Guest who booked but hasn't paid now our calendar is blocked for those dates

[Mitch4]

We had a guest book yesterday for 3 nights. We accepted and are "awaiting payment". Guest had obviously changed their mind but our calendar is now blocked for those 3 nights and we can't change or cancel reservation. Have contacted guest via email (her number is blocked) but have had no response to either email. Any advice?

[Ugochukwu3]

This is what I saw:

If you decide to pre-approve an inquiry and Instant Book isn’t on, those dates will automatically be held and blocked on your calendar either until the guest books or until the pre-approval expires after 24 hours—whichever comes first.

If you allow guests to book instantly

If you pre-approve an inquiry and allow guests to book instantly, you have the option to hold and block those dates either until the guest books or until the pre-approval expires after 24 hours—whichever comes first. This gives you the ability to ensure the guest who sent you an inquiry has a chance to book. You can change your mind at any time after pre-approving.

This is AirBnb's way of punishing hosts who do not have Instant booking on. Hosts who have instant booking on have options. 

[Adam-and-Amber0]

We have this happen to us every now and then also. Very frustrating and as far as we know, you just have to wait til the dates are released.

[Ugochukwu3]

This is so unfair on hosts.

I just had this problem. The reservation is on "Awaiting Payment" and the date is now blocked on my calendar an AirBnb support has not been responding to me

[Chantal710]

I feel that Airbnb should make the booking void and cancelled if payment is not made on the same day of book-in. Now my night is reserved and there is no way for me to contact the guest, and if the guest doesn't show, I am the one losing a room that could've been booked. Airbnb should hold the guest responsible for the night's stay! 

[Kristen107]

We have the same issue, but its worse because it was a short notice request in two days and we've received another request from another booking site and can't accept it becuase if the airbnb guest confirms payment we have to cancel. We called the airbnb superhost line and the agent kept saying there's nothing they can do and will not provide the specific section of the terms of service that stipulate my property dates get blocked for X hours while a guest confirms payment. The agent then disconnected from the called and refused to escalate to someone that could explain in more detail. I've reviewed the terms of service and payments and do not see any specific policies that block dates while a guest confirms payment. The dates should not be blocked from other guests that could confirm payment. We had this happen a couple of years ago and the agent was super helpful and unblocked the dates so someone else could confirm payment - unfortunately times are changing for airbnb as they prepare to go public...

[Branson1]

This same thing has happened to me a number of times. They book the last min and do not add payment information. Now the days are blocked off my calendar from other guests. Has anyone found a way to fix this?

[Duncan9]

Hi Mitch, this has just happened to us.  The time stated by Airbnb for the "guest to make payment or reservation will be cancelled", has already passed.  The message "....  has less than an hour to complete payment, or their reservation will be cancelled, penalty-free." is still appearing, and it is now over 12 hours past the expiry date.  Our calendar is still blocked.  And there is no tab to cancel this from our calendar, or cancel it through messages.  The guest appears to have verifications and reviews, but there is no visible contact phone number.  Guest not responding to message through Airbnb.  How do I get this bogus reservation off my calendar?

[Jim67]

Mine is a bit different. I accepted the reservation, but he says he hasn't provided a payment method to AirBnB.  He won't reply as to if he still wants the dates (a WEEK) and that is now blocked on my calendar.  How do I know if he's actually PAID?

[Andrew90]

@Jim67. The way I understand it is that they have 24hours from when making that booking request to validate oatlent and/or provide ID validation (if you require it - and I highly recommend you do if you are not)

If they don't meet the deadline for updating thier reservation should be cancelled and the dates release.

[Janice1]

@Mitch4

I had an experience similar to this.

First and formost is the booking showing as confirmed in your dashboard.  If not you will not get paid or be covered by airbnb insurance.

As far as I can work out sometimes for a variety of reasons a booking doesn't fully process through the system.  The calander holds the dates but no confirmed booking eg insufficient funds in the guests account. 

If this is the case I would be careful.  If the booking hasn't confirmed then they will not have recieved your address and contact. However, I do believe the confusion around this situation has been used to gain admittance to airbnb accommodation without facility to pay the host. 

If its still unconfirmed you could attempt to get airbnb to remove it from your calander.  

Regards

Janice

[Nelson4]

isnt also 24h for the guest to pay?

[Gerry-And-Rashid0]

You need to read up on bookings and payment. If you have an email saying a booking is confirmed then the guest has paid. You don't get that money until about 24 hours after the guest has checked in. Under no circumstances should you cancel the reservation or you won;t get paid and will be penalised too.

[Ugochukwu3]

.

[Helen554]

Airbnb has recently added a feature that allows guests to book now but pay part of the cost (to Airbnb) nearer the time.  They used to always take the full payment from the guest at the time of booking, and hold it until the day after arrival when they would transfer it to the host.   For advance bookings that could mean them holding onto money for months.   I'm not exactly sure how much nearer the time it is that they take the final payment, but it shouldn't be anything to worry about.  I just had one of these type of bookings today for the first time, and I've been hosting 2 years now.

[Mitch4]

We didn't receive an email saying the booking was confirmed. We simply accepted her request to book. Our status says 'awaiting payment' so I'm assuming payment has not been made as yet.

[Vacation-Beach0]

My favorite is when said guest books same day or 1 day out... and then never pays nor stays, and i am left high and dry bc Airbnb has no checks and balances for this situation. Its gone on for years. Another reason i feel Airbnb DGAF about its hosts.

[Branson1]

This same thing has happened to me a number of times. They book the last min and do not add payment information. Now the days are blocked off my calendar from other guests. Has anyone found a way to fix this?

[David8879]

Do not accept reservations closer than certain number of days prior to check in...unless you are in roadside motel business 

P.S. Def not motel LOL

Looks liek you bought entire resort lol

[Estelle8]

My understanding is that the AirBnB "system" is set up so that if she doesn't make a payment, then the booking is cancelled. He/she has only so much time to that. That happened to me recently where a guest booked, but didn't make a payment in the required amount of time. I rec'd notice from AirBnB that the booking was cancelled due to lack of payment and my calendar was automatically freed up to accept another Request. You do not receive payment until the guest arrives. 

[Mitch4]

Right.

That's what I thought would happen but those dates are still blocked and I can't unblock them leaving us potentially missing out on 3 nights of guests.

Very frustrating and also cannot access the guest mobile number to call her and ask her to cancel her booking.