After a long and tortuous conversation with airbnb, they are telling me that since this is a long term reservation, the cancellation policy does not apply. (That's news to me). I have been informed by the support team that long term rentals are not eligible for refund.
I find this policy extremely harsh. My guests are college and grad school students who stay with me one to three months during internships at local hospitals, law firms, or accounting firms. They book six months to a year in advance, paying the first month's rent at that time. This guest booked in August 2021 for April-May 2022. Her recently mother died. She can no longer afford to take up her internship in Houston.
Airbnb refuses to refund the charge to her credit card. If I authorize a refund now, the money will come from the payout I will receive from my current guest in December. I would be out the money until sometime in April 2022, when airbnb says they will pay me her first month's rent. (I just saw some pigs flying by the window.) I have left it with the guest that when/if I receive payment from airbnb, I will authorize a refund to her.
As for your question about my cancellations in February 2020, I suffered a heart attack and immediately cancelled 3 future reservations. Each guest had plenty of time to re-book with another host. My guest at that time stayed and completed his internship. Of course right about then covid happened. So I had time to recover and accepted no bookings. Fast forward to September 2021, I am hosting again. Airbnb deducted $150 from my September 2021 payout to penalize me for cancelling in 2020.