My guest cancelled via inbox

[Lena2]

Hello there, on 12/30 my guest notified me via inbox that is not coming. The reservation was for today and I couldn't find a way to properly cancell the reservation. And now the system is telling me that is too late. How do I process this cancellation now? 

[Ed-and-Hugh0]

Do NOT cancel. The guest needs to cancel if they want to. You will be penalized if you cancel.

[Dave-and-Deb0]

Hi @Lena2,

I completely agree with @Ed-and-Hugh0.  You should have told the guest that he/she needs to cancel and Airbnb will refund the money that they are entitled to dependant on your cancellation policy of moderate.  They will not get all their money back but a portion of it.  They may have been colse to the 5 days they are required to cancel and since they tried to do it through the messaging system, they may be able to persuade Airbnb that they did try to cancel 5 days before but thought they just had to let the host know.

Here is an article on what happens when an Airbnb guest cancels properly: https://www.airbnb.ca/help/article/43/what-happens-if-my-guest-cancels-a-reservation

Cheers

Dave 

[Lena2]

Thanks a lot for all this information. At this point the guest only answered that she was upset and is cancelling but again though the inbox. I replied to her that is not possible to start a refund process until she cancels the reservation but that hasn't happened. I send her several messages and left a voice mail on her phone explaining this. Even send her the link to this discussion and the USA host support phone number if she needed additional help. 

This is the high season here in Vieques, I would easily find other guests but I can't until she cancels. Her reservation was for 2 weeks. 

Is there something else that I can do?

Thanks again,
Lena

[Dave-and-Deb0]

Well the way I see it, the longer the guest waits to cancel the proper way, the more you will make off of her.  You have documentation showing that you told her that she needs to cancel so I can't see why Airbnb would not back you up.  You cannot cancel for her.  Here are the penalties you would incur if you cancelled: https://www.airbnb.ca/help/article/990/how-do-the-cancellation-penalties-work

[Lena2]

Thanks again for the support. I finally got in touch with her on the phone and she cancelled.