STRICT cancelation policy and guest willing to cancel for personal matters.Shall I partially refund?

[Francesco134]

Dear,
I am very careful with my apartment, I accept only users with profiles credible and my cancellation policy is STRICT.
A user has booked my apartment, and 4 days before arriving told me that prefer an apartment with a pool, and would like to cancel the booking. Really for me is a big problem, but I understand that I am not obliged to give any reinboursement, right?
I advised him to communicate with the Resolution Center, but I would not want to hurt my reputation as host or losing money. I'm so sorry for him, but I think the rules were clear (although it gives me a little pitty ....)

If he cancels, will I be able to rent it to another guest and then if that happens reinburse him?

What do you advise me?

[Helen3 · Accepted solution]

Hello Francesco

I've heard some excuses from guests but........ 🙂 Did they really not notice that you didn't have a pool?

I would tell them they are welcome to contact BnB to cancel their reservation. You won't hurt your reputation (they can't leave a review) or lose money (you have a strict cancellation policy). If you want you can say that if you do get these days rebooked by another guest, you would consider a partial refund.

I don't think you need to feel sorry for them. If a pool was an essential requirement, they would have booked one with this facility (and probably paid a lot more).

[Dave44]

I first had a flexible cancellation policy, and someone booked 2 weeks then cancelled the day before. Luckily our place is in demand, and shorter bookings made us more money.

We now have a strict cancellation policy, and I think the people that book are more serious about following through. If they cancel, they deserve to compensate us for keeping people that would otherwise not cancel from booking us.

[Francesco134]

Hi Helen,

Thank you very much for your prompt reply.

I agree with you 100%! it was more than clear that my apartment does not have a pool, but I guest that the guest changed his mind regarding the type of booking he was searching for (once he has already booked!).

I kindly advised him to contact BnB to proceed with the cancelation, but no refund will be done on my side unless he does it ASAP and somebody else decide to book my apartment.

He replied with some strange or fake reply on behalf of the BnB help desk, where someone told him ¨as he is a new user, we will be refunded accordingly¨. I´m glad if BnB wants to refund him, but I must be payed, right?

JIC, I called the help desk and they explained me that no cancelation-refund could be done W/O someone from BnB calling the Host to get his aproval.... So I guess that I´m covered, right?

Anyways, thank you very much for your help! 

[Tammy29]

Oh they did refund with out my consint and the gave me 2 hours and 16 min  to respond via an email which they sent to my personal email while I was at work and do not have access to personal email while at work

and now will not respond to my emails so far 10 emails in the past 48 hours I don't know where they think they are going to get the money as my bank account is pretty close to empty already 

[Less0]

I had a large group of girls spend the night and while I was at work I got an email saying they wanted to cancel . The night they arrived they complained. In txt they felt the unit was to small for the however prior to booking I offered the larger unit and they declined. The fallowing day while I was at work after they spent one night on a two night booking they canceled. I have a strict cancelation policy. I was at work they txt me non stop for other things so I was surprised they didn't txt me they where leaving while at work they cancel leaving me a bit stressed my unit was left open and I had no key. I called Airbnb ASAP because I was still stuck at work so someone could contact them about the keys this unit has nothing but great reviews and have not had any issues the group was all females from a small town I believe it was a bit of cultural shock . Fast forward I did find the keys once I got off work in the unit I cleaned it and got it ready for my next guest . This guest the second stayed two nights and left me a great review this happened over the weekend . Come Monday once the girls return home they contacted Airbnb wanting a refund . They said the unit was dirty and someone ate their food why they where out. Non of this is true I'm mid aged with a few Condos and a small business owner I don't have time to eat a cooler full of food . I believe this was lies to get a refund. Remember they stayed at least one of the night Saturday I couldn't book it because they where still showing they where in the unit. My condo stayed booked it's a vacation spot. So I loose Monet when someone cancels last minute . Now this group stayed one night out of two and wants a refund. Of course when Airbnb contacted me I refused it's a strict cancel policy . Now a week later I still have not received my payment. Airbnb claims they are investigating . As a host having nothing but great reviews I'm not sure why I have not received payment how is it possible they stay one night of the two on a strict cancelation and because they lied I'm still waiting on my payment how can that be possible I have never had a issue with guest or Airbnb these girls are lying saying the unit was dirty and I went in while they where gone and ate their food. My thing they txt me non stop for other things but never for a cancel or to complain about it being dirty. After they enjoyed their one night stay out of the two how come I have not received my payment, as a host with nothing but great reviews how are we protected I'm currently hosting more guest and worried about payment in my opinion they are trying to get out of payment if we have a strict cancel policy then how can they cancel after staying one night out of two and get a refund. By their own admission they incriminated themself and placed them in the unit by saying they left a cooler full of food that was eaten. I am hosting guest this weekend but still waiting on payment for last weekend I'm super confused and don't show a payment for either booking anyone have this problem thanks 

[Patrice68]

That sucks!