Would you refund a guest that was already staying at your property?

[Luana130]

I have a guest that booked for two months and mid march decided to stay longer and booked another 2 months. The second reservation is starting in a couple of days (another reservation, did not extend the current reservation). Today the guest decided she can't handle staying alone during the quarentine and decided to go home to her parents, she is requesting a refund. Would you refund?

My calendar has been blocked for over a month, I could have tried to get another reservation for the period, but now it will be hard since it starts in 2 days.

How would you respond to the guest when denying the request? She has been a good guest so far, but this request really caught me off guard.

[Sarah977]

@Luana130 Since you are asking for input on "what would you do", if it were me, I'd refund her. She already put 2 months' rent in your pocket, at a time when most hosts have no bookings. Considering the circumstances, and also the fact that Brazil has hugely raising rates of COVID infection and deaths, I'd let her go home without her losing $.

[Jessica-and-Henry0]

@Luana130 

For cancellations, I've always sided with sticking to the rules & cancellation policy.......... but I think in the case you explain and considering how covid-19 is affecting the world, I agree with @Sarah977  that a full refund for nights not stayed is the right thing to do. You should explain and make it clear to the guest that you (host) have no control over the refund of service fees - that is up to Airbnb. A host providing a full refund, means a full refund MINUS fees.