Sending a guest a refund for a cancelled reservation

[Steve-and-Lindsey0]

I had a guest book with the max amount of guests we can hold and then proceeded two days later to tell me more people were coming with her.  I politely told her that we could not accommodate more than 8 people as our listing states. She decided to cancel and it was just outside of the 48 hour window (I am on Strict cancellation policy). I offered her a full refund. Airbnb refunded her 50% and sent me an email stating they would pay me the other 50% ($215) on the normal payout schedule, the day after the 1st day of the reservation. Now that I went in and issued the other $215 of her payment to her, to give her a 100% refund, I receive an email from Airbnb stating that this amount will be deducted from my next guest payout.

My question is:    Her $215 payable to me was in my future transition payout schedule and now that I issued the full refund it is no longer there. Shouldn’t this just be a wash? Shouldn't Airbnb just not release her money to me at all and just refund it to her? Why would they take this $215 refund out of my next guest payout and then also not pay me the $215. It feels like I am out this $215. Am I missing something?

I appreciate any insight anyone could give me.

[Letti0]

@Steve-and-Lindsey0  Never refund anything until you are actually paid by AirBnB. Just tell the guest that until AirBnB pays you that you can not refund them. 

FYI:

DO NOT CANCEL a reservation, DO NOT ACCEPT any message about cancelling, changing or refunding DECLINE it a loophole that comes back to bite you and gives guests back their service fees and/or voids your cancellation policy (changing dates) or the cancellation is now on you, not the guests (accepting cancellation). DO NOT REFUND anything until actual cash has been given to you by AirBNB. If you refund they will take the money from you and a lot of times guests get refunded from both AirBnB and you if you do this, then you have a fight to get your money back. Tell the guest you do not deal with the booking funds that is all on AirBnB's end.

[Steve-and-Lindsey0]

Thank you, Letti!  I appreciate your help! 

[Fred13]

That 'this amount will be deducted from your next guest payout' is stupidly written by Airbnb; what they really mean is they will take it out of the money they are holding for that particular guest, which was supposedly be going to you the day after they were to arrived, but now goes to the guest instead. Another message written by someone there who loves to confuse hosts. 😄

[Steve-and-Lindsey0]

Thank you, Fred!  I appreciate your insight!

[Linda1112]

How long does it take for a guest to recieve a refund for a reservation that i had to cancel.

I just srated this B & B and have alot to learn. Linda

[Sheldon15]

Same thing happened to me . I had 2 guests check in and 1 hr later I get an email from them stating that they had to leave due to a severe allegy to smoke and they couldnt stay. My house has 2 wood stoves and a giant pile of fire wood in the driveway.

 I clearly state that  I have a wood stove so what are these people thinking. So I refunded their money and then recieved a notice stating my next payout  would be docked the amount that I refunded to my guests already. Funny thing is my next payout was full and as far as I see I lost no money.