What to do when guest shortened stay and ask for refund

[Rica4735]

I am new to Airbnb and do not know or am unsure of what to do when a guest has shortened their stay by a week and also ask for a refund. Can you please help me thank you.

[Ricardo85 · Accepted solution]

@Rica4735 

You can try this:

"Hi Guest name,

We regret to hear that your plans have changed. We are unable to transfer reservation dates. We do understand if you need to cancel your current reservation and would be happy to supply your travel insurance with any documentation they may require.

Best,

Your name."

Ricardo

[Shruthi5]

If a guest shortens their stay and requests a refund on Airbnb, here's what you should do:

1. **Review Your Cancellation Policy**: Airbnb allows hosts to choose from different cancellation policies (Flexible, Moderate, Strict, etc.). Check which policy you have in place as it will dictate whether or not the guest is eligible for a refund.

2. **Communicate with the Guest**: Politely respond to the guest and acknowledge their request. It's important to maintain a good relationship, even if the situation is a bit tricky. Ask for more details if needed, and explain the terms of your cancellation policy.

3. **Amend the Reservation**: If you agree to the refund, you can amend the reservation to reflect the shortened stay. This can be done through the Airbnb platform by going to "Reservations," selecting the relevant booking, and then adjusting the dates.

4. **Refund Process**: If a refund is due, Airbnb will typically handle the refund process based on your amended reservation and cancellation policy. You won't need to handle any direct payments; Airbnb will adjust the amount the guest is charged and your payout accordingly.

5. **Seek Airbnb Support**: If you're unsure or if the situation is complex, you can contact Airbnb support. They can guide you through the process and help ensure everything is handled properly.

6. **Update Your Calendar**: Once the reservation is updated, make sure your calendar is correct so that you can potentially accept other bookings for the newly available dates.

If you’re unsure about any step, Airbnb’s help center or customer support can provide more detailed guidance specific to your situation.

[Mike-And-Heidi2]

Hi @Rica4735 

What does your cancellation policy read?

I would copy and pasted from there to the guest. Something like this:

Hi <GUEST NAME>,

We're sorry to here that you need to cancel.  Our cancellation policy reads:

<INSERTS POLICY HERE>

We will abide by the cancellation policy we both agreed to when the reservation was created.

Sincerely,

<PRIMARY HOST FIRST NAME>

[Angela3989]

Hi @Rica4735  If they have changed the reservation before they checkin (you don't say in your posting) Airbnb will just give an automatic refund based on your cancel setting which you chose when setting up your listing. It's up to you to approve the change in reservation dates though. If you don't give refunds then you'll have to just tell them that. Pretty much you either accept or they'll cancel the whole thing. If they can't stay, they can't stay...stuff happens sometimes. If its during the stay and after you've received the payout, it's still up to you if you accept the reservation date change and then you have to go through a refund process w Airbnb. However if you want repeat customers and good reviews, I'd try to be as accommodating as you would like someone to be with you in the same situation. Best of luck!

[Bhumika]

Hi @Rica4735 , you've received kind advices from Hosts @Angela3989 @Mike-And-Heidi2 @Shruthi5 and @Ricardo85 !

How did you deal with this guest situation eventually? Did you politely deny the request based on your cancellation policy? Or accommodated the refund request as a good will? 

As @Angela3989 mentioned, it would be great if you could elaborate on your cancellation policy. That will help with better insights from other Hosts.

We look forward to learning from your experiences!🌻