Check-in Start Time keeps defaulting to FLEXIBLE...WHY??

[Greg1402]

Hi AirBnB Community,

This is my first post as we are two months into being new hosts. Certainly learning along the way but have had mostly positive experiences. 

My question however is a strange issue I'm having with Check-in Start Time that keeps defaulting to Flexible. This in under Booking Settings/Policies/Check-In Start Time. I have set it multiple times to 3pm. The problem just recently started (June 2020) when a guest requested check-in time 10-noon. Had I not noticed this on their Instant Book it would have been a major problem with guests previous stay not leaving till 11am. 

I don't know if anyone else is experiencing the same and found solutions? For now I have simply stated in House Rules under Additional Rules...Check-in is 3 pm or anytime after. (If AirBnB app offers earlier option, DO NOT BELIEVE IT. We use the full 4 hours between guests to clean and prep.

Thanks in advance for your feedback and or suggestions.

Greg

[Mike-And-Jane0]

@Greg1402 Has the setting actually changed?

I understand that under Instant Booking guests can request a different check in time so hosts will occasionally get a reservation request (which is strange as Instant Book is on) but hidden in said request is a check in time change.

[Martina714]

@Greg1402 your check-in is at 3pm finished.

some guests enquiry to make it earlier. if you can you reply and agree, if you don't it's stated at 3pm no worries and amen. unfortunately those little wild dogs could leave you a feedback that check-in was not smooth. so you'd reply to their feedback that earlier check-in was not agreed.

[Martina714]

remember, you always have the last card to play on the feedbacks, play it good

[Colleen253]

@Greg1402   I've had my settings 'spontaneously' change often enough that I now check them thoroughly every few days or so, ALL of them. The Airbnb platform is bug riddled. Oh, and if you haven't thoroughly experienced it yourself yet, let me tell you, the majority of guests DO NOT read the listing description, or your house rules, so don't rely on that.

[Ria16]

@Colleen253  I have this problem also and recheck it every couple of days. 

[Greg1402 · Accepted solution]

I THINK I may have discovered when this setting is defaulting back to NONE. Regardless it shouldn't happen but it happened again this morning.

If you make ANY changes to Booking Settings, such as update Rules, update guest requirements, etc...I think this is when my account listing Check-in Time defaults back to flexible.

Next time you make a change on Booking Settings, check your Check-In Time. Maybe we can confirm this bug. 

[Colleen253]

@Greg1402  Interesting!  Good find on that one! I just tested it out and sure enough, my check-in has reverted to 'NOT SET'. I had it set to after 4 p.m. I also tested it by tweaking other categories and nothing was affected.  @Lizzie can you look into this please?

@Ria16 you should test this too, for check-in setting.

[Jennifer303]

I had my cancellation policy switched to Flexible without my knowledge and just lost out on a lot of money when my guests cancelled the day before their arrival. I'm super salty about it. I guess the lesson is to check your policy every single time you log on. 

[Denice0]

I'm checking my settings daily, "spontaneous change" is that like dynamic pricing (for fees)!  Just found a setting that changed to flexible cancellation.  I've never had a flexible cancellation. 

[Kat162]

Thankyou @Greg1402 - I've been battling this since early June and agree - any change made to Booking Settings seems to reset it to "Flexible". 
Like @Denice0 I've been checking daily to make sure it is set to the correct time. I reached out to Air BnB a couple of days ago. They asked me to take screen shots of when I find it Flexible and when I reset it, and keep watching then contact them to report it as a bug. So happy I am not alone & let's hope for a speedy repair. ; )

[Lizzie]

Hello @Greg1402, @Colleen253, @Kat162, @Denice0, @Ria16, @Mike-And-Jane0 

I'm actually really pleased to see your post here Greg, as I reported this back to our Product Team last week–as another host thought this was happening.

As you touch upon, it's proving difficult to replicate, so any way that you can help to show this would be great.

Interesting to see if it is when you make any alteration to other parts of your listing that this happens, do let me know if this is the case and I can provide more information to the product team (plus, any screenshot would be very helpful too). 

Thanks so much for your help with this.

Lizzie

(Thanks for mentioning me Colleen)

[Ria16]

@Lizzie  It hasn’t changed today, and I’ve had a tutto around . Hmmm. 

[Colleen253]

@Lizzie This is still happening. I've been updating my rules and my check in was changed to a flexible start time again. This is really a pain in the neck. As for being difficult to replicate, it's actually quite simple. I change some of my rules, and my stated check in time of 4 p.m. disappears. Every single time.

[Lizzie]

Thanks @Colleen253 this is really helpful. 

Can I check is this happening across multiple browsers?