Last Minute Reservation Changes?

Jennifer976
Level 8
Calgary, Canada

Last Minute Reservation Changes?

I have a guest staying with me now that is booked until the 31st of the month and wants to change it to end at the 26th which is 2 days away and leaves me with 5 empty days that are unlikely to get filled last minute.  How would you handle this in a fair way that leaves her happy so she isn't leaving a crappy review but also doesn't leave me in the lurch for 5 days??  I wan't to be fair but this is also paying my mortgage as i've recently been apart of layoffs.

 

uuuuggghh!

7 Replies 7
Elena87
Level 10
СПБ, Russia

@Jennifer976

 

You don't necessarily need to accept the alteration request, you can reject it and you shouldn't be fearful of a bad review.

 

My rule of thumb is that I won't accept any alterations to shorten a trip while it is in progress.

As far as I am concerned, while the trip is ongoing it's a cancellation and the cancellation policy takes effect.

 

You can offer the old forum favourite, suggest that if the guest cancels and you are able to re-book the room, you may be in a position to return a portion of the money over and above the cancellation refund( if any)

 

A 'crappy' review won't pay your mortgage , neither will a five star review.

Jennifer976
Level 8
Calgary, Canada

@Elena87  That's great advice.  Thank you and I will apply that next time.  This time I just accepte the change request and hope that Karma kicks in and I get another guest 🙂

Mistake, but you live and learn.

Kath9
Level 10
Albany, Australia

@Jennifer976, frankly I think it's totally unfair of a guest to cut their booking short in the middle of it and expect a refund. As I guest, I would never do this - if I change my mind, I wear the expense. I have had a few guests who've left early for various reasons (mostly change of travel plans) and not one has asked for a refund (and nor have I offered it). But @Elena87, that's good advice should anyone ever ask for a refund.

@Kath9 this is the 2nd time it's happened to me in a month.  I agree with you I would never expect someone, or a business to eat the cost of my changes.  I will for sure not be doing it again.

Debbie96
Level 8
Oxford, United Kingdom

While we all know what is right and what are cancellation policies say, but the reality is that when a guest sends a change request, there isn't much of a choice.   We can try to reason with the guest but that's as far as it goes.   Trust me, I know and learned the hard way..   

 

I had a guest booked for 17 days.  While here (and by all accounts he was very happy with everything), he learned he had a friend of a friend who was going to allow him to stay for much much cheaper.   I got his change request 1 hour before my checkout time on day 5.

 

AIRBNB essentially forced me (after many, calls from them and my guest) to finally accept it.   The alternative was that he would return (he checked out) stay and leave me a bad review.   The choices were clear.    

 

Wish it were different (and I know it should be) but there you have it.

Juan63
Level 10
San Antonio, TX

I think the best resolution, that works for me, is tell the guest they can cancel and if you rebook the nights they can get a refund minus any fees and taxes.