Inside Moderate Cancelation, Guest Changed the booking date to be outside of Moderate,then canceled.

Heidi--Diego-and-Eddy0
Level 1
Playa del Carmen, Mexico

Inside Moderate Cancelation, Guest Changed the booking date to be outside of Moderate,then canceled.

Hi Airbnb Community,

 

I have a guest that had a reservation to stay with us for 3 weeks. She was INSIDE the Moderate Cancelation Policy when she messaged me yesterday wishing to switch her dates canceling the first and last week. Annoying...but I accepted and then today she canceled the middle week... She was inside the cancellation policy and following Airbnb's Cancellation Policies, we should have been given money. It looks like we get $0 since she moved the dates first, then canceled. There should be some way to notify airbnb that they are not getting their service fee either when it is due. She has found a way around the system, and it's going to be really hard to fill 3 weeks she had booked for the past months :'( .Since she canceled the reservation it doesnt seem like there is a way to report the issue to Airbnb. Help? Is there anything that can be done?

 

Thank you!

Heidi

12 Replies 12
Cynthia-and-Chris1
Level 10
Vancouver, WA

This is a well known loophole some savvy guests have learned to exploit. Nothing you can do about it except decline their modification. 

Christine455
Level 7
Meadview, AZ

Thanks for posting this, had no idea people could do that.

Kate157
Level 10
SF, CA

Wow, @Heidi--Diego-and-Eddy0, this is a new one for me, so thanks for the education. I am sorry this happened to you, though, and I hope you have luck in filling your empty weeks.

Christine455
Level 7
Meadview, AZ

I really don't understand why Airbnb would allow guests to do that.   The history clearly shows that they only changed the reservation so they could cancel without having to pay.  

WHY punish a host for being so nice and allowing the modification?

Paul154
Level 10
Seattle, WA

The solution is simple:

Switch your cancellation policy from Moderate to Strict.

 

 

@Paul

 

My thoughts exactly.

 

REgards

Cormac

ECK III

ECK VIII

 

 

 

I don't think that reducing your bookings is a "solution".

This can still happen with a strict policy. I've had a guest ask to modify her stay outside of the strict cancellation period to reduce the duration, and now she's cancelling, so rather than be honest that what she really wanted was to cancel, she is cancelling a shorter stay and avoiding the fee she should have paid for cancellation of her much longer stay. Thankfully as it is far in advance I may be able to fill the week but just changing your policy doesn't mitigate this. 

It's unfortunate, as @Cynthia has said, it's a common exploit, one discussed on the forums here many times.  Luckily for all of us, there is a new feature according to the new cancellation policy, that we, as hosts, will be able to see how often a guest has cancelled before we accept them as guests. 

 

Go to her profile and flag it for good measure and flag the conversations in your email where she requests to change.  I think the more we point out directly these types of issue, the more likely that Airbnb will do something to change it.  Also, you CAN go to the Resolution Center and request money from her, I believe.  She'll probably say no, but you can make sure Airbnb knows about her little scam.  

David126
Level 10
Como, CO

I agree that this is a known common ploy but maybe less of an issue now as AirBnB have made it much easier to cancel and get a full refund.

 

If that does not work extenuating circumstances probably will.

David
Abrina0
Level 1
St. Augustine, FL

This happened to me on my FIRST booking! There should be a fee charged (amount depending on length of stay), should they need to change it...but REFUNDED if they keep their booking without cancellation. 

Patrice68
Level 3
Redondo Beach, CA

Don't approve cancellations or modifications. Don't agree to refunds except for those covered within your written policy. I am new to this and am reading up on all of this before my first booking to keep me avoid scammers.