Guest booked 61 days wants an alteration to check-out after 30 days. Accept or decline?

[Mélina8]

Hi,

My guest booked 61 days and did not show up to the place. He messaged me after 20 days, saying his cousin picked up the keys, and that he might not make it at all. He is now asking an alteration to change the check-out date to April 18th instead of May 18th.

I know Airbnb allows this sort of refund, as long as the host accepts it. There is also the option to decline it. I don't know what to do. If I accept the alteration, my guest gets a 50% refund (he pays for the 30 first days, the 31 other ones are refunded), but I loose about 1500$. If I decline it, I'm afraid my guest won't be very happy and might leave a bad review.

What to do?

[Ricardo85]

@Mélina8 

Read this article.

Ricardo

[Elena87]

@Mélina8 

You don't have to accept the alteration request.

The agreement with a long term booking is that 30 days paid notice should be given.

You may reject the alteration and request the guest cancel the booking instead - this way you should receive your paid notice.

You might lose the money yet still get a bad review.

Keep all the communication via airbnb message system as an audit trail.