Guest Refunds on Same Day as Check-in?

[Tracy100]

Today I had a reservation for a guest that was supposed to check-in this afternoon.  The room was ready and I was here waiting to meet the him.  He said there was a possibility he wouldn't be able to arrive today but didn't ask for a change or contact me at any point durin the day so I assumed he would be arriving.

I just receved a notification from Airbnb that the guest wasn't able to check-in and had received a $30 refund!  I don't understand why I was penalized when I was ready, willing and able to meet him and check him in.  

I can understand the guest getting a refund if I wasnt' here to meet the him but in this case he just didn't show up.  This seems very unfair.

Has any one else had this experience?

Thank you.

[Branka-and-Silvia0]

@Tracy100

he lied so he can get his money back. And , as ABB always hold guests side - he succeded.

But, as far as I know , guest always get back a cleaning fee.

[Cormac0]

@Tracy

Airbnb are a law unto themselves, in my opinion there are two contract in existence

1. The contract between the Guest and Airbnb.

2. The Contract between Airbnb and the Host.

Further evidence of this is, both parties get charged a fee (offer, acceptance and “consideration”) and that Airbnb are the ultimate abatures in the case of conflict.

In my country of birth, one of the basis of judging self-employment for income tax purposes is that one has sole decision making control, in this case it is obvious we don’t.

It could be argued (I suspect at some stage; a Person will take a legal challenge) that AirBnb should absorb the cost of these cancelation/amend as AirBnb have agreed to except the guest bono fidaes without any Host involvement.

I find it so annoying that Airbnb can get away with this behaviour while still taking their fee based on assets they neither own nor lease and letting the Host suck up the cost in lost income, time, and resources.

Tracy, I feel your pain.

Regards

Cormac

The Explorer’s Club Krakow III

The Explorer’s Club Krakow VIII

[Annette33]

@Tracy100 , sorry this guest didn't show up and has apparently received a $30 refund from Airbnb. Without knowing any details, it's impossible to say what exactly happened. For sure, the guest gets the cleaning fee refunded if it was a no show, and up to 3x a year his/her Airbnb service fee. 

Beyond that , with your moderate cancellation policy in place, one would think that the first night is non refundable. but perhaps the guest pleaded extenuating circumstances with Airbnb, and that would override your cancellation policy. Right now it looks like the property of yours for  $30 a night is blocked out all together for the next few months.  Perhaps that has something to do with the aborted booking?

Only you know the details, if it was a one night stay, for which property of yours the reservation was made, and if you actually did get to keep part of the income from the reservation. Sorry you missed out on this reservation, but I'm not sure  the $30 refund to the guest can be seen as a penalty on you.

[Zacharias0]

I noticed you have a 2 or 7 day minimum on your place and based on the amount of his refund you received part of the funds you were due. Is that correct?

Also, did the guest say he wasn't able to access your listing or wasn't able to check in because he wasn't going to arrive? Theres a slight difference which the guest may not have been aware of and chose among the options presented which only appear within 24 hours of check in time when the guest has to cancel. I had a guest say he wasn't able to access the listing, which was true and he received a full refund and I was sent an automatic e-mail and life went on. But, if he cancelled and only received $30 then it seems he did a full cancellation and got airbnb fees or cleaning fees back.