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@Sharon1014
I don't think Brian Chesky looks a wreck, but he certainly was more relaxed in previous videos. Well, we all are under some kind of tension nowadays.
@Anonymous nailed it by saying that all the travelplans of everybody have become fragile. Today, You can't really foretell what the outcome of a planned travel will be. But somehow guests don't seem to understand what's going right now.
For a peroid of 70 years, starting from WWII (sorry @Ann72 for mentioning the war) until 2019 travelplans were predictable. In 97% of all cases Your plans became reality. These times are gone. Today, if You plan a travel a couple of months out, there only is a 50% chance that Your journey will be happening.
What guests expect though is, that they can make reservations months out and if it goes wrong, we, the hosts, should carry 100% of the risk and they get all their money back.
I had 2 groups of guests (no airbnb but direct bookings) that were renting a stay over christmas and New Year, the reservations were made early in october 2020. I told both guests that we all do not know if they will be able to actually stay here due to unpredictable government regulations. So I told them on the phone: You have to make a 50% downpayment into my account, if You can't stay here, You will lose Your downpayment and I will not get the other half of the payment. Fair enough, isn't it?
I asked both guests: Do You still want to make this reservation knowing full well, that You may lose Your downpayment? Both guests answered:
Of course I did put everything in writing, nonetheless both guest are now threatening to sue me over their downpayment. I already have a 3 page attorneys letter inhouse which is BS from A to Z. They are now trying to weasel out of what they have expressively agreed upon. Sorry, but not with Ute. I have enough money to fight this through and they will not get a dime.
Also, there's a group10 guys who had rented my place 7 times in the past already. They had booked an extended weekend in may 2020 for $1000. Due to government regulations their stay fell through. We moved their reservation to may 2021, so they didn't lose their downpayment but obviousely I made a loss of $500 in 2020 as they couldn't stay. I told them that, should I not be able to host them in may 2021, I will not once again move their reservation to 2022 and they may lose their entire downpayment of $500. I told them that If they don't agree to this, I will cancel their reservation and immedeately return their money. They finally agreed.
The way I see it: If a guest makes a reservation for my place months out, there are 2 seperate payments due:
A reservation fee of 50%. The equivalent to this payment is, that I am holding the reservation for a limited time, not renting my place to someone else.
A „You can actually stay at my place fee“ of another 50%.
The good news for my guests: The second fee is only due if the guests can actually stay with me. If they can't, they are saving 50%.
I do not understand fellowhosts that are holding reservations for a summerholliday months out under a moderate or flexible cancellation policy.
Have a nice day.
cc: @Sarah977 @Christine615 @Cathie19