Opinion on refund

Scotia0
Level 4
England, United Kingdom

Opinion on refund

IF you had a strict cancelation policy and a guest had booked to stay with you in August 19 but had conatcted you to cancel it now 8 months away would you be prepared to offer a full refund ?

 

A friend of mine has made a booking this way and now needs to cancel for personal reasons although not something that would meet AIrbnb requirments for penalty free cancellation ?

 

I'm looking for opinions not a telling off 

 

Thanks 

 

 

10 Replies 10
Alexandra316
Level 10
Lincoln, Canada

@Scotia0 I would offer a full refund this far out, yes, unless there is some reason that your friend is losing money over the cancellation, for example if your friend rents out a time share apartment and the dates cannot be changed. I would think that 8 months is plenty of time to get a new booking for those dates.

 

If your friend is hesitant about offering a refund, she could offer to refund only if she gets another booking for the same dates.

Scotia0
Level 4
England, United Kingdom

@Alexandra316 thanks it's my friend thats made a booking with someone who has a strict cancellation policy. She doesn't host, I do and would have no problem refudning in full this far out just wondered what other hosts thoughts were 

@Scotia0Sorry, I misunderstood, but yes, I would refund 8 months out. 

Helen3
Level 10
Bristol, United Kingdom

Bottom line your friend booked a place knowing it had a strict cancellation policy . There are lots of places she could have chosen which have a moderate or flexible policy if she wasn't sure about her arrangements.

 

As you know guests can cancel free of charge within 48 hours, so your friend must have been holding the booking for a while before she wanted to cancel to be liable for the fees.

 

So she can either ask the host if they are prepared to let her cancel and give her a full refund.

 

Or she can suggest that she cancels and if the host gets a replacement booking that s/he refunds here. In that way there is no risk to the host. This would be the fairest approach to both parties as the host may have lost out on longer term bookings during a peak period to accommodate her stay.

 

Either case of course she will lose her Airbnb fee.

 

What did you advise her to do?

Paul154
Level 10
Seattle, WA

@Scotia0

I'd let my friend look for opinions. It's her business.

Gerry-And-Rashid0
Level 10
London, United Kingdom

@Scotia0

 

Personally with such a long lead in I would happily let them cancel. 

Krystal16
Level 10
Toronto, Canada

@Scotia0

I am like most hosts who would also allow a cancellation, however I think we have all also seen the new option that allows you to provide a discounted rate but if the guest cancels they forfeit their payment.  

With reservations that are closer to the date I have offered a 50% refund, that makes people semi happy.  Obviously they would be happiest with 100% refund. 

 

I personally don't have a strict policy (I noticed when looking for a place in London almost all were strict) for hosts that do have a strict policy I am not sure if the 50% cancellation fees is part of their planned revenue stream, if so I wouldn't think the host would refund.  As we know we are all different

Sarah977
Level 10
Sayulita, Mexico

@Scotia0 I think many hosts would refund, maybe even most. But not sure what value this information has for you or your friend, unless it's just idle curiousity.  If one books or buys something with a non-refundable policy, that's on the purchaser. Maybe they can get it resolved to some extent so they don't lose all their $, but it's not required of the seller to do that.

John1080
Level 10
Westcliffe, CO

@Scotia0, I would personally refund, as I would be pretty sure I would be able to fill the dates that far out. 

@Scotia0

I personally would NOT refund becasue the guest agreed to a strict policy when making the reservation. I honestly don't care how far out the booking is and the reason why. Rules are rules. If it falls under extenuating circumstances the guest will get a refund regardless of when they cancel even though I have a strict policy - this is may not always be fair but rules are rules. And besides..... ABB will keep their fees. Why should I have to refund when ABB doesn't? 

If it the reason for cancelling is refund-worthy then the guest should just contact ABB to get a refund thru the extenuating circumstances policy. 

Also I think providing refunds beyond the cancellation policy sends the wrong message to guests, same as breaking your own rules.