guests want to alter/cancel long term reservation - what should I do?

[Andrea630]

Hello!

My guests asked for staying for 3 months and negotiated me down to a lower price given it was for a fair amount of time. I gave them more discount than what is the monthly discount rate, but I was fine with that as long term at this time it was fine for me. 

Now after just about 10 days after checking in they want to 'cancel/alter' their reservation. 

Their understanding is that they would need to pay out for 30 days after the cancellation  - and they can stay till then as well, and they can leave after the 30 days (paid) is over. All together after a month and barely a half, for the daily low price they negotiated me down to (and my calendar was tsaying booked all this time for the 3 months theyu initially wanted. 

Can they do that? is there nodeposit/penalty for them for canceling? 

One reading of the cancellation policy is that they need to move out immediately as they cancel and a 30 day payment is still coming to me. Their reading of the situation is that they can stay till the end of the 30 day. 

What is the actual policy and what do people here recommend? Do I need to let them stay? For the same low price?  And just make the stay 'shorter'?

Is there any protection for the host here? 

Can guests give me a bad review if I dont just refund them? ....

What is recommended, please help, let me know,

Thank you!!

**

[Clare0]

@Andrea630 As I read it, if the guest alters their reservation to a shorter stay, you still will be paid for the remaining nights not paid for or 30 nights whichever is less.  Once the stay is altered, your calendar should be freed up for other guests so it doesn't make sense to me that they could stay past the new, agreed upon, check out date even though they paid for additional nights under the long term cancellation policy. 

I'd advise contacting Airbnb to see if my theory is true.  Or, other hosts who have experienced this might chime in. 

Go to the Community Help Guides to find all the ways to contact Airbnb.  I would be very interested to know what the outcome turns out to be. 

Thanks!

[Andrea9]

@Andrea630

Yes, follow @Clare0 's sound advice to contact Airbnb about this.

I don't even follow your guests' logic it's so inside-out.

To the price:  

I agree to give somebody a super discount for taking a whole-sale size  90kilo barrel of apples, buy that agreement automatically flies out the window and certainly can't expect to only pay the whole-sale price if they change their mind and decide to only take a retail amount of 30kilos.

[Andrea630]

thank you!

Yes,  great illustration of the issue. 

thank you!

[Andrea630]

It sounds like it is possible to do so: negotiate price down and leave within 30 days, by on wholesale price and stay only retail... 

:((( Even though everyone seemed to give understanding that there is penalty, it seems I m getting answer from airbnb that anything beyond 30 days is their choice.. so if they give me min 30 days' motice, there seem to be no issues here

Anyone to complain to about ths? or just swallow up?

[Andrea630]

OK, new info:

I can do the alterations for them and I can add whatever new price I want (?? still to check this out?)

[Gerry-And-Rashid0]

@Andrea630

Your guests are wrong - they alter their reservation and include a new check out date. Your cancellation policy then comes into effect from that checkout date. Otherwise there is no 'penalty' for cancelling! They do not then earn the right to stay another x number of days to redeem the penalty they pay.

[Andrea630]

Thank you so much! 

It makes so much more sense to read it like you do. 

Would you give them any refund if they asked though? they claim shortness of moneying to move,  , however they rented out my flat knowing the costs and agreeing to it, so Im not impressed. ... but dont want bad review as a result... 

[Clare0]

@Andrea630 Maybe I'm hard nosed, (and I don't know the people as you do) but my gut reaction is not to give a refund.  They are in control about whether they stay or cancel.  If they have extenuating circumstances they can appeal to Airbnb and provide evidence of it. 

As to the review, remember you can always respond if they leave a negative review.  I'd stick to my guns and not be bullied by the prospect of a negative review.  The $'s in my pocket would matter more to me.  Just sayin'.

[Andrea630]

Thanks Clare,

Good to hear this confident business point of view. 

I'm still relatively new, (only just over 2 months old here:)

So thank you!!

*** 

[Andrea630]

Good morning!

New day, new confusion, I cant find clarity between these terms: 

cancellation date - check out date. 

It seems to me it is a loophole, please help, I cant find where it says they HAVE TO pay AFTER they checked out. Otherwise I totally get the logic that they should not have the right to use cancellation fee for rent, but ut does not seem clear by the letter.

"If the guest books a reservation and decides to cancel the reservation during their stay, the guest must use the online alteration tool in order to agree to a new checkout date. Regardless of the checkout date chosen, the guest is required to pay the host for the 30 days following the cancellation date, or up to the end date of the guest’s original reservation if the remaining portion of the original reservation is less than 30 days."https://www.airbnb.com/home/cancellation_policies#long-term

is it possible that they cancel today - giving their checkout day for 30 days in advance, so they don't pay penalty (as they give 30 days notice) and checkout only then, 30 day later? and no penalty, cancellation fee etc if they give 30 days notice?

Thank you!

[Marit-Anne0]

@Andrea630

Try and use the alteration tool from your end and see what the calculation looks like.  It would be interesting to know as none of us find these long term rules very clear.  

I have used the tool to alter short term reservations and then it calculates the day rates correctly and apply my weekly discount when appliccable.

Normally when there is a cancellation, guests must move out and dates are freed up.

[Andrea630]

it seems that they do:((( 

Anything with 30 days' notice seems ok for even long term cancellation policy. It seems. 

Doesnt feel right. 

Any suggestions?

One can just alter on the airnbn alterations page and no penalty shows up whatsoever, and it seems Im getting the response that it is ok.

a lesson... 

[Andrea630]

Just one correction in this- it looks Its only so if I agree. Host need to agree to change...

[Jayssie0]

Hi Andrea,

Sorry to hear that. I'm facing this problem too. I have guest booked for 3 months. Then after 1 week stayed they want to moved our and just altered the date and ask me accept.

May I know how you settle at the end? 

If the guest can just simple alter the date. Why airbnb want to put down the 30nights penalty charge?