Unbelievable scenario - AirBnb cancels a reservation and gives full refund without notifying me!

[Adeline60]

Yesterday as I was about to send check-in instruction to a guest  I saw that the reservation had been cancelled with a full-refund, even though the event had happened within the 5-day window before checking in (I have a moderate cancellation policy).

What is unbelievable is that there is no email, no notification, nothing anywhere from AirBnb to warn me about this. What happened? I asked for help and was told that the guest had cancelled because of "extenuating circumstances". What are those extenuating circumstances? I don't know.

Can't possibly be related to my cabin since we have guests there now and will have more next week. Could it be related to a wildfire 50 miles away that is now 80% contained and is not responsible for any road closure in the area anymore? Maybe, but how come I don't have a say in this? 

Be aware that AirBnb can dictate cancellations as they please and give full refunds without any notification nor explanation. I just got superhost status and that's a very nice way to reward my hard work. I'm extremely disappointed to say the least. 

At least now I know that policies do not matter, and neither do superhosts.

[Susan1028]

@Rebecca181 

That's also known as theft...

[Rebecca181]

Yep. (Glad you found the irony in my comment).

[Oomesh-Kumarsingh0]

@Rebecca181 They are probably the only company on this planet who allow 48hours free cancellation after a booking has been made.Even airlines don't practise this type of policy.

[Rebecca181]

@Oomesh-Kumarsingh0 Yes, it is a very helpful policy especially for 'impulse bookers' - you know, people who look at listings just for fun at night whilst drinking a bottle of wine (or two), and then have a crazy, rash moment and actually book one of the Airbnb's they are looking at (so easy to do with 'Instant Book') and then realize within 48 hours (or less) that they really didn't mean to book it at all! It is a wonderful feature, to be sure - So wonderful, in fact, that I just don't understand why all the other major booking channels aren't following suit!

[Oomesh-Kumarsingh0]

@Rebecca181 You are absolutely correct! It is a special feature that they created for alcoholics and junkies.With Airbnb you really belong anywhere and it does not matter if you have some of the health issues and addictions that i have previously mention.

[Donna240]

@Oomesh-Kumarsingh0 thanks for the laugh!!! My neighbor tried Airbnb when he took a month long vacation and came home to an empty apartment, stripped of all furniture and belongings. He found garbage strewn all over the living room and several hypodermic needles, so your joke is not far from reality. I heard this second hand, but my source was reliable. I only wish I knew the follow up to this story.

[Oomesh-Kumarsingh0]

@Donna240 Thank you for the compliment! The information that your source told you does not surprise me at all.Anyone can book a place on Airbnb without actually providing valid information about themselves.It is surely nice to joke about it but when you need to deal with such a situation with guests it becomes quite a bitter experience.Hosting on the platform nowadays is like playing russian roulette.

[Donna240]

@Oomesh-Kumarsingh0 Yes, it would be a bitter pill to swallow to have your life turned upside down by some disturbed person, and for what? A desire to work a little harder for some extra income? When I heard this story I asked rhetorically, "How could they afford to pay in advance for an entire month?" and my husband responded, "With the money they made the last time they did this." Your point is well taken  about the verification process. It's flawed when all they really verify is a phone number. I don't even know if you need to prove who you are when opening a phone account.

[Oomesh-Kumarsingh0]

@Donna240 Concerning the phone verification, nowadays someone can use a special phone number which one can get online and be totally incognito.

[Susan1028]

@Donna240

If it's a pay as you go (burner) phone, you don't have to tell them anything...and my gut tells me your husband is right on the money...

[Rebecca181]

@Donna240 Based on reliable reports from hosts and super hosts here, the likely follow up to this story is your neighbor was put through a grueling process by 'Trust & Security' that likely made him age 10 years and nearly have a nervous breakdown. After he handed in every receipt and photo he was likely told that someone would get back to him and then he waited....and waited...and waited....And then had his claim denied for some ridiculous, preposterous reason (such as 'You didn't actually see them do the drugs"). 

Or something like that.

[Donna240]

I feel sorry for anyone who doesn't know that a homeowner's insurance policy or renter's insurance will not protect them if the problem happened while they were short term renting their home to strangers. The minute you take payment your home becomes a commercial liability, not a home. Our short term rental office requires proof of insurance in order to license us and during one of my conversations with them I mentioned that my insurance agent told me that I needed a rider from another insurance company for the short term rental insurance because they did not offer that type of policy. The clerk at the short term rental office informed me that they had processed hundreds of licenses for people insured by the company I was using. So even they did not know that a homeowner's policy is not going to work. 

[Stephanie365]

That is why I have a Commercial General Liability policy that specifically covers my AIrBNB. It costs $102/yr. 🙂

[Jennifer311]

Stephanie, thanks for the tip.

Any advice to help a host choose a company or something you wish you'd known?

[Rebecca181]

@Oomesh-Kumarsingh0 Not only does it not matter - If you DO decide to keep your impulsive, whimsical booking and actually follow through and stay at the listing you reserved with, you can likely even engage in your drug and/or alcohol habit at your host's home and suffer absolutely no consequence, and even be able to book again - And in some cases, even get a full refund even though you violated your host's 'House Rules' and Airbnb's Terms of Service! Airbnb truly is the most non-discriminating booking channel out there, that's for sure!