Guest wants to leave dog alone in our listing, can I cancel?

[Felicia48]

We have a guest reservation coming up in 2 weeks, who wants to he able to leave her dog alone in the house. We will not allow this and this has become a disagreement. She refuses to cancel the reservation and insists that we cancel so she won't incur any fees. Do we have an option of not canceling? If we don't cancel and she doesn't show, will she be out of pocket?

We don't want her in our home. I want to see what my options are. Appreciate feedback and guidance.

[Steve143]

Hello @Ange2,

Go to the listing's page, click "Booking settings" and then on the "Edit" button in the "House rules" section. Those settings are there.

Steve.

[Ange2]

@Steve143   Thank you.  I see the settings on the back-end, but I do not see them anywhere on the front-end  (i.e. the area that guests would see).  Makes me wonder if that is the reason I have gotten inquiries and IB for guests with children and pets.

[Steve143]

Hello @Ange2,

Sorry, got the wrong end of the stick there 🙂

When guests select a listing things like "no pets", "no smoking", "no parties or events" are listed under house rules.

When searching you can check boxes for "suitable for events", "smoking allowed", "pets allowed". Guests can find these by selecting "More filters" and scrolling to the "House rules" section.

I've never used the "more filters" option so don't know how well it operates.

Steve.

[Linda108]

 I thought they went away as well, @Ange2 but found them below the map!  Not too many people scroll below the map.

[Felicia48]

Thank you everyone for your fabulous, much needed feedback.  As someone suggested I am going to call ABB and have them cancel the reservation, because we have already gone above and beyond for this guest with her many special requests and her booking is still weeks away.  I no longer feel comfortable with her in my home.  I will keep everyone posted.  

@Ange2 @Steve143 @Fred13 @Pete28 @Cormac0  

PS  I have since removed the Pets Allowed feature from my listing until I have a moment to correct the entire listing.  

here is what was removed:

PETS

**Sorry only ONE dog is allowed at the property. Max weight 30lbs.

*There is an additional pet fee of $100 per stay payable upon arrival

*Pets are NOT ALLOWED on any furnishings. Please bring your pet beds

*Sorry NO cats are allowed

[Victoria567]

Hi @Felicia48

Red flag!

This is an entitled guest who is also becoming unreasonable by attempting to move the goal posts AFTER the booking was accepted by you.

Is there anything described in your listing at the time of booking that states yiu would be prepared to have a strange animal left alone in your accomodation?

If not,then may I perhaps suggest that you phone air bnb, asap , explain the situation you face including the changing of the contract between you and this guest as you did not accept having becoming the dogs babysitter in the absence of the owner nor was this service advertised in your listing.

Ask for prompt cancellation if the booking ASAP without any financial penalty to you or your listing as really guests changing the booking conditions AFTER a booking has been made is really unacceptable  

[Felicia48]

You are so right!! Thank you for such great tips.  That was one of the reasons why she didnt want to cancel on her end.  She said since it "wasn't" listed anywhere that she couldn't leave the dog alone then it is my responsibility.  Like someone brillantly said, "I am in the business of hosting people, not Pets"!  LOL

Thank you again!  

[Victoria567]

Hi @Felicia48

When I start getting a host if new demands AFTER the booking has taken place...I don’t even bother contacting the guest apart  to say.

Regretfully I don’t offer xyz service, nor do I intend to offer xyz service.

Then straight after I phone air bnb, explain the moving of the goal posts and say the contract is being attempted to be changed by the guest which is unfair and unacceptable by the guest and as host you require air bnb to  cancel the reservation on your behalf without any financial or penalty to your Superhost status please.

Works every time for me to snip out the entitled guest who thinks that inceca booking has been accepted by the host then they are free to move the goal posts AFTER their booking was made.

Its really not on, I’m afraid!

[Felicia48]

Hello everyone

@Victoria567 @Linda108 what does it mean when ABB support sends you a message saying that they will 

cancel the reservation and both sides won’t be penalized?   The reservation looks to still be active.  Hopefully I will be able to rebook that weekend.  Would they adhere to my Strict cancellation policy or that’s null and void? 

Thank you again 

[Victoria567]

@Felicia48

Do NOT communicate at all with the guest.

By all means get in touch with air bnb again by phone to clarify that the reservation has been cancelled without penalty to you......very important this is.

Ask for a verification message from air bnb to this effect.

During the conversation in the phone again to air bnb ask if the dates have been blocked or are clear?

Ask for a verification email to this effect....get it in writing from air bnb as you MUST your listing

[Felicia48]

Great!  Will do. thank you!  Appreciate the  help

[Letti0]

@Felicia48  When this happens and AirBnB cancels your cancellation policy is null and void. They are canceling for non payment, fraudulant activity or there is an issue they found with the guest that they will never tell you what it is. Some times it's done in error. Some poor guy in Texas had his reservation and account canceled by AirBnB because of a felony he did not have on his record. The one that did I believe was in New Orleans had the same name, was the close to the same age and lived in another state, I don''t know whether the guy actually got it straighten out or not, but there have been a few others that have posted about an issue like this. 

[Victoria567]

Hi @Felicia48

Don’t stand for any nonesense from this entitled guest which you are doing as a lot of these pains in the stump assume that once the booking has been accepted the host has no option but to capitulate to their new list of entitled demands AFTER the booking has been accepted by the host.

As you are now finding out, this IS NOT the case particularly if you phone air bnb asap, so you CAN snip the entitled guest, well in the bud.

When dealing with entitled demanding people from all walks of life....you never can reason with them, so take swift decisive action as you have done in this case!

A lesson we have all had to learn....including my dear self in this journey of air bnb hosting.

Well done gal, for getting on with it now to save yourself dealing with an entitled guest in the future!

[Felicia48]

@Victoria567 @Letti0 Thank you so much everyone.  Just spoke to ABB support and everything has been resolved to my liking.   This has been a great community experience.  Great job fellow hosts and have a great day!!