Can I ask a guest to cancel?

[Patrick802]

Hi, I have a personal family situation in 3 weeks time that has come up and I simply can’t get out of it, I am going to have to ask a guest to cancel their visit of a few days as I’m led to believe its an easier process if the guest cancels rather than the host? As a host gets penalised etc.

Does anyone have experience of this and will a guest usually agree to cancel with a few weeks notice or will the host (i.e. me) end up having to cancel it themselves and any penalties that incurs?

I have a moderate cancellation policy in place and I believe if a stay is canceled 5 days prior the guest gets a full refund or do they have to pay service fees at all?

[Helen3 · Accepted solution]

Hello @Patrick802 

You cannot ask a guest to cancel because you can no longer host them.

If they cancel they will be penalised; they will lose their fees from Airbnb, one of their three cancellation opportunities and they are in the unfortunate position of having to find an alternative within three weeks of their stay.

I am sure you wouldn't want to put your guests in this situation of being penalised because of a host cancellation..

As an alternative could you not ask a friend or family member to manage the listing while you are away - as this means you won't inconvenience your guest as you will still get the income.

Alternatively you will need to cancel the booking. Airbnb will then give your guest a 10% credit to help them find someone else.

[Patrick802]

hI @Helen3 it’s not an emergency as in a funeral etc, but unfortunately something else I have to attend and will have to go away for. I understand that the host is fined I think $50 if its cancelled sooner than 5 days, and x1 of their cancellation opportunities but is this the same for the guests? I thought they got a full refund if its before 5 days? previously quite a few guests have cancelled on me I wasn’t aware that they lost a cancellation opportunity like the host does?

[Patrick802]

@Helen3 

ok so its better/fairer I just cancel the booking instead of asking the guest to?

[Mark116]

@Patrick802  if it's a family emergency of some sort, you could contact airbnb and see if they will allow you to cancel without a penalty.

You may be able to get the guests to cancel, but they may also refuse to do it if they don't get their fees back.

[Patrick802]

Hi @Mark116

Yes thats what I’m not sure of? do the guests get a full refund and  their service/all fees back or is it arbitrary?

[Helen3]

@Patrick802  Do have a look at the Airbnb Help Centre it's great for all the basics around how Airbnb works including how cancellations work from both a guest and host perspective.

As I mentioned in my earlier post the guest would lose the airbnb fee element if they cancelled on  your behalf as well as the 10% credit they will receive from Airbnb when it is a host cancellation.

Airbnb's cancellation policy is not arbitary. If they cancel for you, they will receive a refund in line with your cancellation policy minus the airbnb feel element.

Are you not able to get someone to cover as a co-host while you are away?

The important thing is if you are going to cancel, do this as soon as possible so they have the most possible time to find an alternative. 

[Yadira22]

HEllo @Patrick802 ,

I am so sorry to hear this but honestly it’s unfair to ask a guest to cancel unless their is extenuating circumstances.

If you proceed you can try explaining to the guest what your circumstances are reminding them that as a superhost you have not committed to 100% of the reservations done thus far that this is truest out of your reach. In exchange to this you will be happy to coordinate with Airbnb for a free refund a reduced rate for next time they are in your city (5% or something)... as long as this is communicated with Airbnb and as the host has made no monies on this booking then the guest in question should get a full refund including Airbnb fee (please check this).

Best way to get results for this situation is being understanding, helpful.

Most guests are super calm and helpful and you usually only need to ask them. 

Good luck and have a beautiful rest of day!

Yadira 🙂

[Patrick802]

@Yadira0 thanks, I cancelled the booking myself and did not ask the guest to. They should get  a full refund and I think a 5-10% incentive to rebook? not sure on this last part. Anyway will see what pans out with it. 🙂

[Yadira22]

@Patrick802  just an added incentive if you want them to cancel but might be a bit much, considering all the added costs of hosting! 

Anyway- good luck to you and have a great day! 🙂

[Robin4]

  @Helen3 @Yadira22 @Emilia42 

@Patrick802 , I am sorry I have come in late on this conversation and that you have already cancelled the reservation Patrick, but for future reference can I please suggest a couple of alternatives.

1/......if you are in a situation where a confirmed hosting cannot take place, firstly contact customer support by phone and ask them as pleasantly as you can for their advice and help with your specific booking issue. 

I had this happen on one occasion, I was fortunate to have the services of a very helpful support person who said he could understand my situation and would contact the guest and suggest accommodation alternatives. Another property was oragnised to the guest' s satisfaction, the support person then contacted me and told me that my reservation with the guest had been cancelled as a 'neutral ' cancellation, neither host or guest were penalised. My booking calendar remained closed for the cancelled dates, but that suited me anyway and I did not loose my Superhost status or receive any other penalty.....CX do have the ability to do this Patrick!

Relocation is always preferable to a cancellation, it won't always work but, if you can achieve it, it is certainly the best starting point.

2/....It is worthwhile building a relationship with a few other hosts in your area! I also had a situation where through an Airbnb foul-up I had two different guests on my property with a confirmed booking for the same night.....what th!! Contact with CX was useless at 6.00pm with two seperate guests standing in front of me, so I got straight onto one of my neighbouring Airbnb hosts who accepted one of the guests immediately. We didn't even alter the 'paperwork', when the payout came I simply passed it across to the other host but later involvement with CX did result in them taking responsibility for the double booking and the other host got to review the relocated guest and the credit of the subsequent review.

Patrick, we always have to have a plan B we can call on at times....As I said, I am sorry I could not get this to you before you cancelled, but, all the best!

Cheers......Rob

[Patrick802]

Hi @Robin4 many thanks for your very informative reply. Yes I had already cancellded, but great to know any other options if the same situation occured again. The other local host idea is also very good. Thanks P

[Robin4]

@Patrick802 

It just disturbs me a bit Patrick that by cancelling you will loose your Superhost status for 12 months, and that is a pity, we work so da*n hard and to have it taken away by something we had little or no control over is a bit cruel.

I will include the link here Patrick, you may already know the cancellation rules but try to remember it for the future.......

https://www.airbnb.com.au/help/article/990/i-m-a-host--what-penalties-apply-if-i-need-to-cancel-a-re...

I just wish I had got to you sooner!......It may be worth a call to CX, explain your situation and see if they can quaranteen you from that penalty.

All the best Patrick.

Cheers......Rob

[Patrick802]

@Robin4 Thanks, I may well call them tomorrow and discuss it. Airbnb is changing here anyway in Ireland in a few months I believe. We have a housing shortage/crisis, and the government seem to think curtailing airbnb will alleviate this, so that one can only host for 3 months max per year (for domicile). I may be worng about this, so anyway superhost status may not matter anyway then. P

[Robin4]

@Patrick802 

I am so sorry to hear that Pat.......we seem to be fairly fortunate in this part of the world where restrictions seem to be a long way off, and I think we as local hosts have had a bit to do with that. We go out of our way here as hosts to do Airbnb's work and promote the positive aspects of having Airbnb in the community instead of just sitting on our hands and taking the money....... which the heighrachy in SF seem to be doing.

I even have 'Airbnb Welcome Here'  window stickers in lots of the shops in this community of mine and some of the retailers have gone so far as to commit to a small discount for Airbnb customers. Here, the company are being seen as a good thing, but we don't have the company to thank for that....and that is disappointing!

I hope restrictions don't hit you too hard Pat....all the best!

Cheers.....Rob