When a "pending" pre-approved stay goes to "Not possible" when receiving a new req.. is it declined?

[Jonathan127]

Hi,

Situation: 12h ago I received a request for a 3 day stay next week, in which I wrote back and pre-approved (from my understanding this is the guests choice of settings so that they then can get 24h to choose where they like to stay from several offers that may be provided?), I have been checking regularly but not received a confirmation nor decline as far as I know.

Then just now I received a new request popped in now for a 1 night stay for the same date as the second night of the ones mentioned above. I see that the 3 day request now has the status "Not possible", while I can press Accept right away on the new one. 

The question is: Will the 3 day request might still want to book, but they have just been too slow, or hav ethey declined and the date has therefore opened up to the new ones for booking? 

If I'd like the 3 days stay, do I have to decline the new one in order to leave it open for the first guests, or will I then end up with no one? Or can the first still confirm, and then the new one will get the status "not possible"?

Totally new to this, so advice is mich appreciated. 

[Annette33]

Airbnb's language can be confusing concering booking requests and inquiries, as they also use the word request for inquiries.

You are on the right track: the 3 day "request" was just an inquiry, and since you now got the "not possible" notice for that one, that means these guests have booked somewhere else, so no point on waiting for them or contacting them again. They will not say with you.

Your new 1 day request is a true booking request , as it has the accept or decline option for you to use. Thus it is more than an inquiry: A booking request is binding to the guest for 24 hours until you approve or decline, and you definitely need to use the decline or accept button within 24 hours, to stay up to date with your response rate, which Airbnb measures..

An inquiry that you pre approve is not binding to the guest, and it is also not binding to you: you can always issue other pre-approvals for that time, or accept another booking for that time. That is a risk the guest with the "inquiry only" takes, that the place might not be available any longer in case they decide later to follow through and book it.

In my opinion it is never a good idea to wait and hold out for people who might book with you, and decline another booking which actually is a sure thing.

Good luck to you, and Happy Hosting!

Annette

[Jonathan127]

Thank you very much for an informative and thorough answer, Annette, made things more clear!

I sat here feeling the same as what you write in that last section, so I went away and accepted the newcomers. Seemed like very nice people too.

Will host my first three bookings the coming week, so I'm excited and a little curious about the experience we'll all get 🙂 

Have a wonderful day 

Jonathan

[Bob43]

Actually I think it means something else when it says "not possible". I think it means that your calendar doesn't allow this booking any longer, since another reservation has been accepted with overlapping data.

[Annette33]

@Bob43, true, that could be a scenario, but not in this case: guests were pre- approved, host didn't do anything, just waited for guests to accept. then it says  a little later, "not possible", so guests booked something else, which makes it impossible for them to also book with @Jonathan127. that is usually the tip off to the host that potential guest did something else. 

[Bob43]

Thanks for explaining. I remember that message being different from what it is now apperently. It's been a few years since I had paople with an inquiry, book with someone else. But then it said something like my services weren't needed any longer since the guest had found another place to stay.

I think it's a bit confusing Airbnb uses the same phrase (not possible) for different scenarios.

[Anna1043]

Hi Annette, I have a potential guest and now she is "not possible" status. It seemed she has "timed out" before committing. I tried sending a "special offer" but an ERROR message pops up. Is there a way I can extend the time for her?