Refund

[Andrea7124]

I have a strict cancellation policy and guests have to request to book.

I reach out to guests usually within an hour of booking to check everything is as expected.

I had a guest book on the 21st and within minutes I discovered that they had booked the wrong property. 

Advising that the property was not suitable I advised they cancel and re-book another of my listings.

The guest failed to do so, so the next day I invited the guest to change the property and I sent a payment request for the additional fees.

The guest assured she wouldn't be cancelling and that she would make the extra payment. With the listing booked, I blocked the other listing for her.

72 hours passed and the request expired. I reached out to the guest who advised that the airline had cancelled the flight with a little over a week remaining and they would like to change the stay from 12 to 2 nights.

I refused to accept and advised the guest to cancel before the the 7 days and re-book,  I advised that 2 nights at $20 each would not be a booking we would normally accept.

The guest said the airline would get back to them the next day and they would be able to tell me their new dates.

2 days passed and on Boxing Day the guest sent me a request to change the dates, triggering a refund request.

I've read in a few places not to accept dates changes as the cancellation policy can be taken advantage of.

The guest remains booked for a property that she claimed she couldn't stay in requesting a date change.

I've advised that the guest check with the airline and travel isurance but keep getting requests to change dates. 

Due to arrive in 7 days, I'm expecting her to check in then check out citing the property is unsuitable.

The guest doesn't want to cancel, won't change to an another listing and is asking to change dates.

I believe they found alternative accommodation. 

Any advice please?

[Helen3 · Accepted solution]

Remind the guest of the cancellation policy and if they can't travel on the dates booked that they should cancel not send you a request to change the dates .

remind them of the cancellation terms for a strict cancellation.

make sure you or your cohost is there to meet them on check in in case they turn up? 

[Andrea7124]

Thanks for taking the time to respond, Helen.

I've had a response from the guest that she will have to settle for the cheaper, smaller accommodation as she cannot afford the one she wants.

I had  offered her a $400 USD discount on the upgrade within an hour of her booking, increasing her price by just $3.57 USD  per person per night for a 14 night stay but after spending the whole week of Christmas back and forth answering questions that are clear in my listing I honeslty was glad she refused the request to upgrade.

I will wait and see what check-in brings.

I'm beginning to think that the option of only accepting guests with good reviews and previous stays may be the way to go.

[Rebecca]

How did it go @Andrea7124? What was the result of the booking in the end? 

[Andrea7124]

Rebecca it was horrible! I knew it would be. Helle certainly lived up to her name.

Just as I predicted she gave me Hell from start to finish. She lied, lied and lied some more.

She told my husband and the people in the village and local bars that i was a terrible guest, that i was threatening her and she was terrified of me, despite me being 5000 miles away. She claimed we had mice promptimg me to send a host and maintenance to check and bait and tried to get airbnb to have me allow her to amend her stay without penalty. The exact same dayes she had requested twice before arriving) they actually called me and woke me from my sleep! Eventually she  checked out the 2 days early without warning  leaving all the lights on, the tent pitched unattended and left the key with a guy in the village i didn't know.

He did end up being my housekeepers brother but with their mother in the hospital and passing away the brother didn't have the mind to communicate to my housekeeper. 

We spent 3 hours looking for a key and trying to contact everyone to find out where it was, whilst the family should have had time to take in the unexpected death of their mom.

She left me a 1 star review without providing any proof of her claims and airbnb upheld it.

Check it out on my profile.

I forwarded airbnb the invoice and chat of another guests she claimed I tried to over charge and put out unfairly when the truth is he left the property before checknout leaving his belongings and taking the key, messaging me to say he would decide where he would stay in the evening as he hadn't expected to have to spend the day deciding and was still trying to contact some friends of friends to see if he could sofa surf with them.

I sent proof that the cabin had been cleaned the day before her arrival and that the grass was indeed cut where she was pitched.

proof that 2 hosts had attended on the day her complaint was made and the day after.

Conversations between her and myself with her been very rude.

But airbnb being airbnb will stick with a guest without a single review and penalise a superhost with an almost 5 star overall  rating and endless positive reviews.

I have a website, insta, Facebook, campspace, pitch up account and get most of my traffic through them and local bookings for parties etc.

I'd say 7 out of 10 bookings I receive i will request guests book through airbnb because I'm a bit technically challenged and have never really put the effort into the other platforms.

This has been the kick up the bum I needed and 2024 is the year I face my deamons and put the work in to ditch Airbnb and their absolute lack of care for hosts. 

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