24 hour policy

[Deborah1055]

Hi there! I'm having struggles with the 24-hour period airbnb offers guests to pay them and for a reservation to be confirmed. I am about to lose a weekend of renters b.c. someone who asked for the dates last night, and who I approved, is not paying airbnb.

I have messaged them to please cancel if they do not intend on staying, to no avail. Since the rental starts tomorrow, if they do not pay (the 24-hour period is up at 9PM tonight), I will essentially lose out on a weekend rental. 

Thoughts?

[Sarah977]

@Deborah1055  You could contact customer service and ask to remove the block, as the guests are not responding to your message. It's worth a try.

And unless last minute bookings are your main type of bookings, I would set advance notice to two days, so this can't happen again. 

[Deborah1055]

Hey Sarah thanks for this! Yeah ... I have it set to two days which technically it was, but now he hasn't paid and his ability to lock up those dates lasts 24 hours. When I contacted customer service, they said there was nothing they could do. Sigh. 

[Colleen253]

@Deborah1055 Yes, this is infuriating when it happens. Most times the guest completes payment but I have had it happen where they don't, and the booking expires. Try CS again, and stress that the guest is not replying to you, and you are uncomfortable with this booking request because of that. Insist that they withdraw it. Good luck!

[Deborah1055]

Thank yo for your support. I'm on hold with customer service again with someone who seems to understand the issue and will hopefully amend and I can get it re-listed and rented!

[Angelica-Y-Jorge0]

@Deborah1055 calling Airbnb is the correct thing to do. Here is steps provided by Sean from Airbnb Automated. He has a lot of listings and I follow a lot of his advice.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rp6wX3phodk

[Elisabeth40]

@Angelica-Y-Jorge0 

I called, not really useful and steals more time. Just cancel instead and leave a note, the guests can reapply again

[Mary996]

Many thanks for this input @Elisabeth40 . Does this not result in a penalty for the Host for cancelling?

[Elisabeth40]

@Deborah1055 

I had the same problem sometimes, now I figured out how to deal with it. I just cancel on the guest with a note that they can reapply again if they are ready to pay. And most of the time they never do anyways. I would always get another booking. I feel like if someone really needs a place to stay, they would care. 

[Karol22]

I completely resonate with this! I don't know why sometimes after I accept a reservation Airbnb states they're unable to collect and I'm unable to cancel the reservation. If there were a feature request to give me the ability to cancel without penalty in these situations, I would definitely suggest it.