Thoughts on Airbnb guest alteration requests

[Vera-and-Roger0]

A guest just made an alteration request on the calendar, the original date was a perfect fit and now they wish to arrive two days later making it harder to get those days occupied. Plus they wish to stay one more night than previously and they will pay less than originaly because of the price fluctuation. So I will lose at least 3 days of earnings because of this.

Don't find documentation about how the hosts can defend themselves from alteration requests: either they accept the new reservation (even if it's not good ) or they suffer penalty in declining it. Did not find a way to update the prices on an alteration request. Think alteration requests should give the opportunity to the host of updating the price as up as the original price agreement between both parts.

It's like this : as a guest I make a reservation for some host on the calendar and accept that original price. Then as guest again, I'd look from time to time if the host is making price changes  on the calendar and at the last minute ask for an alteration request. The guest would leave the host in a position of having to accept the change in reservation or having a rating penalty on airbnb.

Many hosts fluctuate their prices when the dates are becoming closer, so I think there should be some information about this kind of situation.

[J15]

If the guest request an alteration request and it’s, let’s say, $100, I will decline it and tell the guests that I will give them $100 in credit towards their next visit. Sometimes, their plans do change, So being conscientious of that while protecting whatever financial or calendar or whatever situation you’re dealing with.

[Renee291]

How do you document and honor such credits?

[Jay335]

Hi there.

What to do when you get alternation request in the middle of the booking? When guest already staying for half time, wanting to cut down booking by half days without any resons?

We could get other bookings for these dates as the poeople were asking us for stay..

i think this option really does to the guests the do what they want there.

[Letti0]

@Jay335  You simply decline the request and tell them if you can rebook any of the days you will refund them, so they need to cancel immediately for any hope of rebooking days. This is a way to get around your strict cancellation policy, do not allow it. You have the policy for a reason. Use it. 

[Samantha340]

I have a reservation that is 2 months away for 2 nights and requested to change the date but the host declined 2 different other times which are available on the calendar. The host wants me to cancel and pay the 50%. Does anyone else find this to be unreasonable? Would you as hosts allow someone to change 8 weeks from the check in (I requested it 2 weeks ago so it was actually 10 weeks)? Especially if you're still making the same amount of money. I feel like I'm being absolutely screwed 😞

[Letti0]

@Samantha340  In your case I would allow the change as long as it was the same amount of time/days. It's far enough out and can be rebooked. In the case above, no. To cut a trip short and request a change during the stay is not going to happen. My days were blocked and the odds of me rebooking anything at the last minute are null to none. I run a business and need to protect myself, if I do rebook I refund the original guest what I was able to recoup. 

[Steven552]

@Letti0 I see that you are a Level 10 on here... I posted this elsewhere on the thread, but was interested in getting your thoughts (FYI, AirBNB Agent told me he was going to send me the part of the Terms that allows them to do this below, but I have received nothing in a few hours):

I just got a call from AirBNB- My guest had a death in the family and needs to go back home and cancel their long term rental at 30 out of 60 days in the high season. I was going by the Long Term Cancellation Policy PUBLISHED by AirBNB and AGREED to by the guest and myself at time of booking. AirBNB told me they are altering that without my consent and now my unit is available for all of Jan (it's the 20th of Dec), but I am free to rent it to someone else. I truly understand the emotion and magnitude of my guests' situation, as I had a similar one this year... BUT, how the heck can AirBNB step in and alter the AGREED Terms with 1 Party consent costing me well over $2000 of earnings, if I am not able to get another 30 day guest in the next 10 days?

[Dr--Lori0]

That does sound bad. I’m sorry. With that much notice I would think it would be fine. I, on the other hand, have someone wanting to change a three months plus reservation to one week 7 days before arrival. Not cool. 

[Jeff158]

@Dr--Lori0  don't accept the alteration request, guests are crafty little critters.

At the moment you get 30 days payment if they cancel,

after you accept the alteration you only get 7 days payment if they cancel, which they will.

[Dr--Lori0]

They basically blocked off my whole busy season for the past month, so I agree, will not accept. I neither cancelled nor accepted at this time;  I suggested they cancel and rebook. If they do so today, penatly will be at 50%, if they wait until tomorrow it will be at 100%. I opted for the strict cancellation policy becasue of things like this. Although many of you say it won’t matter, Airbnb will override it anyway?

After hearing your horror stories, it would be fine with me if they decided to just cancel and not rebook at all. As long as I am not left holding the bag for their very late and very truncated changes, I will be ok. I can certainly offer to refund further if I rebook, but is this really something I should do? What has your experience been with that? 

[Jay335]

Thanks for the input. I declined after because in the middle of the booking already used its not my fault the guest suddenly wanted to go stay somewhere else to experience different area and its quite impossibile to rebook in the minutes time.

[Michal8]

Hi there, I'm not sure if I understand , so instead of alternation the guest would have to cancel existing reservation? Is that possible? Cause if you decline, the initial reservation stays on and therefore the calendar days 

[Steven552]

I just got a call from AirBNB- My guest had a death in the family and needs to go back home and cancel their long term rental at 30 out of 60 days in the high season. I was going by the Long Term Cancellation Policy PUBLISHED by AirBNB and AGREED to by the guest and myself at time of booking. AirBNB told me they are altering that without my consent and now my unit is available for all of Jan (it's the 20th of Dec), but I am free to rent it to someone else. I truly understand the emotion and magnitude of my guests' situation, as I had a similar one this year... BUT, how the heck can AirBNB step in and alter the AGREED Terms with 1 Party consent costing me well over $2000 of earnings, if I am not able to get another 30 day guest in the next 10 days?

[Hank9]

We have a two-night minimum during the high season. A guest requests an alteration from two nights to one night. If we accept, there is no income for the cancelled night. If we decline, the (potentially) angry guest might leave us a bad review.

Currently, hosts have only one choice: Accept or decline and accept the consequences. Guests have 2 choices: cancel or remain, pay in full and leave a (bad) review. Hosts should be able to offer conditional acceptance based on the offer of a deal so the balance of fairness remains.

For example, we offer the guest acceptance of the request if the guest agrees to pay 50% of the cost of the second night. If guest declines, the booking is cancelled with no penalty to the host. Everybody remains in control of the booking.