Refund Payout on a Cancellation for a Future Date

[Nicholas276]

1. I have a guest that had a reservation for July 2019.  This check in date is 7 months in the future.
2. I have a strict cancellation policy.
3. The guest wants their deposit back.

My question is:  When will I receive the deposit back from Airbnb, so I can pay the customer a refund?

[Steve143]

Hello @Nicholas276,

You can point out to the guest that they've paid Airbnb and that Airbnb doesn't pay the host until after the guest checks in.

If the guest cancels the reservation you will get any payout due under your cancellation a few days after the original checkin date i.e. sometime in June 2019.

If the guest cancels you could then use the send or request money feature to send them money in the meantime but it will either be charged immediately to your credit card or be deducted from your next payout. If you do this make sure to contact Airbnb support to discuss the issue so as the guest won't be allowed a full refund as well as your payment to them should they subsequently decide to claim extenuating circumstances.

Steve.

[Nicholas276]

Thanks for the info Steve.  But why would Airbnb withhold payment if a customer cancels a reservation request until check in.  It feels like Airbnb is sitting on the guest's money until a date when the customer was supposed to check in?   It would imagine this is a highly irritable policy which puts the host and the guest in a difficult spot.  The host needs to front the guest money for a cancellation or tell the customer to wait 7 months to get paid.  It makes no sense to me.

[Susan151]

@Nicholas276. As hard as it is to believe, this is not between you and the guest. It is between AirBNB and the guest. There is no reason to get between them as a middleman. The guest must call AirBNB and take up the refund with them.

My understanding is, when a cancelation occurs, the guest should get their funds back, minus any fees, within 3-5 business days. If this isn't happening, again, it is up to AirBNB to fix. In no instance shoud you be "fronting" the money. AirBNB sure isn't going to send you money in July!

[Jeff158]

@Nicholas276

The easiest way to sort it out is ring customer service, tell them you would like to overide your strict cancellation policy and refund this customer, they will happily sort it out.

Click the link for phone numbers

https://community.withairbnb.com/t5/Help/Contact-Airbnb-A-Community-Help-Guide-UPDATED/m-p/413245#M5...

[Clara116]

@Nicholas276 Please read what @Susan151 is writing you. The reservation is made by customer/guest with Airbnb...............it is 7 months away. They should contact Airbnb - YOU do NOT have to do anything - and Susan has it correct. Host NEVER send monies like this to guests. 

Airbnb takes monies for reservations for dates soon, months away and even more. They control how that all works.

The cancellation policy is important the week the guests is to arrive - anytime before that they will get a refund usually within 3-5 days. Of course, all cancellations within the week of the reservation depend upon the flexible, moderate, or strict setting - this is only important just before the dates of arrival.

The guests do not know that hosts don't have their monies - just tell them to contact Airbnb.  happy hosting - hope you understand it alittle better. 

[Nicholas276]

Great thanks all.  I understand.