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???

[Jeanne15]

Y

[Matthew285]

@David2023 while the change is NOT popular with hosts, I think you may have misread what the 48 hour change was.

AirBnB added a 48-hour grace period to the Strict Cancellation policy.

This 48 hour grace period means that if a guest cancels a reservation within the first 48 hours after making a reservation, they can get a full refund. Note that the travel date MUST be at least 14 days in the future for this policy to apply.

Specifically, the 48-hour grace period does NOT mean that guests can wait until 48 hours before arrival and cancel penalty-free.

Think of the 48 hour grace period as being similar to the "cooling off" period that allows you to cancel a deal if it is immediately after you signed the paperwork.

They are talking about the 48 hours after making the reservation: the *first* 48 hours, not the last.

Again, it has nothing to do with cancelling 48 hours before arrival.

[David2023]

Matthew,

Thanks for the info and I hope you are correct as I thought it was so onerous of a change! I have no problem if the guest cancels within 48 hours of actually making the booking! I was just panicked that the guest could cancel up to 48 hours of arrival. Please note they do have a policy of "extenuating circumstances" that a guest can cancel and get a full refund if someone in their party is sick or their flights are cancelled as I had both of those happen to me in the last 3 months and I lost $6,348 dollars! Both guests were within 48 hours of arrival!

David

[Matthew285]

@David2023 Yes! The stories of the guests with "Extenuating Circumstances" are legion.

If all the guests with "Extenuating Circumstances" stories were entirely true, I think our hospitals would be overflowing with sick relatives.

I am sorry that the Extenuating Circumstances policy cost you so much money!

I completely understand the concern over the 48 hour policy change. Often AirBnB does *not* do a good job of letting hosts know when they are going to make a major policy change. It is often up to the hosts to let each other know, and we often don't fully understand it ourselves.

It is a recipe for confusion.

[Huu0]

With "48 hour cancellation", I believe that guests can only cancel with 48 hours after the date that BOOKING is made, not 48 hours BEFORE arrival date. You can choose a strickly cancellation for your property, so guests cancel within 30 days before arrival date will get back noting but taxes and Airbnb fee.

Neil

[Linda861]

My concern is that when a recent guest booked, and then cancelled only 2 hours later, he had already gained access to my listing details.

It seems an awkwardly easy way for scammers to scam.

[Matthew285]

@Linda861 did you see that there is a setting in your listings to keep your contact information private until the 48-hour "free cancellation" period has ended? (Or when the guest gives up their right to cancel for free)?

[Linda861]

No!  Where is that setting?

THank you Michael

[Ange2]

@Linda861   Go to location section, scroll down, it's at the bottom, there is a check box you can click to prevent details being sent out. I would also edit your manual if it has any information you do not guests to get before 48 hours because I think that is still sent out.

[Jennifer81]

Exactly right!

[Taylor-and-Jason0]

Linda, I couldn’t agree more.  Makes the situation for the host rather uncomfortable!!

[Noelene9]

cancell in that 48hr window

Matthew where do you go to cancell 48hr window

[Mali10]

Yes, the 48 hours from time of booking (NOT check-in) at least 14 days before check-in favours the host, not the guest. Give me Booking.com anyday.

[Dena42]

I think Airbnb definitely protects the hosts and their wording is very confusing on the 48 hours cancellation policy!   Honestly, why book an Airbnb and not be able to cancel within say 30 days of your reservation??  It's very unfair to the guests and you can book a hotel and cancel within 24 hours before arrival usually.   YES, I understand in an Airbnb situation, that seems unfair, BUT 48 hours after booking is definitely unreasonable and ridiculous when your reservation is potentially months away...just horrible for a guest when so much can happen between now and then!   BAD chance to take and wouldn't book a strict policy reservation!!  GUESTS BEWARE!