Hi @Ariane-and-Andrés0,
You have absolutely nothing to worry about here. Contact Airbnb right away and they will fix this all up for you. First of all, it is against their Terms and Conditions for third party bookings so she violated this. Also, as a part of using Instant Booking, you get three free cancellations if the guest books using Instant Book AND you feel uncomfortable with them. I would even push the issue that they should not count this as a cancellation on your part since the mother booking is not allowed to book for her son and her friends. I would hope they would contact the guest and advice her that she can't do this as she will just book with someone else.
Here is Airbnb's part on Instant Book cancellations:
For Instant Book hosts only
Hosts who use Instant Book may be able to cancel up to 3 times, penalty-free, if they have concerns about a guest’s behavior. Calendar inaccuracy, confusion about pricing or availability, and extenuating circumstances are not covered by this policy.
If you're an Instant Book host and have concerns about a guest's behavior:
- Go to Your Reservations and find the reservation you need to cancel
- Click Change or Cancel
- Select “I’m uncomfortable with the guest’s behavior”
- Provide a reason for the cancellation
Once you complete these steps, the host cancellation penalties for this reservation will be waived, and we’ll help your guest find another place to stay for their trip.
If it's within 24 hours of check-in, contact us instead.
Note: Instant Book cancellation can be used a maximum of 3 times per year. This exception only applies to Instant Book reservations, and can't be used for any other cancellation reason.
I hope this helps.
Dave
David
Superhost Ambassador ~ Host Club Community Leader ~ Community Expert ~ Experienced Co-Host