Being nice or being a business?

[Joni0]

Hi, 

we have been hosting for almost a year and so far been given 5 stars and good reviews. We pride ourselves on providing enough to give people a home away from home, while maintaining privacy and space to relax and enjoy a break. At times as a host, I feel we bend a lot to make our guests happy and go out of our way to give them what they need. It's about their experience at the end of the day and I get that. 

Recently ive had to quit my job for health reasons so air bnb has really become my share of the bread while I get myself together and I've prided myself on taking care of booking etc. I had an Instant booking for one night this weekend and myself and the guest exchanged a few messages, I made sure she had all the info to make her stay this coming weekend hassle free and easy.

Then I had a message to say the guest had gotten her dates mixed up and could she cancel. We hold a strict refund policy and although I feel bad for her and would ordinarily offer her a refund, we are also trying to run this as a business. We put the strict refund in place to avoid situations like this and hoped people would take their booking seriously. 

I feel this could turn into an issue and I'm not trying to be tight but this was her mistake and on this occasion I find myself wondering, should I be made to pay for the guests mistake? I might now lose out on a night's business and come off as being petty or the bad guy because my guest didn't read her booking correctly. 

I will offer her a 50% refund as a gesture should she dispute it, but I almost feel like I shouldn't have to. I didn't do anything wrong...

right?

[Cindy59]

I hear your money concerns but did she offer to book the actual night she was hoping to get?  If your place is not available I'd refund her at least 75%.

[Joni0]

She did but I'm in hospital so we've closed off our calendar for a few days. Perhaps I should offer something, it's a human error after all. Just frustrating as someone else could have booked.

[Sandra126]

If she cancelled shortly after booking (discovering mistake, oh no what have I done) I would refund in full. This has happened twice to me so far, one rebooked different date. If there was a longer timelapse and no time to get a new booking I would not refund beyond my cancellation policy.

[Dawn33]

This would be a tough call for me, too.

If she rebooks for the "correct" dates, maybe let her slide this time. If she is just talking about booking. I wouldn't refund any money.

This is your business. You can aim to always be nice, but nice isn't a synonym for "sucka!"

[Birgir0]

Being nice will allways pay in the end however that will turn out sooner or later. Don't get stuck on the money issue or the fact that you're entitled to payment. If people do not comply to agreement or follow to clear and simple rules then you have reason to raise the issue with the one in question. But mistakes are done all the time and the reasons why could be many but not us to guess or judge. Better to hope that the one is truthfully sorry(as 90 % of all people are nice) and that he/she will appreciate your forgiveness and pave it forward somehow;) to return as an investment on your behalf. 😉 later on.

[Deborah1]

I will refund minus a service charge if I can rebook it. If I can not rebook it, I might give a small refund but nothing like 50%. If you are going to refund, then no need to have strict cancellation.

[Patryk0]

I recently had a very similar issue. The guest cancelled a booking about 2 weeks before booking date. He claimed it was a family emergency and was very apolegetic. Under my strict cancellation policy, he gets a 50% refund.  He requested that he get a full refund. I was going to give him the full refund, but I read somewhere on this site that the Airbnb fee is NOT refundable. I did not want to be responsible for this fee so I refunded him half of what he asked for. Since I am still new to Airbnb, I do not fully understand the fees yet, but I feel like what I did was fair.  

[Deborah1]

He can apply for refund to airbnb and if he can prove emergency, will likely get full refund.

[Penni-and-Peter0]

My client had an emergency. She cancelled a few days before and lost it all.

Very lovely person but at that time I had a strict cancelleation policy.  

  Hell, the few times I've had to change my tix on an airline they never refunded me and I had a good excuse.

If it's in you with your illness, refund  %50.  As it seems she did screw her dates up. But still, not your fault. 

[Clare0]

@Joni0 did you or the guest submit an alteration request to change the dates?  That would have been better than canceling if the new dates were available. 

[Chris138]

As Abnb Hosts, remember we are in competition with the local Inns and established hotels and Lodging Chains.

 Regarding your question, Just call up a number of them close by and inquire about their cancellation policies, then follow suit with the rest.  Do what is typical and expected in your area.

Remember, many travelers would rather book an established hotel chain with a known business image than take a chance on staying in someone's home, who isn't known. 

I'd let it go and just book someone else for the night if possible.  If you need to book every single night without ever experiencing vacancy, this is the wrong business for you. Expecting to book and get paid for every single night as an Abnb is not very realistic in the hotel/lodging business.  No matter what, there wil be  nights that some nights every host won't book, as is the case in the Hotel/Motel business..  Who will you charge for normal flucuations supply and demand ?

[Daniel127]

I personally only refund as required by my booking policy. If a guest has a problem I just tell them to contact Airbnb. If it was a cancellation made on the same day then I would reconsider as I'd feel it was clearly a mistake.

[Tessa13]

I recently had a similar situation and policy is exactly the same as yours.  We discovered that if the guest goes into her booking, there is a listing of change/amend booking. Please note this can only be done by the guest. There the booking can be altered and they only pay the fee to Air B & B.  My guest did not quible with that and altered her booking successfully.  Maybe, like me you suggest this option should it happen to you again.  Hope this helps