Which cancellation possibility

[Isa11184]

Dear other hosts,

which cancellation possibility do you apply?
I haven´t got many cancellations yet, but today I got one of 4 guests for a weekend in December and don´t get anything for it.

I know I could change the cancellation possibility. But first I´d like to know how other hosts handle this.

Thank you in advance for your reply.

Isa

[Lawrene0]

It really depends on your place, @Isa11184 . Is there a good chance that December cancellation will be booked by someone else? 

Here, there are a couple of things going on. I want guests to be able to cancel easily for a weather event, as we sometimes find ourselves dependent upon weather for guest happiness. 🙂

Also, our dates fill up very quickly. Cancellations take no more than a day or two to get filled, so I'm not out anything, or much, if guests cancel for their own reasons. 

A flexible policy works well for me.

I do completely understand all those with firmer policies. I used to feel, with guests seemingly always claiming extenuating circumstances, that it was a lot of drama for little reward, but now that Airbnb has cracked down on that, I think it makes sense to at least go with a moderate policy so that you aren't always taking the hit for guest cancellations. The firm one if you need it. Few of us are in a position to act as travel insurers, and it is good to be able to choose what works best.

Hope that helps a little. 

[Amanda660]

Before Covid I was on a Strict Cancellation Policy and IB but moved to Moderate when we were permitted to open up again.  We are rural and flexible wouldn’t work for us.  

I no longer use IB and this along with the Moderate policy works well for me and cancellations are quite rare.  The couple we had were fortunately over summer and rebooked really quickly.  Perhaps you could try a few combinations.

[Pat271]

I have 2 properties, and have Moderate policy on one, and Modified Strict on the other. The former property is a weekend getaway, and at that location it is not uncommon to get bookings within a week of the stay. The other is in Maui. For most guests, coming to Maui is a trip of a lifetime, and they plan at least 1 month in advance, usually many months more. I used to have a Strict policy in Maui, but I found it a little severe when the guest planned, say, a year in advance, and couldn’t cancel 11 months in advance without losing money or contacting me for a refund (which I almost always provided with that much of an advance leadtime, although there is the issue with the Airbnb guest fee, which is typically not refunded in that case). So far, Modified Strict has worked out pretty well. I have had a couple of cancellations 1 month in advance, but they filled up quickly within a week.

So, like @Lawrene0 said, it all depends on the location and type of accommodation, and the average guest’s normal lead time for booking. Demand can also be a criterion, of course. For some properties, no matter what the cancellation policy is, they will be booked solid. Might as well have more strict cancellation policies on those. 

[Ramona-Bogdana0]

Hello @Isa11184 , 

From the point of view of the host - owner, you can offer the flexible cancellation terms, but the best one is Moderate.
Cancellation Terms Strict are used by agencies, hotels, and other hosts that sublet the house.

Don't forget that on Airbnb exist Special cases, and like you,  a Host in Germany has cancellation policy complies with the local requirements. Learn more about cancellations in Germany.

https://www.airbnb.com/help/article/475

So, for Moderate cancellation policy:

"

Moderate

Cancel up to 7 days before your trip and get a full refund, including all fees. Cancel within 7 days of the trip and get a 50% refund of the total nightly rate, as well as a full refund of fees. View additional terms"

https://www.airbnb.com/home/updated_cancellation_policies#moderate

Have a great autumn, and without cancellation!

Ramona