It's floods in SL. A guest has booked using instant book. If I cancel will I lose superhost status?

[Rosita11]

It's raining heavily and warnings have been issued for flash floods/ landslides in Sri Lanka.  A guest just booked my place  via instant book. He now wants me to cancel the booking saying it's the host's fault (that the area is flooded). He says if he cancels the booking, he won't get a full refund. I am worried I will lose my superhost status if I cancel the booking. What should I do? Please help! 

[Linda108]

@Rosita11  Either of you can cancel without penalty if the rain causes an extenuating circumstance under the Air BNB policy.  That means that the weather has affected your listing function or the guest's access to it becomes impossible.  You could contact Air BNB about the guest and the desired cancellation.  Here is a link to a guide for contacting Air BNB:

https://community.withairbnb.com/t5/Community-Help/Contact-Airbnb-A-Community-Help-Guide/m-p/16165#M...

Alternatively, you could just sit tight and do nothing.  The guest must cancel and if he doesn't you will be paid.  Actually if he is within 24 hours of the check in, you will be paid regardless.  Unless, Air BNB is convinced it  meets the extenuating circumstance.

[Rosita11]

Hi Linda, many many thanks for your response. I went to the link you suggested and tweeted Airbnb and sent them information about the floods. They responsed quickly and cancelled the reservation. Whew! Thanks so much for your input. 

[Hilary-And-Ed0]

My recommendation is to have either Airbnb cancel for you (they will if there is a flood) or to have the guest cancel.  You would likely be forgiven the penalties if you did the cancelling, but it would be a headache, and if you can avoid that, why not?

Pay no attention to the guest insisting that you do it, or that it is your fault that the area is flooded (?!?).

[Rosita11]

Thanks so much for your response. I tweeted Airbnb help and they responded quickly. They cancelled the booking for me. Whew! 

[Helen3]

If your area has floods affecting your property Airbnb should let you cancel. Just give them a call and ask them to cancel.

I would suggest you remove instant book, while you have flooding.

[Rosita11]

Many thanks for your response, Helen. I tweeted Airbnb Help (the first time I sent a tweet!). They responded quickly and cancelled the reservation. I also looked at cancelling 'Instant Book' but it looks like 'Instant Book Hosts' can cancel without penalty (and without losing superhost status) if they are uncomfortable with the booking. I have blocked the next few days in any case. 

For Instant Book hosts only

You can cancel instant bookings penalty-free an unlimited number of times if you’re uncomfortable with a reservation or if a guest breaks one of your House Rules. “Penalty-free” means you won’t pay a fee, lose Superhost status (or eligibility for it), or receive any of the other penalties mentioned above.

You may not cancel reservations penalty-free for any other reason, including reasons that violate our nondiscrimination policy.

To cancel an Instant Book reservation you’re uncomfortable with:

1. Go to Your Reservations and find the reservation you need to cancel
2. Click Change or Cancel
3. Select "I’m uncomfortable with the reservation or the guest has broken my House Rules"
4. Click Next and provide a reason for your concerns
5. Click Next and write a message to your guest
6. Click Cancel reservation

Once you complete these steps, the host cancellation penalties for this reservation will be waived, and we’ll help your guest find another place to stay.