Non-refundable Guests no show

[Heather1170]

Hello and Happy 2021!

I had a group of 4 set to check in on New Years Eve. We chatted the day of their booking, which was earlier in December.

My standard process is that I send out house rules 3 days prior to their arrival date. I ask the guests to confirm they will abide by the house rules and ask them whatever questions I still need answers to and advise them on any issues or weather conditions. In this case, I did not receive a response.  

I followed up the next day to ask them to confirm and again, no response. On the day of their check in, New Years Eve, I reached out again and reminded them that I would not activate their smart lock keypad access code until I received their acknowledgement of rules and agreement to abide by the rules. NADA. I sent the guest a text, called and tried to leave a voicemail but the VM box was full, and sent a text explaining that.

At this point it is 7pm and I’ve heard nothing. I checked in via Airbnb app again and then finally at 1am. I let them know I would leave my phone on for when they needed the access code. NOTHING. I couldn’t sleep because I was so weirded out. This is a very expensive high season 3 night booking and I was baffled that they hadn’t shown up. I finally got up at about 4am and messaged Airbnb support who said they would pass my issue on to someone who could better assist. They sent one message and nothing else. I pinged Airbnb and the guest a couple of times but nothing from either. 

The guest fee was transferred in today and I’m like.... okay? That’s my mortgage for the month. What on earth!?

Has anyone experienced anything like this? I was worried something happened to her but after some internet sleuthing I discovered her Poshmark account had a new listing from New Years Eve. I feel like I did everything I could with this situation. I’m worried they will ask the bank to reverse or ask Airbnb to refund them which seems very unfair as the holiday weekend is our highest priced stay and I wasn’t able to book with anyone else.

Thanks, in advance for the advice!

- Heather 

[Anonymous · Accepted solution]

@Heather1170  This happens a lot more often than you might think! It's never been my experience that Airbnb withheld the payout when the guest was a no-show.  

You have a paper trail showing that you made every reasonable effort (and even some unnecessary ones) to communicate with your guest. But if they don't show up or respond, it's completely out of your hands. Relax and enjoy the easy changeover for the next guests.

[Sue1724]

I am in a similar situation. My renters have been in contact but have not yet checked in. This is a 2 month agreement and I too withhold the key lock info until they confirm their arrival. They’ve asked if someone else can check in and I said that is subletting and invalidates the contract, they replied that was ok. But still nothing. I’m hoping they do not try to get their money back due to Covid, but they’ve had ample

time to cancel and save ½ of their money. 

[Robyn52]

This conversation is interesting, as I have a 3 day booking in place and the guests have not checked in.

I have been in regular contact with the guest, right up until my last text at 10:30pm on Friday evening.

Our state has a low weather front and there is widespread flooding forecast. So even if they decided to not drive on Friday, I would have expected a response by now (Saturday morning).

I am curious as to what other hosts would do regarding any refund. I have considered a single night, but certainly not more as it is also over a weekend.

I have been a host for 13 years and this is a first for me.

[Sarah977]

@Robyn52  It's really impossible to try to guess why a guest who has previously been communicative stops being so. Maybe they're camping where tbere's no signal, maybe they lost their phone, maybe they got sick or had an accident or had a family emergency.

A guest who had booked with me wasn't answering and it turned out her uncle had died and her Airbnb messages weren't anywhere in her conciousness. She wasn't even answering her phone.

I know she wasn't BSing, because she profusely apologized once Airbnb was eventually able to contact her and never tried to get a refund.

You could contact Airbnb to see if they can contact the guests (have you tried texting or calling the guests?), but otherwise you just have to assume they are still coming and wait to see if they cancel and then decide what to do about a refund. Don't refund at all, or 1 night sounds fair.

[Ferdinand92]

So how do you report a No show? On booking.com they have a button to click but on Airbnb, I can not find it anywhere

[Nikki58]

I  currently have a no show and agree there is no way to report this appropriately.  All the options for reporting are inaccurate. 

[Nikki58]

Guest booked and made no effort to communicate at all until they say they arrived in the street.   I had messaged a few days previously to confirm all was well, no response then called the day before with no response. They had send a message with the original booking time to give their rough arrival time and did message around this time to say they were in the street  - the next 45 minutes we exchanged messages, I called and even stood outside, walked up and down and saw no sign.  The guest has had the profile a few years, there are no references from other hosts.  There are no accurate ways to report this  no show.   I will of course write a review myself. 

[Davina44]

How did you review a no show?

[Helen3]

Why would you review them. They didn't stay @Davina44 

[Sue1724]

I did not have a reservation?!