Reservation Change -Strict Policy

Nina-and-Gary0
Level 3
Southbank, Australia

Reservation Change -Strict Policy

I've set my cancellation policy to strict and a guest due to check in in 10 days has had a personal difficulty and wants to postpone. On AirBnB Help it says if I accept his request to change, his reservation will be updated and he’ll be charged or refunded if necessary. Does that mean he'll definitely lose 50% + AirBnB fees, or when I get his request to change do I have the option of waiving the 50% deduction (ie he loses only the AirBnB service charge)? Or can I modify the 50% to a lesser amount? And if he re-books, does he get charged AirBnB service charge a second time? 

3 Replies 3

If you "change" his reservation, the cancellation policy does not apply at all and the new reservation will have the Strict policy applied.  This is typically a loophole for a guest who wants to minimize their losses.  So if his original reservation is for 5 days but he changes it to 1 day, he's only out 50% of 1 day, not 5.  

What he wants to do is cancel his reservation.  (HE needs to cancel it, not you and don't accept an email from Airbnb saying "is it okay to cancel" because that means YOU are cancelling and will be penalized).  That means he will be out 50% of the total booking as long as he cancels before hitting the 7 day mark (he's got 3 days).  

Now you could, if you want, refund him some portion of that 50% which will be paid to you by Airbnb because of your strict policy.  Be aware, you are 10 days from the booking start, how much money will you lose if you cannot book any part of his cancelled trip?  Right now you are only going to get 50% of those days if he cancels.  But if you want, you can offer him back some or all of the money you will earn for his cancellation.  

If he cancels, he will also forfeit the administration monies paid to Airbnb and he will not get them back.  If he changes his reservation, that does not apply.  

Annette33
Level 10
Prescott, AZ

doing a change request, the dates have to be entered.  Is that guest able or willing to put in alternative dates? Then it should  not be difficult.

Otherwise it will come down to a cancellation. You will know best if the "personal difficulty" is legit and you'd want to be helpful and possibly offer something outside your strict cancellation  schedule, you can do that under refund, I believe.

But if it is a smoke screen, possibly with the scenario that @Alice-and-Jeff0 have touched upon, I would not be so sympathetic.  In any case, why not let the guest make his/her move - and you'll respond.

Elaine202
Level 2
Aberdeen, United Kingdom

I have a guest arriving in 5 days for a 2 week booking (he made the reservation over a week ago)

He has asked for the reservation to be put back another 7 days for a  2 week booking. 

i have a strict booking policy so he cant cancel anymore for the booking starting in 5 days.

My question is: If i let him put his booking back so he is arriving in 12 days and he cancels in next 5 days, will he still get 50% of this booking fee back?