New host - cancellation question

[Christine508]

Hi everyone!

I just signed up as a host and listed our property for some weeks and weekends when we will not be using it this summer. 

I've booked 3 guests which I'm happy about as it happened pretty quickly. Then I received multiple inquiries about this coming weekend from related members in a family, but they just wanted 1 night and I wrote in my description I have a 2 night min. but didn't see AirBnB's feature to set the minimum. I told them I was sorry I can't rent for just 1 night and offered the second night of the weekend. They declined. Then a third person asked for the same night, claiming she was coming with her girlfriends, but it appears she's from the same town (2 towns away from me) as the 2 people who reached out before her for one night. She booked my place - as I didn't have it set for 2 night min. in the AirBnB system. I had to cancel as it doesn't make sense financially for me to rent for 1 night AND I felt like she was decieiving about her situation - where she was from and who she was coming with - so I lost trust. I let AirBnB know through the cancellation message however I haven't heard anything back and am pretty upset that now the weekend is not bookable and I'm not eligible to become a superhost. Any hints for reaching out to AirBnB? And yes I realize it was my mistake not to put the minimum on the property but I honestly didn't see it and could not find it. 

Thanks, 

Christine

[Hilary-And-Ed0]

Hello @Christine508,

Unfortunately, you will probably not have much luck.  Airbnb is pretty forgiving about their penalties for cancelling under "extenuating circumstances" (floods, fire, major illness/hospitalization), but most likely you won't get anywhere just because you were unfamiliar with the settings.  

Definitely try, though.  Call the phone number, 855-424-7262.  I have used it twice and have always found a human within a few minutes.

Did you have instant book on?  How did the person book without your OK?

[Isabel203]

Hey there - I'm pretty new to the AirBnB community (just hosting my third guest), but I've been reading through the boards and lsitings pretty carefully, and it seems to me that cancellation should be pretty much a last resort, since it will seriously affect your ratings and your position on searches. I think it might be wise to suck up the lost night or two of bookings, chalk it up to a learning experience, and adjust your listing settings asap. Better a short-term loss than  a long-term impact on your ratings.