BEWARE of "Guest requests that you cancel"

[Jessica-and-Henry0]

It happened to me. And I'm seeing that there have been many others like me.

All hosts~ please be aware~

Upon receiving the message "GUEST requests that you cancel" you will be faced with 2 options (1) Cancel (2) Keep reservation.

Unless you DO want to be penalized for a host cancellation - DO NOT click on cancel.

Click on "keep reservation" because the guest does not need the host's consent or approval or agreement to cancel. This is just another ploy to TRICK hosts into taking the blame.

Guest requests that YOU cancel - the second you click CANCEL this will become a HOST CANCELLATION. 

This will negatively affect your commitment rate, and Airbnb will do nothing about it. They will say, you (host) agreed to cancel so this is a host cancellation - and you only have yourself to blame for agreeing to cancel. 

[Bella18]

I am also a new host , and I am agree that security deposit should be added, but how much ? Or how to calculate tha sum of security deposit? Who can advise?

Bella

[Ali40]

@Jessica-and-Henry0 I've always assumed that my listing is my responsibility since I own the property, but I still have a security deposit amount listed, in the event that something happens that would warrant me submitting a claim to Airbnb. If I don't have a deposit listed, my chances of collecting on a claim are less likely. I also think that having a posted security deposit discourages guests that are less respectful of the property of others. 

[City-Limits-Ranch0]

If your Guest tells AirBnb

"My Host, he wants to cancel Me!"

AirBnb will email you.

They'll  ask you if

This tale is true.

What should you do?

You should decline!

The reservation is quite fine!

Just tell them no.

If he wants out

Then he may go but there's no doubt

The Guest should have to pay the price.

You're quite the Host,  but not THAT nice.

[Kelea-and-Gord0]

1) NEVER accept a guest's request to cancel THEIR booking after it has been confirmed. I recently had just such a situation and the guest tried to assure me he was very well versed in all things Airbnb, and it would cost me nothing. Feeling more than uncertain, and relatively new to Airbnb, I contacted customer support directly and confirmed that I would indeed be the one charged, the guest would be financially saved from his poor planning, and it would affect my overall rating/ranking/approval..whatever, in the process. I was able to get the CSR to waive the nonrefundable cancellation portion that I was entitled to (did this as a courtesy to the guest that he really did not deserve), but it took me plenty of time to make this happen. Avoiding this in future by asking the questions the guest should have in the first place.

2) STAY AWAY FROM INSTANT BOOK. You have virtually no guest vetting or cancellation control beyond back-peddaling, and such circumstances will only result in a mess. Do the up-front work of a 24hr request, screen the guests with whatever questions you need to (you will have history in the dialogue that way as well) and decline a guest request if you feel at all uncomfortable. I'm about to do that in the next 10 minutes as a guest with only one review on her (an unfavourable one, but I was giving her benefit of doubt...Hosts aren't always perfect) elected to disregard specific questions I had asked of her before I would accept her request. She was either lazy and didn't read my note, or conveniently skipped over the pertinent information request. In either case the result comes down to the same...declining as we are uncomfortable with this booking request.

I will always take decline in ranking, or the potential loss of some 'gold star' status that amounts to very little anyway, over an undesirable staying in my home.

[Jim-and-Marcia0]

@City-Limits-Ranch0  Sounds like you've been reading a bit too much Dr. Seuss! Love your creativity!

[Jessica-and-Henry0]

@City-Limits-Ranch0

🙂 Please post this somewhere where many more hosts and guests can see it.

Made me smile....Thank you!

[Zacharias0]

Thats nothing new although the wording may be. To the fly by night hosts or those who are new it may catch them off guard the first time. To those who have been doing this awhile we are use to keeping our guard up and reading everything twice.

[Stacey27]

I have been hosting for 3 years and I am listed as the primary host for a property my husband and I have out of town. Apparently an email went to my husband yesterday (no Airbnb message, just an email.) saying The guest requested a host cancellation and that if he didn’t respond within 24 hours it will be cancelled under his account automatically.) I am the primary host because I check my email regularly and we both always have the Airbnb app on our phones. He didn’t check his email and the booking was cancelled under his own name on the day of check in (2:58pm) so we didn’t get paid out at all. I was never notified first or last as primary host. We have a strict cancellation policy and it was day of check in...how is this possible?

[Jessica-and-Henry0]

@Zacharias0

I was informed that for guest cancellations, the host is not penalized. Then when I got the message, I thought to myself "strange wording~"

But in any case THE GUEST sent the request and I personally did not want to host that particular guest anyway (so of course I did not want to click on "keep reservation")

Despite the icky feeling I was getting from the wording I clicked on cancel. I'm sure some people will not fall for this..... but I did and I have seen that there have been people like me. 

Great if you already knew~ but not everyone has your level of experience 🙂 

I'm a new host on my 4th month of hosting.....and just wanted to warn new hosts to be careful so they can learn from my mistake. 

[Darlene23]

Thanks for the info. I am new and did not know

[Blanca33]

hi thanks you for the clarificacion! I'm new on this ,

my guess requested to cancel and I acepted to find out that I was penalized for the cancelation !

[Bella18]

If your guest requested to cancel they need to initiate their cancellation, they need to call customer service, not you

ypu should continue to.write to your potential guest that you are

still ready to host them and don't give up until they cancel

good luck

ready to 

[Chris519]

I'm with you on this one. I fell for it ONCE and got threatened with my listing being suspended, or my listing paused or $50 fine, and so on. I do not appreciate this tone from Airbnb specially when it is the guest who is at fault. They have a calendar at their disposal to see availability and STILL instant book a date that is not available. Why do Airbnb accept their booking? they also see your calendar. You notify the potential guest that the date they require is not available, then you get asked to cancel!! Then it begins all over again!! Threats!! One more threat or bad tone I'm off. I will NEVER cancel, if the instantly booked guest wants a refund, they can fight Airbnb for it.

Rant over, thanks for the opportunity. 🙂

[Mahrita0]

i agree this tone and attitude airbnb are taking is childish (no gold star for you today) who cares about super host who care about stars change this way oF judging host or i am off to i will set up a petition and see how other host feel about this childish behaviour its started DO YOU HAVE A SPARE ROOM INTO A 5 STAR HOTEL EXPERIANCE AS IVE SAID  NO HOST NO AIRBNB YOU ARE NOT THE ONLY ADVERTISING FOR ROOM LETS THE WAY YOU TREAT YOUR HOST IS DISGUSTING SOME DEPEND ON IT TO PAY THERE MORGAGAGE NOT ME THANK GOD I WOULD BE WORRIED SICK WONDERING WHAT PUNISHMENT I WOULD BE RECEIVING NEXT, SORT OUT THIS STUPID STAR CARRY ON AND THOSE HOST WHO WANT TO BE SUPER HOST LET THEM GET ON WITH IT BUT THOSE WHO ARE DOING IT TO PAY BILLS LEAVE THEM ALONE ITS A PRIVATE ROOM TO RENT NOT A DEGREE IN ENTERTAINMENT   GHANGE THIS NOW

[Susan608]

I agree! I have 95% 5 star ratings with an overall 4.9 star rating and 100% response rate within 1 hour and I'm no longer a superhost because of a cancellation when a crazy lady using someone else's account showed up drugged out on my door stoop and caused a scene. "A" can keep their stupid superhost medal. People read reviews and ratings and I don't think guests even care about superhost status anyway if 95% of your ratingsare 5 star and you have great reveiws. I do depend on the income so it's not fair to place monetary fines on hosts.

[Linda-And-Richard0]

After reading numerous comments on cancellations, seems to me the Instant Book is not a good option for Hosts.  It may be very convenient for the guests but we are the ones that suffer from a potinital guests inability to correctly use/read a calendar.  I have set my calendar so there is always a blocked date between bookings.  This way I have plenty of time to get my listing ready for the next guest.  Our property is an entire house with 3 bedrooms, 2 full bathrooms and a large kitchen.  I do a walkthrough with all guests upon arrival and again as they are ready to leave.   I go over the major house rules, No Smoking, No Pets, No Parties before I confirm a booking and I have a detailed copy of the house rules posted in the kitchen.  

[Danielle263]

You should start an advice thread for new hosts, as your observations and advice are rock solid.  

[Jiw0]

No it's not convenient for guests either.    Because guests don't read.  If they put in an inquiry first then we can have a friendly chat if my place will be a good match for them.   With instantbook they think you're Expedia.com.

[Bella18]

Thanks Linda for your publication,I just yesterday eliminate instant booking, and it wasn't easy

i tried several times , answer all questions why I am doing the change, the reason, but it was stating over and over only instant, until I asked how many times I need answer same things, and I never choose then instant booking in first place.

I am also like to know how to block days when you need to be out of town, like family leave or vacation. Maybe you know how to do such things

very appreciate

vacation

[Linda-And-Richard0]

Hi Bella,

To block dates, go to your calendar and click on the first date you want to block.  To the right of the screen, you will see an option to make the date unavailable.  You can do a date at a time or several consecutive days.  Most importatn, be sure to SAVE the change.  Once you do this, I suggest you review your calendar at least once per week to make sure your blocked dates have not "magically" become available.  This happened to me after I blocked 3 months for Winter Texans that rent our property.  I received a request to book dates I knew should have been unavailable.  When I checked my calendar, my blocked dates were ALL open for use.  I reblocked the dates but still had the dates open up, one at a time, for the next few weeks.  Very frustrating. 

Linda

[Bella18]

Linda, you are absolutely right, I fallow your suggestion and blocked three month for the same reason as you mentioned.

i get very tired to clean precisely before and after and I like to have a break from this .

i have some relative who like to stay for three month , it's less money, but less hard work.

i blocked my calendar about 10 days ago and found today that my blocked days are unblocked!

For sure I saved those days, but they misteriously. get unblocked  and I blocked them again

 the Airbnb  continuing to press me to switch to instant booking again,  and lowering the price, so far I refused, because it's not make any sense to me