Having to Cancel a guests reservation

[Amy3274]

I have been a host for 5 years now. I have never asked to cancel a guests reservation. Unfortunately I had a guy that had a reservation but I had some maintenance issue that needed taken care of before a guest could stay. I contacted the guest before I did the cancellation and let him know that due to unforeseen circumstances I needed to change the dates of his reservation or cancel it. The guest messaged me back saying "what did it burn down?" we cannot come another time. Then he messaged asking was I sure. When I told him that yes I was sure and that I was sorry but sometimes circumstances come up that are out of your control and unfortunately this was one of those times. He told me to process the cancellation and give him a full refund as well as any fees that Airbnb charges. I let him know that I would contact Airbnb to cancel it and it would go through their process. I was deeply disturbed after this incidence happened. I would not cancel a guest reservation unless absolutely necessary. I felt like he was being very rude when he asked if the place burned down. Did I go wrong in how I went about this? I didn't want to just cancel the reservation without reaching out to him first. Before I actually cancelled the reservation I contacted Airbnb and they said they would handle the cancellation but that there may be fees. I am not sure what if anything I am going to have to pay. Is there some other way I could have handled this situation? I wouldn't want a guest to stay if I needed to do emergency maintenance that could negatively affect the guest.

[Alicia753]

Hi @Amy3274 ,

It sounds like you handled a challenging situation as best as you could by communicating transparently and promptly with your guest about the need to cancel due to maintenance issues.

Reaching out to the guest before initiating the cancellation is considerate and aligns with good hosting practices, as it gives the guest a heads up and the opportunity to discuss options.

The guest's response, while perhaps born out of frustration or surprise, was a bit harsh, but it seems like you maintained professionalism in your communication. When dealing with unforeseen cancellations, it's important to stay composed and empathetic, which you did by apologizing and explaining the situation.

As for the fees and the cancellation process, since you've contacted Airbnb and they've taken over the cancellation process, they should also handle any fees associated with it. Typically, if a host needs to cancel for a reason like unexpected maintenance, Airbnb might waive these fees, especially if it’s clear that the cancellation is due to reasons beyond the host's control and not a regular occurrence.

You may also check the article below:

https://www.airbnb.com/help/article/2022 

In future situations like this, continue to:

1. Communicate Early and Clearly: You did this well by informing the guest as soon as you knew about the issue.
2. Offer Alternatives: If possible, offer alternative dates or help in finding a nearby place if the guest still wishes to travel. Or contact Airbnb to assist the guest to find alternatives.
3. Follow Up: After the initial cancellation, follow up with the guest to ensure they have received their refund and see if there’s anything else you can assist with to ease their inconvenience.

It's important to document these interactions thoroughly and maintain communication through Airbnb's platform to ensure there's a record of everything discussed, in case you need to refer back to it or if a dispute arises.

Overall, it seems you've managed the situation with the care and professionalism expected of an experienced host.

I hope this helps.

All the best,

Upfish Management