Wow. Airbnb really needs to change their policy so that people can book and cancel within 24 hours. We really need some regulation with these things. It's just not right.

[Thembi11]

Airbnb is not a good platform. They take advantage of customers. We should be allowed 24 hours to cancel a reservation. There needs to be some consumer protection. The customer just doesn't have any rights anymore and we get used and defrauded on a regular basis by companies such as airbnb. I'm very upset with them after trying to cancel a reservation 10 minutes after I made it when I realized I booked the wrong month. Now I've lost tons of money and I am in trouble. I'm so distraught.

[Thembi11]

I am a long time customer of airbnb but they don't care about their customers. I just lost a great deal of money for a simple mistake that I realized just a couple of minutes after making the reservation. Airbnb offered no help or support and tried to put all the responsibility on the host. It's actually airbnb that bears responsibility because any customer should automatically have 24 hours to cancel.  For shame! SHAME ON AIRBNB for ripping off their own customers.!

[Helen3]

As @Thembi11 @Till-and-Jutta0  mentions you can indeed cancel penalty free within 48 hours of booking .

you would only not be able to do this if you're booking is within two weeks of travel. 

have you sent the host a request to move your booking dates  if yours is as last minute booking?

[Till-and-Jutta0 · Accepted solution]

@Thembi11 So sorry to hear that.

Good to know: Only the host decides about the cancellation policy, which applies for his listing - not Airbnb. So, as a frequent traveller better look for flexible or moderate policies.

Do you know, that there is a 48 hours grace period for strict policies?

• Free cancellation for 48 hours, as long as the guest cancels at least 14 days before check-in (time shown in the confirmation email).

Did you ask your host about changing the dates? This is also an option if you have selected the wrong month.