Guests want to Cancel but "won't Cancel themselves" (until they find a different place..)

[Patrik-and-Sandy0]

Hi, I am pretty new here - I have a reservation and the guest is dropping me emails back and forth, one day they want to cancel, I ask them to cancel officially and don't hear back, then days later they don'T want to cancel, then 2 days later they want to cancel again but did not do it officially to date.

My problem is that they are blocking my calender in the best time of the year. From my point of view they are simply highjacking my calender as a -fall back plan- until they find something that is more appropriate for them, or cheaper, or whatever.... I have flexible terms 😞

I would like to cancel myself but a friend told me that I shouldn't do it as a host because my rating etc. will go down...

How do you handle such situations ?

From my point of view it's simply not fair at all & if I put the terms to "strict" I will receive less bookings just because of such people who are just selfish and shouldn't be part of the great AirBnB community... I could have had a bunch of new bookings during that time, but instead I am dropping very odd emails back and forth & most likely they will cancel shortly before their planned stay leaving me with no booking 😞 

Thanks in advance!

[Victoria57]

Hi @Patrik-and-Sandy0, whatever you do, don't cancel them yourself. AirBnB would block those dates so you couldn't book anyone else and there are other penalties as well unless you have extenuating circumstances. I suspect you are right that the guests will cancel but don't be tempted to cancel yourself.

[Patrik-and-Sandy0]

Many Thanks... It just feels so unfair 🙂

[Lisa36]

Agree with @ Victoria - do not cancel yourself.  Perhaps report them to Airbnb.  Or at least tell them to hurry up and make up their minds or you will report them to Airbnb.  They do know they will still have to pay the fee if they cancel your booking?

[David126]

Try a Moderate setting? With flexible this is a risk you run.

[Dawn33]

Strict cancellation policy weeds out some of the chain-pullers.

I have had two experiences that were not worth the headache and money and now I am focusing on attracting positive experiences only. A strict cancellation policy, no instant book, and good house rules.

I am semi-new here, but if the initial inquiries/msgs from a potential guest are a pain, more than likely they will be a pain.

Don't cancel on them. Let them do it.

[Dawn33]

Oh, and click 'government ID' for prerequisite for booking. Tighten up the booking measures to help.

[Sandra126]

@Patrik-and-Sandy0, if guests want to book your place they do not care if it is a ''strict'' cancellation policy. I have strict and I have offered full refund on a couple of occasions. Flexible is dreadful if you are running a business! With strict, you can be as flexible as you like within the policy. Ie, if someone cancels on Thu for a Fri booking. I say ''refunded in full less Air fees if I get another booking to cover.'' I get a last minute arrival on Friday, I refund in full. Easy, fair.

[City-Limits-Ranch0]

If they are already booked then making the cancellation policy more strict after they book won't change it for them.  Their terms and conditions will remain as they were when they booked.  You can email them and ask them to cancel ASAP when they have decided, but that's about all you can or should do.  You made a contract with them for those dates with the cancellation policy you had in effect at the time.  You could have declined a shorter stay and waited for a longer stay request but you chose not to, so now they can cancel with the policy that was in place.  Let it be a learning experience and figure out what you want for future (strict cancellation policy, longer minimum stay etc.)  Keep in mind that they did not need to share with you their plans to cancel their stay.  They could have left you in the dark until the day they clicked the cancel button.