Yay! More restrictions on Hosts.

[Caleb1]

The non-stop revolving door of cancellation policy is absurd.  4 years ago with three simple,  easily articulated options for Hosts was the best, cleanest model.  Now it's a giant convoluted mess, and this latest update is just one more way Hosts get held hostage with Guest cancellations.

Commitment needs to come from both parties.  We have ONE space.  If a Guest cancels, it likely means the space doesn't rebook, or we get a shorter stay or reduce rates to encourage a rebook.  Meanwhile the Guest gets a full refund.  If Hosts are getting penalized (fees, rankings etc) then so should Guests.  If a Guest has cancelled a reservation they need to be on the hook for being committed to future reservations.  The policy needs to be simple, clear and equitable for both sides.  This year has been record cancellations for us, we've had more this year than every other year of hosting COMBINED, and the year isn't over yet.  It's worse than trying to sell on Craigslist of FBMP.

Airbnb has tons of better options;  offer travel insurance, penalize cancellations on both sides, promote listings that have short notice cancellations so they rebook faster, remove Airbnb fees when a reservation is cancelled and rebooked, offer Hosts insurance in high cancellation markets etc etc.

[Laura4530]

I just read the new policy. I've never canceled on a guest but this is ridiculous. I'm probably going to end up turning off instant book and changing my cancelation policy from flexible to strict. We've had 8 guest cancelations in the past 2 months. Respect needs to go both ways. 

[Jenni2537]

I just changed my policy. It pains me, but it has to be done 😞

[Mar125]

can’t agree more. Ridiculous. Airbnb becomes more and more nuts. Our hosts are here for flexibility, and it’s been taken away gradually. The true value of airbnb is declining. 

same here. i never really cancelled on guest except 1 guest asking for large amount of partial refund and 1 guest brought pet. 

I’ve had 3 guest cancellation in the past 2 months, and my policy is strict.

[Jenni2537]

Thank you for saying what needs to be said. I could have written your comment. I am a single-space, in-home host, and a long-time superhost (since program inception) at that. I work my behind off to get the rating I have and this year has been ROUGH.

This year's bookings are way down, I've had more clueless newbs who think I'm their personal valet, and I've had way more cancellations than ever before -- some with very little notice. What really chafes me is the email suggesting I consider a full refund for the guest despite being given less than 24 hrs notice on my already completely flexible policy. And I still feel guilty if I don't refund. Go figure. 

You offer some great options for ways this could be handled to benefit both parties, but we know it's not about both parties. I'm so disappointed. 

I've always been a huge supporter of Airbnb but this new policy is nuts. My current 2-year permit (my city is highly regulated) has 16 months left, and I'm not sure it'll be worth the $ to re-up next year.

[Johannes-Wolfgang0]

Instant booking turned off!

[ChuckandCarole0]

I can't believe this is even legal, let's see, if i need to cancel, the guest gets a full refund, which is valid, i get nothing, which is valid, but i also have to pay airbnb? no neutral third party oversight, on what is a valid cancellation or fee? i have been a superhost for 12 years with Instant Book, and just turned it off. 

also, the calendar on the ios(apple) phone system app, does not work any longer, with all the new changes, and airbnb made a couple of mistakes and double booked me. The calendar syncing setting never worked for me, as airbnb had double booking mistakes....now it seems i  can be charged for those mistakes, even if i ask a guest to cancel because of them!

[Simon3951]

Well we've now taken our listing off airbnb.

The removal of the emailing system was my "last straw" for me, but this would have done it too.

Have you seen the money Airbnb are making. By chance a google search popped up a yahoo income listing for abb, I wasn't searching for it.

The top OTAs are just fighting it out in a battle for their market share. Sadly we are tools in the system, even though without us they have nothing.

Our route market is via a monopoly. 

I just thought I'd chuck in my 2 pennorth worth.

[Mike-And-Jane0]

@Simon3951 The two statements 'The top OTAs are just fighting it out in a battle for their market share' and ' Our route market is via a monopoly' are inconsistent with each other. 

Airbnb is rightly doing what it needs to do to compete but unlike some (all?) other STR platforms you can switch Instant Book off.