Now guests can ask host's to cancel???

[Brett3]

I had a guest instant book, and after ignoring the pre-booking questions that Airbnb implemented (awesome concept right there), messaged me to say they would be arriving at 10:30pm. My House Rules state check in between 2pm and 5pm. I asked the guest if they had a chance to read the House Rules before booking and they confirmed they had done so. This guest is asking to break my House Rules.

I just received an email from Airbnb advising the guest has asked to cancel. The email informs me that standard host cancellation penalties will apply. Further to this there is a 48 hour count down clock. So now does Airbnb just expect us to bend over?

[Helen3]

You have misunderstood. @Brett3 Guests have always had the option to cancel saying host requested the cancellation. Just click the keep reservation. 

say to the guest you are happy for them to keep the booking as long as they abide by your check in times. If they can’t then THEY need to cancel. 

[Brett3]

Cheers for the advice @Helen3 ,

I will send the guest a message right now.

Brett

[Robin4]

@Brett3 

Brett, do not under any circumstance accept a 'Cancel Reservation' option from Airbnb.

This is nothing new! Airbnb have been advising guests to get the host to cancel since 2015, because they advise the guest, the only way the guest will be offered a full refund is to get the host to accept responsibility for the cancellation. They are even telling guests what to do! Here is a screenshot of the email a host would get back in 2015......

You read this and think....cool, Airbnb have taken care of it....WRONG!

If you do not respond to Airbnb saying you will not consent to a cancellation and any cancellation will have to be from the guest account, then you will be held responsible, you will be penalised and the guest will be fully refunded!

That Brett, is the part that hurts, Airbnb are actively telling guests to get the host to cancel, not only showing them how to do it but hoping to trick hosts into falling for it!

Cheers.......Rob

[Brett3]

Thanks @Robin4 ,

this is the first time in 5 years hosting I have seen this. I thought Airbnb had just found another way to make things more difficult for the hosts. But of course they "appreciate" everything we do.

[Brett3]

Hey @Robin4 ,

also just wondering why I only received notification of this via email. Nothing directly on the platform using the app AND desktop. It's like Airbnb want you to fail.

[Robin4]

@Brett3 

Brett, they do, it's the guests interests that they have at heart here, not yours!

Airbnb make money out of host cancellations, they make nothing out of guest cancellations.

Hosts are expendable, in fact the saturation of hosts world wide is creating a massive headache for Airbnb.

Airbnb need that guest income stream coming in, the host payout stream is a pain in the a*se that just happens to be eventually linked to that guests credit card!

Brett, don't ever take Airbnb's word for it that they have your interests at heart by accepting the cancellation of a guest reservation.....they seriously don't!

Cheers.......Rob

[Jennifer1421]

Question, @Brett3 @Robin4 

I've not had one of these to date, but am wondering for the future:

Both the new iteration as posted by Brett, and the older style, posted by Rob contain the phrase, "if we don't hear back"...Does that mean the host just needs to click "Keep Reservation" in order to NOT be penalized for this, or does a host also need to contact ABB by another method to ensure s/he isn't penalized?

[Robin4]

@Jennifer1421 

Jennifer, absolutely......under no circumstance accept responsibility because a guest changed their mind. 

All you have to do is click 'Keep Reservation' and the ball then falls in the guests court! They can either follow through on their booking, or they can cancel......you need have no further contact then, you have stated that you are prepared to host this reservation, and it is the guest who needs to follow through with a cancellation. 

What annoys the hell out of us Jennifer, is that Airbnb do not consider us hosts as important as the guest. If the host suffers through a cancellation, in many instances it has no affect on Airbnb. In fact Airbnb actually make money out of host cancellations! If a guest cancels it affects Airbnb because they not only lose their booking fee, they potentially lose a customer! So they do everything they can to keep that guest satisfied....at the expense of their hosts! 

Strange way to look after your bread and butter.....but that's the Airbnb way!

Cheers......Rob

[Jennifer1421]

Thanks for the reply @Robin4 - good to know this in case it ever comes up for me.

I agree - it is a strange way to look after your bread and butter. Strange and disappointing, but, as you say, it's the Airbnb way.