Does anyone like the 48 hour cancellation policy?

[David2023]

Does anyone really like the new 48 hour cancellation policy? When I sigend up with Airbnb 6 years ago I had a 60 day cancellation policy and it worked just fine. Then about 3 years ago they cut it down to 30 days (without even telling me they had made the change). The a few months back they changed it to 7 days and now it is 48 hours? Are you kidding me! Why don't they say guest can cancel anytime they want with out any penalties. No host can re book their property within 48 hours of a arrival date. This is so one sided for the guests!!

I had two cancellations back in January and Decmebr with guets arriving within 48 hours canceling and I took a hit for $6348 in revenue from that experience. Now it is even going to acclerate! 

Add insult to the injury as Airbnb just announced that if a host cancels a guest the first one we get a warning, the second time we are fined $50 the third time we are fined $100 and the fourth time we get kicked off of airbnb? Wow that seems fare doesn't it. I have had more cancellations in the past three months then I had in the prior 6 years before. Does Brian Chesky listen to half of his business partners, the hosts???

[Barry105]

These are my thoughts and comments.  I been on airbnb from there begining. I was removed and suspended for a year for canceling a reservation.  Airbnb didn't like the way we handled it and we were gone for a year.  

Even with all the crap we go through they are the only realy game in town.  There the microsoft of the industry.  For every booking we get on VRBO, booking.com, EXpedia, homeaway, direct, VRBO.  We receive 4 on airbnb.  So some times we just shut our mouths and deal with it.  The instant bookings and then complaints about things they should have asked about before booking, or the "there is no wifi" but they didn't put the pw in correct and never bothered to call or write and ask and just say there was no wifi.  The list goes on and on.

Now we use a channel software bed24.  The nice thing is they charge you by how many listings and how many connections.  So it's right for the little guy and or the big guy.   What works best is that you can pick Super strict 60 or 30.  I have to check if this cool off is part of that.  The other nice thing is that when your within the 60 or 30 you get paid out.  No waiting no day after.  Right then and there.  A negative was all my listings had to be re-done through the channel as XML and erased the old listings which had a ton of positive feedback.  All that disappeared.  I wish there was a real competitor to Airbnb.  there isn't.  I don't think there ever will be.  The deck keeps being reshuffled more in favor of the bookers then the host.  It's sad but it's true.  We decline a lot of people.  Who don't want to disclose how many will be comming.  Or a photo of themselves in there profile.  Or who want to party so hard that we are wondering if we are renting discos or apartments.  But when we lost the airbnb revenue for a year we were hurting.

[Dave23]

We just had our first exasperating experience of the 48 hour policy.  As always I swung into action immediately on receiving the booking but came up against the obstacle of not being able to tell the confirmed guest how to get to the apartment or give her the mobile number of the person meeting her with keys for 48 hours.  Quite understandably she was spooked and cancelled after I had arranged the meet and greet, cleaners etc and wasted much time communicating.  We normally send reams of information and contact details to give the guests reassurance straightaway. It's worked well for fourteen years. Airbnb need to start listening.   Make this policy optional.  We don't want it.

[Erica287]

This has to be the absolutel worst verbiage ever written about a cancellation policy.  even the pictures are not helpful.  not even the host i booked with six months ago understood it.  absolutely unforgivably awful.  they should say "You have 48 hours to change your mind with no penalty as long as that is more than 14 days from your arrival".  How simple could this possibly be?

[Claire968]

If I booked yesterday and would like to cancel, but my booking starts in 48 hours, will this cancellation show up on my feed? 

[Alice595]

@Claire968  Depending on the cancellation policy of the listing you booked, you may not get full refund. 

You may read the help article from Airbnb.

https://www.airbnb.com/home/cancellation_policies#flexible

[David307]

Having been a host for five years I have seen a steady progression toward the guests versus host.  I have also had to deal with those sticky situations when a guest wants to cancel and generally there is an excuse of a sick relative.  While I know this can happen it is more often some other reason they are bailing out.  Having also been a guest at over forty airbnb's domestically and in Greece,  there is always a concern about losing money as a guest if something does change.  As a host when you have a 150 unit hotel then you have  a greater probability of renting those out on short notice.  When you have a single unit it is far less likely.  The 48 hour rule does seem reasonable and a guest can do that 3 times a year without any penalty.  

[Linda2652]

As a Guest renting accommodations, I think this "Full-Refund Cancellation-Within 48hrs-Of-Booking" policy is extremely off-putting to potential renters.  Who in their right mind is going to book something (especially an extended stay or a week/10 days) that is months ahead of when they book w/o knowing what could possibly occur in their lives before their arrival date that would prevent them from keeping that reservation?  Especially in this day and age of things like COVID - or just Life!  As a consumer (and aren't we all) why would you buy anything w/o an assurance you could return for whatever reasonable reason?  Why would someone literally gamble an entire reservation's value ($$$$) on the "hope" they'll be able to keep that reservation months down the road?  

I've wanted to book several places recently for at least two - three months ahead, but because of the 48-hr cancellation policy and gamble that I'll lose all my money if I had to cancel even a week after I made the reservation, I've bypassed those rentals.  I'd have made them in a heartbeat if it weren't for that risk of losing all my money.  I'd have better odds in Vegas.  

This policy is not only unfair to guests, but kind of shoots the hosts in the foot by losing numerous potential renters who are put off by the possibility of losing all their money.

[Mike-And-Jane0]

@Linda2652 there are many cancellation policies available to hosts (and hence guests). Some will charge the guest post the 48hr cancellation period, others allow free cancellation up to the point of arrival.

As a guest you can choose a place with a flexible cancellation policy if you want. There is nothing unfair in this as those of us with more restrictive policies are well aware we may get fewer bookings as a result of our choice.

[Linda2652]

I appreciate your response & can appreciate the unsettling nature of last-minute cancellations to the host's detriment.  However, since most of my AIRBNB stays are made months in advance and can be geographically specific, it's not that easy finding rental venues that suit our needs.  So when I find something that's pretty much ideal, but has that 'cancel within 48-hour-for-a-full-refund' caveat, I'm unwilling (despite my desire to stay at that place) to book it for fear I'll lose, at best, half my money if something comes up in my life as soon as a week later that would cause me to cancel.  (Let alone something untoward arising a month after booking and perhaps weeks before actual reservation date.) 

I understand some hosts will chose this strict cancellation policy for their protection against n'er-do-well, irresponsible renters.   But it is renter-unfriendly and, as I mentioned before, off-putting to folks like us who are more conscientious. 

[Rick4791]

I agree with this person views completely. Its now stopping us booking an apartment in Sapporo 12 months ahead. Will look elsewhere. 😞

[Sandra856]

@Rick4791 why is it stopping you - what kind of cancellation policy do the host got? As a guest you are actually benefiting from the 48 hours extra period you get to cancel penalty free. 

[Elizabeth2991]

I reserved a house july 14. By July 16 I had to cancel due to an issue with my teens refusing to go to this house I booked, accommodations were not ideal but I’m human and didn’t realize right away. Well on the 16th I told the host I needed to cancel. She said she understood and said I’m within the 48 hour window so I could get a full refund. I had not used Airbnb so wasn’t sure how and so she said just request the refund and let her know what happens. So I did and it said I get 50%, I showed her the screenshot and she’s like oh ok just call Airbnb. I explained to her that I tried contacting them but they kept telling me she has to just approve the request. She said oh I haven’t been paid yet so just cal airbnb. At that point I had to work so I told her ok I’ll calm tomorrow. Once the next day came I was on the chat and also phone with aairbnb for hours trying to resolve this. Mind you my trip is a month and a half away so this can still be booked. It’s not like I was canceling s day or even days before. The host sudddnly changed on me saying I cannot get my full refund. I’m like what? You just said you’d guve me the full refund? You see I tried everything before the 48 hours was up but eventually the request was delayed. So now she turned on me and said it’s after 48 hours. She deliberately misguided me so that the situation escalates outside the 48 hour window. This has been an u fair nightmare ! So you see for the owner it’s fun to keep our money but this is extremely unfair and people will just avoid Airbnb and this stupid 48 hour window nonsense all together!! I literally despise Airbnb right now for allowing a host to unfairly take my money and ruin my vacation!!! Will never book here again. So you see by keeping our money like this, you end up losing more that you win.

[Aaiyn0]

Hi @Elizabeth2991 

- 

I have been a 5 star Hostess for over 10 years and this is my first time on this conversation thread - see, always more to learn !

First - I am so sorry for your painful experience - - clearly a snafu.  Please call Airbnb again - explain your situation completely . . . and I know they will clear this up for you. 

Guests and Host/esses are each vetted and held responsible.  I know you will get this cleared up - - 

Airbnb is an amazing global community -  creating a people-to-people economy - - and the opportunity for an  on-going practice in being highly respectful and comfortably in community - - 

YES - please do try calling Airbnb again and being completely thorough in sharing your experience and your precise process.  I know they will help clear this up - - 

Best to you -

Aaiyn