Guest booking for someone else - cancelled

[Dora31]

hi all

so i had a reservation made by someone who is actually won't be staying in the room. I felt uncomfortable with this as if something happens i will not be covered by the airbnb host guarantee. 

So I asked airbnb to cancel the booking which they did - penalty free. My cancelation policy is strict though however airbnb is not sending my any payout for this reservation. the reservation was made 2 weeks ago, and it turned out only yesterday that someone else would be staying in the room (1 day prior to check-in). Furthermore the person wanted to check-in outside of my check-in hours. 

Airbnb confirmed that this is not my fault, so i think that i still should be receiving the income for this

thanks for your advice 

[Elena87]

@Dora31 

Your cancellation policy wouldn't be applicable - if a host cancels a booking then a guest gets a full refund as per the service terms and conditions. You can't cherry pick which terms you wish to benefit from regardless of who's at fault.

Perhaps you might have tried a different approach to salvage the booking , to get the third party to set up an account and re-book, if the check-in time could be resolved.

Good luck, maybe a new last minute booking might pop up.

[Dora31]

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@Elena87 wrote:

@Dora31 

Your cancellation policy wouldn't be applicable - if a host cancels a booking then a guest gets a full refund as per the service terms and conditions. You can't cherry pick which terms you wish to benefit from regardless of who's at fault.

Perhaps you might have tried a different approach to salvage the booking , to get the third party to set up an account and re-book, if the check-in time could be resolved.

Good luck, maybe a new last minute booking might pop up.

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airbnb cancelled the booking and not me. the guest did not follow the terms and conditions and made me aware 1 day prior to the arrival. 

1. the person booked it for a 3rd party

2. not following the check-in instrustions. my guide clearly says that they can check-in anytime from 11am to 9pm. then the person said that her "gues" would come after 10pm. it is clearly not my fault that they did not follow the intructions therefore i should be eligable for the income. 

[Inna22]

@Dora31 

If this happens again, you can ask the main guest to add the staying party to the reservation. This way you do not even need to cancel and rebook. There is an option to do that. In terms of being covered if anything happens- you are not really covered anyway. Host guarantee is only words. You can read up about it here. Theoretically, you could have told them that you would only let the person on the reservation in and if they cancelled because of it or just did not show up, you would have collected the money. But better resolve it peacefully.

[Dora31]

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@Inna22 wrote:

@Dora31 

If this happens again, you can ask the main guest to add the staying party to the reservation. This way you do not even need to cancel and rebook. There is an option to do that. In terms of being covered if anything happens- you are not really covered anyway. Host guarantee is only words. You can read up about it here. Theoretically, you could have told them that you would only let the person on the reservation in and if they cancelled because of it or just did not show up, you would have collected the money. But better resolve it peacefully.

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othe room is for two people and she booked it for her friends so she would not have stayed at my property. I felt uncomfrotable with this and also not following my check-in instructions. it is very clear that the check-in has to happen until 9pm. obviously there are circumtances (delayed flight etc) but this was not the case here. i am not able to let guest in outside of the check-in period window.

My question remains the same: why i am not receiving income if this was the guest's fault. the guest should have told me when she made the reservation that someone else would stay in the property and also ask if late check-in is possible. I am not sure why i am being "punished" by not getting income for someone's else mistake?

[Paul154]

3rd party bookings are against policy and pains in the butt.

However host needs  to enforce the policy.

You were advised one day before, so something like this:

"Dear guest, 3rd party bookings are against airbnb policy. Please call Airbnb and have the person staying make the reservation.  Thank you.

"Only the reservation holder will be allowed into the house.  ID taken at checkin."

This keeps your control and makes the offending party fix the problem.  

When guest realizes they won't get in the apartment , THEY will cancel or fix it.

[Dora31]

thanks Paul. it is a very good tip

[Stephanie]

Hey @Dora31 

Great to have you here on the Airbnb CC! Did you find @Paul154 's solution to be the best? You can make it as "Best Answer" which will help other hosts in similar situations get this information faster! 

Happy Hosting!

[Inna22]

@Dora31 

again, this is because you cancelled. If you cancel a guest’s stay, you do not get paid. Reason does not matter. You can either fix the problem with the guest or get them to cancel (for example because they will understand that they will not be able to get into the place). It is unfortunate and I have been in similar situations, but this is the risk of this business we are in.

[Dora31]

you are totally incorrect, and now i have received the funds from airbnb

Again, airbnb cancelled the booking penalty free as they agreed that the person who made the reservation made a mistake and booked it for a 3rd party, they also wanted to check in outside of the check-in hours.

Please give advice next time if you are entirely sure that is correct.

In such situation, airbnb will give you the funds, I can confirm

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@Inna22 wrote:

@Dora31 

again, this is because you cancelled. If you cancel a guest’s stay, you do not get paid. Reason does not matter. You can either fix the problem with the guest or get them to cancel (for example because they will understand that they will not be able to get into the place). It is unfortunate and I have been in similar situations, but this is the risk of this business we are in.

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Please give advice next time if you are entirely sure that is correct.

In such situation, airbnb will give you the funds, I can confirm

[Sandra856]

Hi @Dora31 🙂

Could you upload the confirmation were airbnb gives you a refund for cancelling a 3rd party reservation. This is something that happends a lot and I have never received any refund. 

Thanks in advance.

Best, Sandra

[Dora31]

i can send you the screenshot in a pm, not sure if i am allowed to do it here

[Sandra856]

@Dora31 Thank you! Was it airbnb or the guest who ended out paying you?

[Dora31]

Guest - it was totally their fault.

Once I had to ask the guests to leave my flat as the couple were shouting and fighting. I did not feel comfortable in my own home. It was however after check-in, I called airbnb to cancel the booking which happened and the guests received no refund.

[Inna22]

@Dora31 

I do not work for Airbnb therefore I (or anyone else here) can only give you advise based on the set of facts you present and our past experience. You have told us you did not get the money and you asked why. I answered that. If you would like a concrete answer, you should go to the source- Airbnb, or an attorney who can help you analyze their terms and conditions and take appropriate action if they are breached, not a community discussion board. Here is an advise I am entirely sure is correct: your hostile replies to someone trying to help you out will not win you much help in the future here. Also, because you got something from Airbnb one time is not a guarantee it will work the next. I am glad you were able to get your money.