A Xmas booking

[Simon3463]

Hi there

I am due a couple to stay from 23 to 26 December.

I can't host now as my kids want to stay.

Can anyone accommodate this couple?

I'm in North London so London if possible.

Many thanks

Simon

[Mike-And-Jane0]

@Simon3463 I am really not sure this will end well for you. Why not just cancel and accept the penalties? Quite how you would transfer a booking, even if you found a listing, is beyond me.

[Simon3463]

Thanks for your thoughts.

Rather than simply cancel I thought it was quite a reasonable suggestion to ask if anyone were able to accommodate this couple.

i know if I had received this request and I had room I would have helped out. 

When you say “ not going to end well for me” not sure what the worse that can happen is?!

[Mike-And-Jane0]

@Simon3463 to be fair the worst that can happen is you will get an automatic 'host cancelled XX days before the stay' plus a fine for cancelling plus the dates will be blocked (which is good actually in this case). 

You could see of any alternatives exist on Airbnb and perhaps direct your guest to them?

[Helen744]

@Simon3463 stuff happens .Remember to block dates as they can open qiuckly and be booked quickly at that time of year. go incognito in your area and look up other hosts listings around you and find one or two similar homes nearby with vacancy and then be honest with your guest and tell them that you will fully refund and send them the other listings , in fact now that you have their phone numbers , do them the courtesy of a phone call and send an apology gift of some nature. you are still a host so show your 'hosty manners ' H

[Simon3463]

Hi Helen

yes good advice.

all sorted and I’ve offered them a couple of free nights if they come for 4 nights or more. 

[Helen744]

@Simon3463 Well done. H

[Huma0]

@Simon3463 

I think what @Mike-And-Jane0 are trying to explain is that you cannot transfer a booking from one host's listings to another, so this would involve cancellation no matter what.

Of course, if your cancellation policy still allows the guest to get a full refund, including Airbnb fees, they are most likely to cancel from their end and you will not face penalties. However, if doesn't, you would either need to cancel yourself and face the penalties that come with that (there are several), or convince the guest to cancel and repay them any losses they incur.

Hope that makes sense.

[Helen3]

why don't you do a search for comparable listings in your area @Simon3463  it's not fair to expect guests to move to another part of London that could miles away from where they want to be.

If there is an additional costs,  I would suggest you cover these as you are asking the guests to move and pricing may have gone up since they booked during this busy time of year.  Alternatively you could cancel and pay the penalty.  You would then need to see if you can convince the guest to cancel the booking and book an alternative listing. You would need to cover the airbnb fee as they will lose this if they cancel and of course return the host fee.

Do read up on Airbnb's cancellation policy for hosts so you know what you may be liable for.

[Huma0]

@Simon3463 

Here is the policy that will show you how it works and what is the worst that can happen:

https://www.airbnb.co.uk/help/article/990/host-cancellation-policy

As I mentioned, it doesn't matter if you can find somewhere else for the guest to stay (although it's nice of you to try), cancellation penalties will still apply as you cannot transfer bookings to another host.

[Gwen386]

@Simon3463 Why? Even if you found a rental, how would you know the likes, wants, and needs of the guests who selected your home. I would be annoyed with you, as a guest, to make an assumption that you can find something for me. The best thing you can do for them is to cancel the reservation as soon as possible so that they can find another appropriate place that they like;  accept the penalty and fee related to it; and allow airbnb to assist them with finding another location. Just my 2cents

[Simon3463]

Thank you all. First time I would have had to cancel a guest but circumstances are out of my hands on this occasion. I’m a lone parent and both son and daughter have said they are now coming back at this time, ( having previously said they wouldn’t) 

[Huma0]

@Simon3463 

Well, it's a learning curve. 

I make a point of blocking Christmas Day on my calendar in advance because I know I will spend the day with my family. 

Even if something is just a possibility and not definite, it's a good idea to block the calendar for those dates until you know. 

Airbnb certainly do not make it easy for hosts to cancel, and there are good reasons for that because they don't want guests being mucked about and then leaving the platform for good. While there are 'extenuating circumstances' that would make you eligible to apply for a penalty free cancellation (I had to do this once when I had to have surgery), a change in Christmas plans is not one of them.

[Gwen386]

@Huma0 Totally agree. I block day before and after my B’day, and from Xmas eve to after New Year’s Day. I have no plans, but that could change at a moment’s notice. 

[Huma0]

@Gwen386 @Simon3463 

I used to host stays every day of the year, including Christmas Day. My family are in South London and so no one stays over, we all go home at the end of the evening, and we start the celebrations late.

I started off thinking that it would be fine. Guests who wanted to arrive on Christmas Day (and it does happen because flights are cheaper) were only accepted if they understood I could check them in up until a certain time and no later as I had to go to my family Christmas dinner.

What do you think happened? Well, they were always late (and some didn't keep me informed) and of course I had to wait for them (I don't do self check in). That was stressful for me and my family.

Also, I ended up getting lower ratings, because I was then in a rush and didn't carry their case up the stairs (not that I advertise a porterage service on my listing!) or because I wasn't home when they ignored my instructions and accidentally turned off the heating. It was a nightmare. Never again. Now I block out Xmas Day (not for stays, but for check ins), well before I have a clue what I'll be doing. 

Likewise, if I think I might be travelling, I don't wait to know until I do. I block the dates just in case and then adjust once I know more.

@Simon3463 I know it's a bit different in your circumstances because your kids told you they weren't coming and then changed their minds. Maybe next year, before you accept a booking at Xmas, ask your children to give you an answer either way, explaining that you can't cancel a guest once they have booked.