cancellation refund

[Michelle-And-Steve0]

Hello, My husband and I are now 4 weeks into this exciting adventure!  I have a group that canceled a reservation beginning on May 9 two days ago due to a serious illness in the family.  I would like to give them a full refund as another booked the space right away.  The red button to offer a full refund is no longer on his reservation.  How can I make this happen now?  Michelle

[Marit-Anne0]

@Michelle-And-Steve0 

I would not worry too much about this issue.  With a serious illness they can most likely claim from their travel insurance.  

In any case,  you do not really have any funds to refund until you have the payout, so I suggest you wait till your payout is there in order to determine if there is anything to refund at all.

If the refund button has disappeared, there is also the possibility that airbnb has refunded them in full under the extenuating circumstances clause.  Another reason to wait until payout day.  

[Michelle-And-Steve0]

Thank you!  That is exactly what happened.  All is set.  

[Jessica-and-Henry0]

@Michelle-And-Steve0 

The guest can contact Airbnb and get a full refund thru the extenuating circumstances policy. You can explain since refunds typically always take at least a few days up to a week for the credit card charge to be cancelled or for the money to be re-deposited into the guest's account, it would be in the guest's best interest to cancel sooner than later 🙂 and that the closer the cancellation is to the booked dates, the more complicated it becomes for the back-office. Also that you'd appreciate it so the dates can be made available again. 

For guest cancellations, I make it a rule to never *refund* money that I haven't been paid yet. If I haven't recieved payment then technically there is nothing for ME to refund 🙂