Hosts: $50 or $100 fee for cancelling a reservation. What is this garbage?

Duncan35
Level 2
Melbourne, Australia

Hosts: $50 or $100 fee for cancelling a reservation. What is this garbage?

Is this a new policy as of June 2018 that AirBnB will 'fine' hosts for cancelling a reservation (in addition to other penalties)? $50 cancellation fee for over 7 days or $100 within 7 days.

It's understandable penalising hosts within 7 days (or even 30 days) as this is very inconvenient to guests, however we've got a booking we received in January (for late July) and our circumstances have changed. It is ridiculous that we would be fined.

Even a freaking hotel can cancel a guest booking with no penalty. Why the hell do AirBnB hosts have to fork out cash, therefore having a higher burden than every other form of accomodation?

AirBnB is becoming like Uber in the way they take advantage of the supply side of their marketplace. AirBnB Host Union anyone?

14 Replies 14

It should be our right to cancel, it’s my home and that 50 to 100 is 

 Steep,   Makes you think twice about  Airbnb 

 

 

I think that is the point. It is inconvenient to the guest for the host to cancel and it is inconvenient to the host for the guest to cancel. So be intentional with your actions.

While it is your home, Airbnb as a platform could not survive if people were cancelling left and right, which begs the question, why approve and then cancel in the first place.

Gordon0
Level 10
London, United Kingdom

I agree with @Von5. I'm a host and a guest (from time to time) and I don't care how long in advance a host cancels my booking, I don't like it and, certainly for the first time user, it sends a crappy message about Airbnb.  

AirBnB let's guests cancel 3 times per year without penalty, so why not let hosts cancel the same amount? No host wants to cancel, particularly seeing as you lose superhost status etc.

The reality is booking a regular hotel, hostel, bnb, backpackers (you name it), is subject to cancellation as well. You aren't guaranteed to stay once you pay.

As you'd note if you read my initial post, AirBnB hosts have been unfairly given a greater burden than the rest of the hospitality sector. I don't know why Americans and Brits are happy to get screwed by corporates, but being 'fined' by companies is NOT ON where I come from.

Lynette57
Level 10
Gladstone, Australia

I have just had a guest who made a 3 day booking and almost immediatly realised he had made a mistake with the dates,  when he tried to cancel the booking he was notified he would have to pay a penalty of $267.00 of a $330. booking, but that I (the host could cancel it and he wouldnt be charged) when he contacted me and copied their message and sent to me I also was told if I cancelled the booking that I would be charged all associated administration fees plus any other charges (whatever they may be).  Neither of us cancelled the booking due to this issue but we have allowed the payment to go ahead and I have privatley placed him in at another time and just blocked my calander for the correct dates. Just bloody ridiculouse that dates could not be changed without massive penalities, Guest has now said that he has had multiple issues with ABB not being flexible with other issues, (payment etc) and even though he has the highest star ratings as a guest he will never use ABB again.

Sad that we lose a guest on ABB but good for me as I now have a lovely couple as guests that have my details and will certainly become regulars to my home.

@Lynette57, just a note for going forward that dates CAN be changed with no penalties - just change them (alter the reservation), rather than cancelling. The guest hits the Change button, chooses the new dates, and then the host accepts the change. All is well and no one is charged. 

It is only cancelling that triggers penalties. 

@ Lawrene , Apparently guest tried just to change dates but was declined saying " dates were unavailable" which they were because it was part of his origional booking and it remained blocked. When he contacted ABB he was told to cancel origional booking then rebook. It is all sorted now but guest will no longer deal with ABB " says its is far to complex and ABB customer service was rude and totally not helpful at all."

 

@Duncan35 I know the policy about charging hosts for cancelling is not popular, but it is not new.

That has been the policy for at least as long as I have been hosting.

 

I'm not sure it has been in place that long in Australia. I certainly haven't noticed it in 5 years.

I also had a host cancel on me recently, not sure she would have done that if she was fined.

It has been in place here in Canada for as long as I can remember, @Duncan35, but not for the first cancellation. I think maybe the third? Not sure, as I don't cancel except in floods. But you say your circumstances have changed. If it is something beyond your control, and not just "I'm going on vacation" or something, you can ask that Airbnb cancel for you, relieving you of penalties. 

@Duncan35   It has always been like that here.

First time you do not pay a fine but all other penalties apply unless you can prove within 48 hours that you have extenuating circumstances. 

https://www.airbnb.com/help/article/990/i-m-a-host--what-penalties-apply-if-i-need-to-cancel-a-reser...

 

I am losing my Superhost for a year but I was not fined – first time.  I was unable to produce documentation for extenuating circumstances within Airbnb time frame, week-end, contractor dragging feet etc.  I had gone to the trouble of searching for a few hours to find the guest other place with same price and amenities, location etc. but that made no difference whatsoever.  Dilemma: Wait until I received the documentation needed to claim extenuating circumstances, which would have given the guest far less than 55 days to find somewhere else ?   Or as another host suggested (after I had canceled) write to guest, explain the circumstances and ask them to cancel, full refund and send them whatever Airbnb keeps so they do not lose out.

David126
Level 10
Como, CO

I have been using AirBnb for 3 years and nothing has changed about this.

 

Hotels certainly do get penalised, from what friends were telling me the sites they use make it painful

 

You can change dates without penalty.

David

Being penalized is one thing, but who gets to pocket the money? The guest who is inconvenienced or Airbnb (like their fees can't cover a few cancellations per year). This is just an excuse for Airbnb to pocket some money, with a lame excuse it's for the guests protection.

Furthermore, the fee goes along with blocking out the dates so you can't get another booking. Which in my case was a week in peak season, worth thousands. So all I can say is bye bye Airbnb, your business ethics leave much to be desired.

.

@Darren274 

 

Cancelled dates getting blocked is an airbnb policy to keep hosts from cancelling.

Don't cancel and Your dates don't get blocked.