Full refund on 48 hour cancellation policy with 2 months notice?

[Rohan110]

I made a booking in June for a stay in December. This reservation had a 48 hour cancellation policy for a full refund. This holiday is my first time using Airbnb.

The listing states that the host would accommodate an early check in so I requested if I could alter my check in date for an early check in the next day. While the listing states that the host will do his best and will hold the guests' bags if it isn't possible to have an early check in, he flat out refused. Which would have been okay, but then he said that if I were to alter the check in date, the Airbnb cancellation policy would take effect. I believed him at first but then spoke to support. They ensured me that this was not true and I couldn't see any charges when I tried to alter dates on the app.

I was disappointed by his behaviour. I have older parents visiting and did not want to them to have to wait for the better part of a day to check in so I made alternate arrangements. I then politely requested the host that as my plans had changed, I would like to cancel my booking. Considering that the booking was still two months away and during the holiday period (I could see that he has booked the entire month of December save a few days), I asked him if he would consider offering me a full refund. I was honest and told him that I could use the money at the moment as it was not an insignificant amount for me. The 48 hour cancellation period for a full refund is way too strict especially when someone books so far in advance.

I looked up other hosts online who are happy to offer a full refund when given enough notice, but he refused to even consider it. When I politely asked him to reconsider, he ignored me. Judging by this behaviour, I obviously don't want to proceed with the booking anymore.

I reached out to support and they have assured me someone will look into this. I don't know if someone reached out to him because he replied after over 24 hours at 4:47 this morning saying things like "all cancellations have to go through the portal". I have not suggested otherwise in any of my communication. I am not even sure how else I would cancel the booking.

I had a look at his reviews after all of this (I admit that I should have done this earlier but the apartment has great views and I thought I would miss out). There are consistent reviews of his apartment not being well maintained, but he dismisses them. This is disappointing as he charges an exorbitant amount so I assumed that the rooms being clean and tidy was a given. His responses to any reviews critical of his hosting are also disappointing.

Apologies for the long post, but I am genuinely disappointed and stressed about the money I may lose. My question is: is there anything I can do in this situation?

[Helen3]

Is the hosts listing available the day before ? If so, just send an amendment request and your parents will be able to check in as soon as they arrive @Rohan110 

what is the cancellation policy for the hosts listing? That will tell you what sort of refund will be available should you choose to cancel. 

different host have different cancellation policies. If you wanted the flexibility to be able to cancel it would have been better for you to book with a host who has a flexible cancellation policy. 

[Rohan110]

Hello @Helen3,

Thank you for taking the time to reply.

Unfortunately, it looks like you may have missed a few things. I apologise for my long posts, but this experience is genuinely stressing me out.

I had made the booking for 9/12, a day before my parents land, but I requested if I could move it to 10/12 for an early check in. The host promises to accommodate early check ins in his listing. In my case, he didn't even attempt to try to do this. He flat out refused and *lied* saying that I would have to pay cancellation charges if I were to alter the check in date. I believed him at first, but support confirmed that this is not the case. I checked in-app as well and there was no cancellation charge and nothing of this sort is in his listing. This raised a red flag and made me want to cancel the reservation.

When I started reading his reviews, he has done this to an older couple too who were forced to shell double the amount for their reservation. The host's response was that the dates were moved so that the couple wouldn't lose their money. Does that make sense? He seems to be using the 48 hour cancellation policy in a very predatory manner.

As I have stated previously, it is a 48 hour cancellation policy for a full refund. I booked December reservations in June and want to cancel in October. He has almost all of December booked. He charges over $800 per night for an apartment (that is not kept clean btw but he gets by because of the view). So it's not like my cancellation is making a huge dent to some mom and pop operation. I offered to cancel my reservation so that the dates free up and he can offer me a refund based on the days booked which I felt was fair. He has read my message and chosen not to respond. He says that he is not about the money in responses to critical reviews when he very clearly is. 

Airbnb support have not been of much help. The most Airbnb support can do is ask me to leave a review. I am not sure if that is possible without checking in. Speaking to the mediation team inspired no confidence but the host at least responded after they reached out to him. I'm out over a thousand bucks while he faces no repercussions for straight up misrepresenting facts.

I made a mistake as this is my first time using Airbnb. I have since learned that a Superhost badge is just a token and the ratings are highly skewed in the hosts' favour. I mean he has a 4.7 cleanliness rating when even the positive reviews point out that his apartment is not well maintained. It's listed as a "luxury" and air conditioned when it isn't. May be those words mean something different in Sydney. Reading his responses to reviews critical of him have made me understand what gaslighting is.

There are several hosts online who are happy to offer a full refund when given two months notice. I was hoping that I would be speaking to a decent person with some amount of empathy, but judging by his callous behaviour, I think I was expecting too much.

[Mike-And-Jane0]

@Rohan110 I actually have some sympathy for this host. As I see it you booked from the 9th so that your parents could get in upon their early arrival on the 10th. Then, presumably to save some money, you tried to change the booking to the 10th with an early check in.

Now I don't know how early you were asking for but for me an early check in is maybe an hour or two before the normal time. It sounds like you were asking to check in very early such that it would preclude the host booking the night of the 9th to someone else.

[Rohan110]

@Mike-And-Jane0 So you have sympathy for the host lying to me about cancellation charges applying for altering the check in date?

If he said that it was a standard check in and he had tried  but could not accommodate the early check in, I would have made some arrangements, but he flat out refused and lied. Which is what prompted the cancellation.

[Mike-And-Jane0]

@Rohan110 my sympathy was with the overall situation not each individual element of who did what to whom. 

I am slightly confused but it seems you have now booked elsewhere and want to cancel the original booking just because you couldn't get an early check in (that you only need because you moved the booking back a day to save $800).

So if I were to summarise from the hosts point of view: You have blocked dates in their calendar for 4 months and now wish to ignore the contractually agreed cancellation policy and get your money back.

Hmm

[Rohan110]

Hello @Mike-And-Jane0 

Thank you once again for your condescending response.

Yes, I tried to push my check in by a day. I didn't realise that this isn't possible or forbidden? Does Airbnb work differently where you are around?

You smugly keep pointing out that I am trying to save money. Is there a larger point you are trying to make?

Which part confused you? Certainly not the host lying to not let me change my check in by a day because you've conveniently skipped it twice now.

The contractual policy that only gives you 48 hours to cancel something that is 6 months out? Like I said previously, it is absurd and I had no idea the host would be a horrible person.

So if I were to summarise from your point of view: You expect me to want to stay at a place where the host responds with hostility and then ignores me? Hmm

This conversation and my experience with the host make me sympathise with those who dislike Airbnbs. Maybe they have a point.

[Mike-And-Jane0]

@Rohan110 The host may well not want to allow you to change the booking by a day as it has been known that doing so 'resets' the cancellation clock and hence would give you a 48hr cancellation window again.

My only point is that this situation needs to be seen from both sides. Clearly the host should not lie but many hosts have to guess what the Airbnb system does when changes are made.

Also guests need to understand there are many different cancellation policies available to hosts. Some provide flexible policies which allow the guest to cancel free of charge up to the day before the stay. Others only allow cancellations for the first 48hrs after booking. The latter can be slightly cheaper and get fewer bookings but appreciate the certainty a booking brings.

At the end of the day you were clearly shown the cancellation policy of your host before you booked.

[Rohan110]

As this host has done this to other guests before, I believe he knows exactly what he's doing.

I assure you that the 48 hour cancellation policy was not cheaper by any means.

As I've stated several times before, this was my first time using Airbnb. I first approached the host to change the check in date. Yes, he would earn $23,200 instead of $24,000 that month because I wanted to alter it by a day but he lied about it which is a red flag for me. 

I see hosts who seem to be waving "should have read the policy" in my face because there's a general lack of empathy here but all of you seem okay that the host will receive 50% for a service that they didn't provide. Do you know of many other instances where this would be okay? 

[Frances3408]

@Rohan110

It sounds like your host is offering a strict cancellation policy only. This means the 100% full refund only applies within the FIRST 48 hours of your June booking time. You can check this information in their listing as well as your booking confirmation info from Airbnb.

Early check ins are rarely "promised" by hosts, so always check the wording carefully and if not sure, make an enquiry first, rather than go straight to book. If they are a caring host they will answer you and then you will have a better guide to their character based on communications.

Finally please dont let this experience turn you off staying with other hosts and enjoy Sydney and its surrounds with your parents. 🙂

[Rohan110]

Thank you @Frances3408 for your warm response. I appreciate it 🙂

[Rohan110]

How is 48 hours enough for something planned 12 months ahead? What if their plans change? What if they find a better property for better value?

I really don't understand hosts who say that this benefits guests. Predatory hosts make a killing using this. It is in the hosts' favour.

I have lost over a thousand dollars because a host is refusing to offer me a full refund following the 48 hour policy. I booked in June for December reservations. The booking is two months away in December and he has almost the whole month booked and still says that he may not be able to book my days after I cancel. Can you believe him? Would dealing with such a person make you a fan of Airbnb hosts?

I practically begged him when I requested the refund. I suggested refunding me if he books the dates after I cancel. The host is ignoring me. Airbnb support suggested that I leave a review. I have not checked in but they are asking me to leave a review. This is the kind of support guests receive in case you are wondering or choose to believe that Airbnb sides with guests.

[Sandra856]

@Rohan110 It is not like a guest is not refunded if a guest cancels after the 48 hours free cancellation period. By then the normal cancellation policy kicks in. Listings can have a flexible, moderate og strict cancellation policy (plus some extra) and of course the long term cancellation policy. If a guest blocks the calendar for a long period of time (long term stay) the host needs some security and that is 30 days pay. 
You didn’t read the cancellation policy before you booked the place? In order to be able to book you need to agree to the policy. If your stay was booked 12 month ago you have blocked of the host’s listing so no one else could book it for 12 month? The host accepted to reserve the place to you under the agreed to cancellation policy. 
When you cancel you will automatically get refunded according to the cancellation policy you agreed to. I understand that it is annoying- but it is still what you agreed to when you booked. 

[Sandra856]

@Rohan110 I would like to ad that the 48 hour grace period is not something a host can choose to have/not have. A host chooses a cancellation policy and then if a guest books well in advance the guest gets a free cancellation period. It is like a free period ‘ad on’. It is not a cancellation policy on its own. 

[Rohan110]

The 48 hour cancellation is definitely an add on as not all listings have this policy.

I think I've wasted so much time and effort explaining to people that yes I made a mistake when booking this listing because it was my first time using Airbnb. But everyone is skipping over the part where the host lied about being charged a cancellation if I were to alter my check in. Wouldn't that send red flags to anyone?

I am not making an unreasonable demand given the circumstances. The 48 hour cancellation is not enough time for something that's planned months ahead. I don't know why people are talking about it like it's a great deal for the guests when it clearly isn't.

This particular host has been using it in a predatory manner. Lying to older guests that they can't cancel during the pandemic effectively making them pay twice their reservation. Then claiming he did it so that they don't lose monet. And people are sympathising with this host? That's a terrible person.