Substitute guest who wants to cancel their booking

[Damien255]

Hi... I have a guest that wants to cancel their booking for a month stay. I have a strict cancellation policy. In principle I am ok to list the apartment and see if I can rent it out to substitute their stay so their financial cost of cancelling is reduced but have no idea if this even possible. Any help with this topic would be fantastic! Ideally I want to reopen the calendar, rent the apartment to someone else, and hence reduce their cancellation fee. Thank you!

[Lilly28]

@Damien255 

Ask the guest to write to the system that he has to cancel. Write him that you cannot do anything - only agree or disagree if he sends a request to cancel. In case you agree - you will receive nothing, in case he has some great obstacles not to be able to come - he has the right to cancel - not through you again - asking through the system and explaining the reason - in that case you even do not have to agree.  

[Damien255]

Thanks for your suggestion but to be frank this doesn’t seem to be a solution to my problem. I want to help the potential guest by trying to find a replacement. There is a good chance I can rent out the apartment for a good portion of the month. At least I feel that I should try.

[Anonymous]

@Damien255 Your calendar dates will not be open for re-booking until the guest cancels, so this has to happen first. You can make a good-faith offer to submit an additional refund in the event that you have a replacement booking, but by no means are you obligated to do this.

[Andrea-and-Francis0]

So you aren't out of money I would have the guest cancel so your calendar opens up & wait & see if you get any confirmed bookings & are paid for them in full before returning any amount of funds to the previous guest if you feel that is the right thing to do as you are not required to. You should not be penalized for not being able to rerent it out & lose out on money.

[Damien255]

Thank you all for the responses. This help on here from this community is just awesome!

[Lawrene0]

Hello, @Damien255 . I'm just going to hop in with a suggestion of something that works for me.

When I am in the same situation with a guest-generated cancellation -- that is, offering the guest a refund if it gets booked -- or when I offer a credit or discount for a future stay, I tell the guest that putting it in writing in the system is their receipt for that.

"I am recording my offer here. Just remind me, if you need, by referring to this message," I say. 

That way they are more apt to hit the cancel button. You and I would stick to our word regardless, but this adds a layer of assurance for the guest. It's all we can do really. 

[Sandra856]

@Damien255 Another important thing to know is that the guest needs to do the cancellation from his side alone. He can send you a "request to cancel" - always decline as it will then look like you cancelled.  He needs to cancel from his side alone and you will receive an email about the cancellation. I always offer a refund of days someone else might book. 

Best, Sandra