Cancelation due to Emergency 4 days Prior to Check-in

[Dottie21]

I have a guest who just canceled their reservation just 4 days to their check-in and is looking for a refund. They say it's an emergency. What do you guys do? My policy is firm meaning no refunds when it's that close. Please help 😞

[Dottie21]

My guest is also a host. She said her cancelation policy is flexible at her house; mine is firm. I told her to make a claim if she bought insurance and gave her the option to book at a later date and I'll be happy to give her some credit. Haven't heard back from her but Airbnb has paid me. I just lost $$ two months ago bcoz I canceled a guest a few days to check-in bcoz of their family illness. I didn't want to lose again 😭. The days ended up not being booked. It was too late so I couldn't give her any $$ back.

[Sandra856]

Hi @Dottie21 😃

I’m a little confused - did you do the cancellation 2 month ago (as a host you should never ever cancel on behalf of a guest)? Because if you did you will get penalised and the dates will automatically get blocked so no one else can book. If a guest can’t make it for whatever reason and they cancel (without your interference and from there side) they will automatically get refunded according to the cancellation policy they agreed to and you as a host will be able to refund them if you like. I don’t refund unless dates are rebooked by other guests and not before I got the payment from the new guests. 
It is completely up to you to decide if you would like to keep both payments if new guests rebook. 

[Sandra856]

@Dottie21 The thing is that if you explain to the guest that they will get a refund should new guests rebook they will cancel their stay and won’t be able to review you (unless they cancel after midnight on the day of check in then they will be able to review you). When I have a guest who needs to cancel I explain that they are currently blocking the calendar so no one else can book but as soon as they cancel the calendar will reopen and new guests will be able to book. They always cancel straight ahead so new guests will be able to book. It makes the risk to get a less than stellar review smaller than if you get a guest that won’t cancel because they get nothing out of it and will be able to review you. 

[Dottie21]

2 months ago, the guest couldn't make it. In order for them to get a refund, I called Airbnb so no, I didn't cancel from my end. If I didn't call Airbnb then they wouldn't have got any cash back. I wasn't going to do that again this time. It's becoming costly 😭

[Rhonda45]

You can go to the guests profile and click on send  or request money.  

I had to cancel a guest one time because our daughter schedule her wedding the day I had a guest coming.  it was several months before his arrival and I did not want to be penalized for cancelling a guest but we needed the rental for family coming to the wedding.  Airbnb was super nice and did not penalize me and let the guest know why, as did I.  I also recommended other Airbnbs in my community to him.  

[Rhonda45]

@Dottie21 I always refund when they say it’s an emergency.  Maybe they aren’t being truthful but I’ve found that the majority are honest and they book again  later.  It’s good customer service. 

[Sandra856]

@Rhonda45 I think it is unreasonable and rude for a guest to just expect to get refunded outside the cancellation policy for whatever reason. Whenever I travel I buy travel insurance to cover myself in cases of emergencies. It is kind of you that you refund if a guest tells they got an emergency but many hosts won’t be able to block their calendar for a guest for a long time and refund without knowing if the listing will get rebooked in a short notice. 

[Dottie21]

How often have you had cancellations? This was my 2nd in 3months; both said it was a sick family member.

[Rhonda45]

I haven’t had that many who have cancelled at the very last minute.  I got a call late at night last summer and the woman was sobbing. They were due here the next day.   Her daughter-in-law, her grandchild, and the DIL’s mother  had drowned in a flash flood when the water swept the car off the road.    It was true as I looked it up the next day.  It’s was horrific.  I’ve had people with Covid (they rebooked later and thanked me).  

I would rather refund and trust people than to believe they are trying to scam me.  Part of hosting, or any business,  is thinking about the guest.  Many hosts don’t understand customer service and that’s why they fail. It happens a lot in my community.  

Most of my guests who cancel, cancel before the time frame.  I’m very fortunate that others book when a guest cancels and my calendar is freed up.  

Airbnb does give partial refunds anyway.  It’s just not a big deal to me.