sense of what is happening and being talked about in the wider host community. I have always been impressed by your consistently clear and honest information and advice to other hosts and their issues, and your deep knowledge about Airbnb. You also provide superb accommodation and are clearly great hosts. Airbnb should feel very uncomfortable to lose hosts like yourselves to a competitor platform.

Mike-And-Jane0
Level 10
England, United Kingdom

@Kate867 not sure if we got a new rep but as soon as I started to negotiate she gave us unlimited free weeks for the lower commission. They are still a bit more expensive than Airbnb but I am hoping they will be more professional...... I may, of course, be disappointed. 

I have booked a total of four guest. One canceled 3 days prior to arrival, one came and was great, the other came and broke house rules with their pet and smoking, ac not cooling prior to arrival on the fourth. When I tried to “do the right thing” and let everyone know. Support canceled the reservation on me and charged $100.00 penalties after I told them I didn’t agree to it. I’ve found the level of incompetence in the Airbnb support team and distrust towards hosts is unbelievable and unsatisfactory.