Guest cancelled booking/refunds

[Jordan136]

I have a guest that cancelled almost immediately after booking.  It was an honest mistake on their end so I'm going to refund their full amount.  I'm guess that due to my "strict" cancellation policy, they techincally were supposed to lose part of their money.  I have a pending payment from them of $187 from her that wont deposit until early june.  When I go though the resolutions center, it wants to take the money out of my payout account.  I dont want to front the $187 and wait till june to get my money back.  I know there must be a way to do this but I can't figure it out.

I know this must have been asked before so I'm sorry for asking again.  I searched through the community pages but never found an answer that really fit my situation.  

Thanks so much.

[Matthew285]

@Jordan136 for this situation I think one of you needs to contact AirBnB support. They are the ones who can make it so the guest gets a full refund (with your approval).

[Jordan136]

Thanks.  I thought that may be the case.  I sent a support email this morning but no response yet.  I feel bad because the girl needs her money.

[Clara116]

@Jordan136 Hello, hey I looked at your listing and on your strict cancellation you also have that if they cancell within 48 hrs. of booking refunded. That is the new grace period for cancellations. You might wanna check that out. So I don't understand how money is even an issue cause we are paid 24 hrs. after they have arrived and stayed the first night. Sounds like you are being scammed or something.....plus if they cancelled with Airbnb then you don't have to do anything. You might wanna read up all about cancellations, and when we use the Resolution Center. Typically it is for damages, and such - NOT for cancellations.  Good luck, Happy Hosting, Clara

[Jordan136]

Me being paid isn't the issue.  Due to that policy, she technially loses a part of what she paid to book.  She cancelled because she made an honest mistake so I'm going to refund all of her money.  The problem is that the money I'm trying to refund her is being held by Airbnb and will not release to me until June (when she booked my place for.  I want to get her money back to her now.

[Marit-Anne0]

@Jordan136

So the guest cancelled after the 48 hour grace period ? In this case, the guest will not be refunded in full no matter what - the airbnb fees will have to be paid by guest.

Once the guest has cancelled through airbnb, you will get a prompt from airbnb to bygo your cancellation policy and give additional refund to the guest.  Follow this prompt only as this is guaranteed to give you the correct refund amount. If you opt for the resolution center, you risk not only to front the refund but also to refund incorrectly and be out of pocket.

[Jordan136]

No. The guess cancelled less than an hour after she booked. When I go through the prompt to fully refund, it wants to pull the funds off of my bank account instead of just reversing the part of the payment that Airbnb to kept to be deposited in June. Her booking wasn’t until June.  My payout list shows Airbnb releasing that money in June. 

[Jeff158]

@Jordan136 You are trying to do something that does not need doing. Its an automated process, if your guest cancelled within the 48hrs grace period, they will be refunded in full by airbnb. It can take 10days for airbnb to do the refund.

Edit: 

@Jordan136 Did you get a message from the guest asking you to "Accept" or "Decline" the cancellation and then you clicked "Accept". This makes a BIG BIG difference.

[Jordan136]

I don't remember unfortuantly.  If I was asked, I would have clicked accept.  It just struck me as odd because as of now it is still showing that the money will be deposited in June.  I guess I just need to give it a little more time.

[Paul154]

Refund her ONLY after you have received payment!  It may happen on the first day of her cancelled reservation or earlier. The payment is between the guest and Airbnb. Let Airbnb handle it. 

Mostly likely, she'll call Airbnb. Then, Airbnb will call you. You can then allow refunding. 

The guest made a mistake, the timing of  her refund is not your problem

[Fred13]

You made have received the 'old' prompt but the issue may be really governed by the 'new' 48-grace period, making it all a moot point. I went through this lately and I did agree to the refund prompt, but the entire thing was cancelled and the booking dissappeared.

[Jordan136]

That may be a part of it.  I can still see the cancelled reservation.

[J44]

I see a lot of details here about the 48 hour period, but my situation is slightly different.  A guest booked months ago, then cancelled a few weeks before their reservation.  I have a Strict policy (they were due 50% back at cancellation).  They asked for a full refund and I said that I would give a full refund IF I'm able to re-book the same nights with another guest.  They cancelled.  I re-booked the nights.  Now I want to give them a full refund.  However, the reservation date hasn't yet happened.  Should I wait until the partial payout on the cancellation (the date of original reservation), then issue the refund?  I don't want to front money for a refund that I won't be paid out for several weeks.