How can they allow this? Group booking cancelled non payment and allowed to rebook again as a qroup!

[Letti0]

This is really upsetting me. I just got off the phone with AirBnB. I had a group booking for 1 day 9/15/18. it's been 4 days today at 2;00 pm since it was made. AirBnB cancelled the reservation on her for non-payment. The reservation said cancelled. I had raised the price up by $30 on the calendar there was a two day period we tested lowering the price and then moved them all back to normal this was when she booked. An hour again on the cancelled reservation for $30 less for the day she was able to rebook as a group booking again. How was this possible? The AirBnB guy has no clue how it was allowed and she didn't have to do a new reservation. Now this reservation can go to day 7 before her stay becaause if it gets cancelled again it will after check in on that day so my 100% cancellation policy falls into place this time and they can cancel again at no cost. This is ridiculous. 72 hours, then 24/25 hours and it was cancelled. 3 hours later she rebooks and the clock starts all over again at 72 hours again with that extra 24/25 hour window. 

The AIrBnB CS rep is calling her to explain she needs to rebook with a new reservation that is paid in full immediately and her infant is paid for as a paying guest or I am cancelling this reservation. So she pays $50 more and in full or I am so done with her. She's the one that wants the $84.99 plus tax pay per view also of the boxing match. I just don't understand how they could allow a group booking to go into the 7 day range on a 100% pay on a strict cancellation. I think I am justified in being upset with this. He's going to get back to me to let me know what she decided to do. Arghhh...  Disgusted in Texas!

[Letti0]

I am steaming. 20 Hours later and I had to call AirBnB back. She still has not paid. I cannot understand this. My cancellation policy is not even in play with booking now about to be blocking my calendar for the 6th day. They need to fix this or cancel it penalty free already. 

[Noel63]

This seems very odd to me.  I assume you're not on instant book. You would not have accepted the second reservation. I would have assumed that airbnb would cancel for you based on the fact that you didn't accept the second reservation. But then, I guess I really should have learned by now not to assume anything. Good luck.

[Syl11]

@Letti0  A group booking for 1 night is a RED FLAG if they can't pay ....one night.....???

[Letti0]

@Syl11  I know, but the first time around AirBnB wouldn't let me cancel it. It cancelled it self out for non payment and then she used the same cancelled booking to rebook it as a group pay again. I am so mad I could spit nails. My listing Rules say I do not accept group payments and she's done this twice. I just called back I want this cancelled penalty free. with the 24 grace after the 72 again she'll be into my 100% strict cancellation and I get nothing, but a blocked calendar for 8 days. 

[Syl11]

@Letti0  Oh well....lets hope they finalise their booking and turn out to be great guests. Group bookings are a pain in the neck because if one person start the booking, others could be too busy to start up a new account ID verify etc. As we all know its a processs.

[Shaun69]

@Letti0 This really worries me because we are situated next to a very popular public site so group bookings cannot be avoided! If you are getting issues with group bookings with all your experience Letti what hope do I have!!!!!!

Regards Shaun

[Letti0]

@Shaun69  This policy of group payments is horrible for hosts. Once it was cancelled out she should not have been allowed to do it again. The CS agreed it was some kind of a glitch it should not have happened she should have been forced to create a new reservation. 

Here's the real kicker and incentive for them to do a group payment rather then pay it all straight from the TOS policy:

For now, Airbnb is not charging service fees as part of the Group Payment service. However, we may in the future start charging service fees as part of the Group Payment service or as a condition of accessing certain features of the Group Payment service, in our sole discretion.

https://www.airbnb.com/help/article/1928/airbnb-group-payments-terms-of-service

What's group payment?

When guests travel in groups, they can split the payment with each other. If they don’t pay the full amount within 4 days, we’ll cancel their reservation.How it works

The guest booking the reservation splits the cost with their group at checkout. Until it’s paid in full, their reservation will have an Awaiting group payment status and your calendar will be blocked for those dates.

Guests pay through their Airbnb accounts and can be added to the reservation, so you’ll know who’s coming to stay in your place before they arrive. Any guests on the reservation are Added guests and the payment status will be shown in Your Reservations.

If we cancel the reservation because they didn’t pay on time, we’ll give back any money they’ve paid so far. Since group payment reservations aren’t confirmed until everyone has paid, your cancellation policy won’t apply if we cancel the pending reservation.

https://www.airbnb.com/help/article/2034/what-s-group-payment

[Kelly149]

If you manage to get ABB to cancel it for you, immediately go in and block her profile. But then again, that only sticks you with another member of her party. (if she's smart enough to figure it out)

do you really have to do 1 night bookings?? I hope you at least have a decently high cleaning fee.

come back and let us know what happens

and I agree, group pay is ridiculous!

[Letti0]

@Kelly149  I am high priced for the area and almost all of my bookings are last minute or within a few weeks to a month as I am the last resort. I end up with lots of same day and 1 day bookings. I'm usually 65-90% booked for the month doing it this way. I charge $170 for cleaning, so $199-$229 a night for weekday/weekend for eight and $20 per person over eight nets me a reasonable price to  do a 1 night booking. Holidays I have 3-5 day minimums with higher prices. 

The group pay is great for guests though as they do not charge services fee's on them currently they are using them to increase their guest profiles in hopes of more personal bookings in the future from the new individuals signing up in the groups. It's a great way to build up their guest database easily for a little while before they start charging the fee's. I am sure this guest was and is aware of no services fee on group bookings and that's why she keeps doing it. 

[Lisa723]

Wow. I've never received a group payment booking to date and I hope I never do. Seems like a total loophole to tie up your calendar penalty-free.

@Letti0 I'm really surprised that you get large groups booking last minute. You are catering to poor planners.  🙂

[Letti0]

@Lisa723   It's not so much the poor planners as the BMT graduates families more often than not can't book in advance. An Airman, Airwoman or Naval medic school in basic training can be recycled at the last minute or a week or two before graduation, so they advise the families not to book too far in advance until they are sure they will be graduating that week and not a week or two later. Almost 80% of my bookings are families - the poor planners 🙂 and BMT familes. The families now are the ones that come during the week for a day or two with younger children under school age to go to SeaWorld which is 15-20 minutes away almost all of these are last minute or within two weeks now. BMT familes usually book out two weeks and are all 5-7 day bookings as a rule with 4-10 guests. We are now coming into our snowbird bookings which book out in a much longer time frame and believe it or not are usually just 2-4 guests for 1-2 weeks, but they don't want to be directly in a the city just close enough. This month and next we will start getting November - February bookings, but they will come from HA/VRBO and Expedia for the most part. My BMT familes mostly book there also. AirBnB will still remain last minute bookings for the holes open.  

[Dawn33]

@Letti0 Can you block her from reserving again?

i block any fool who can not make payment. I don’t understand how they are able to tie up your calendar if they can’t pay ASAP.

[Sarah977]

@Letti0  How angering! Although I never have had to deal with this since I only host solo travelers, I think the group payment option is ridiculous. If I was going to book a place with a bunch of friends or family, one person would pay for the reservation, and the rest would pay that person back their share. If you can't trust the rest of your group to pay up, why would you be be going on a trip with them anyway?

All the best with this. At least you know all the Airbnb policies inside out to throw in their faces.

[Rebecca181]

@Letti0 @Sarah977 I would be upset as well. I have had one experience with Group Payment and it was as bad as I had suspected it would be - Guest booked, and then day one went by, day two, day three...And she was only coming with one other person, and it was for a major holiday. I messaged her each day asking if she planned to pay and on then finally called her. She was frantic because she had no idea that she had actually committed to stay at my listing - She was still looking for places to stay, 'shopping', as it were.

She also had no idea she was supposed to have her friend pay. I had to educate her regarding the whole Group Payment process. Suffice it to say, it was a real mess. Luckily she turned her annoyance on Airbnb, not me, as she realized I was not at fault. She was new to Airbnb and was not impressed with the booking experience. To say that I was not either would be a gross understatement.