Keep it simple, Stupid! Cancellation Policy

Cormac0
Level 10
Kraków, Poland

Keep it simple, Stupid! Cancellation Policy

Hi Folk

 

Would it not be simpler just to have a fixed cancellation policy and forget about all the levels and extenuating circumstance drivel and remove the time consuming and costly Airbnb arbitration process which for the most part Airbnb staff seem ill-equipped to manage.

 

The way I see it if you cancel for whatever reason, you pay 15% of the total fee full stop and if you don’t agree to this by ticking a box the booking won’t proceed.

 

This is a win, win situation the guest gets most of their money back and the host gets some compensation for the time and effort they put into getting the place ready. It's up to Airbnb to manage the opportunity cost by quickly freeing the cancelled booking up and replacing the cancelling guest with a new one.

 

Airbnb seems to create a mountain of bureaucracy around the simplest situations

 

Discuss…

2 Replies 2
Fred13
Level 10
Placencia, Belize

 "and replacing the cancelling guest with a new one." Who is going to do the replacing and when, the host or Airbnb? 

 

   The hitch is that the required lead time to realistically be able to re-book a hosting place after a cancellation differs so widely among Airbnb listings; some booking arrangements require months of guest (not host) preparations thus so hard to refill even with a waiting list, others a mere day. So for a mere 15% a guest can 'lock up' people's places for say a year at the risk of only loosing 15%, that won't work for most.

 

   Having said that, I wonder if guaranteeing all hosts at least 50% (with few truly legitimate host reasons) and up to only 30 days before guest arrival (then loose 100%) is a good compromise among all hosts and that would eliminate so many wild exceptions. I thought a few years ago, that is how it was. 

 

   Good thought, the devil may only be in the details.

Hello @Cormac0 & @Fred13,

 

First, Cormac, you do realize that nothing will ever happen on this list except discussion, yes? 

 

I do agree that some (small) compensation might ease the *sting* so many feel during a bail-out (extenuating circumstances), but the truth is that they DO happen, and if they can be validated, the only noble behavior is to let it go.  Life just happens.

 

Truly, if you run your business like a real business, you must understand that sh%t happens, and there are no guarantees.  Sucking it up is part of your responsibility.  There are NO guarantees. 

 

I don't understand all of the stress people have about emergency cancellations if they are valid and can be substantiated.  And while AirBnB can and does try to assist in re-homing someone who is not a 'fit,' is not a travel agency.

 

Truly, this goes for hosts and guests alike. 

 

Real situations/problems deserve compassion, empathy, and forgiveness.  Not ever convenient, but sometimes necessary.  Let us not forget the milk of human kindness.  The day will go on.

 

Best,

 

 

Kim