Date Changes

[Brittany58]

I have a moderate cancellation policy for both of my listing but have run into a few issues where guests will reserve the house and then adjust dates, rather than cancel, inside the cancellation window. This results in situations where I have lost up to a week's worth of bookings at the last minute. Is there any way to combat this other than switching to a strict cancellation policy? I supposed I could deny the date change request, but feel like that would result in a negative review.

[Letti0]

@Brittany58   This is a common scam used as a way for guests to get around your cancellation policy. Tell them you can not change dates. If you can rebook any of the dates you will reimburse them. You have your cancellation policy in place for a reason. Use it, they kept your calendar blocked and prevented another possible booking during all that time. If they cancel they can not review you. They will get some money back, but not all of it when they cancel on their own. 

FYI:

DO NOT CANCEL a reservation, DO NOT ACCEPT any message about cancelling, changing or refunding DECLINE it a loophole that comes back to bite you and gives guests back their service fees and/or voids your cancellation policy (changing dates) or the cancellation is now on you, not the guests. DO NOT REFUND anything until actual cash has been given to you by AirBNB. If you refund they will take the money from you and a lot of times guests get refunded from both AirBnB and you if you do this, then you have a fight to get your money back. Tell the guest you do not deal with the booking funds that is all on AirBnB's end.