Someone who wants to change a booking

[Mel101]

Ugh, I knew this one would be trouble.

I have a guest who initially booked for 10 days in September. He has just now let me know he needs to change the booking, to span each of the two weekends, and cancel the week in the middle.

Can any of you advise if I have to accept this, and if I do whether this will result in a penalty from Airbnb, please?

I'm sort of disinclined to accept, because he wanted to bring a lot more people, making me suspect he was coming for a stag party, and he spent a lot of time trying to persuade me that it wouldn't be a problem (and I am a little bit out of town, so I think that some other location will be party central, not my house) and because I already declined his request to book once, so he's already dinged my stats once. I accepted this way back as a new host. I have learned a lot more about the sorts of guests I need in the last three months!

I have a moderate cancellation policy. 

Maybe I should just cancel him altogether, and hope I can get less demanding guests?

Any advice welcome, thanks,

Mel

[Mel101]

I probably should have also mentioned that for the 10 days, he qualifies for a 10% discount, but won't for the weekends, although I'm not sure how to reflect this in the changes.

[Mel101]

Great, now he's nagging me via the messages.

I'd be very grateful for advice. Thanks.

[Linda108]

This guest needs to cancel his original booking.  Then he needs to request two new reservations at the rate for the weekends.  Don't do anything else for him except to direct him back to the Air BNB booking system.  Now, @Mel101 you can decide on each reservation separately.  If the guest is harrassing you on the message system, contact Air BNB and request assistance for blocking this guest and making sure your calendar is open.

[Mel101]

Thanks @Linda108.

In case this happens again, the Guest has to cancel, not send an alteration request? I think he was trying to alter the original booking, then rebook the next weekend (and had he not been  cancelled, that would have been ok for me, since at least I'd get double cleaning fees). 

[Mel101]

Thanks @Linda108.

In case this happens again, the guest has to cancel, not send an alteration request? I think he was trying to alter the original booking, then rebook the next weekend (and had he not been  cancelled, that would have been ok for me, since at least I'd get double cleaning fees). 

[Letti0]

@Mel101   You would also get double the reviews from him if he's not happy.  Did you change your cancellation policy after his reservation? It shows strict. Do not accept anything you get that has an Accept or Decline option. Decline! He needs to cancel the reservation and eat the fee's and then rebook. I'd be inclined to block his profile right after he cancels, so he couldn't book again as he's going to be a bad guest all the flags are already showing. I guess it depends on how badly you need the money from the bookings, but for me the money would not be worth him as a guest twice. 

[Mel101]

Oh god, I hadn't thought about the double review. Ugh! 

I did up my cancellation policy in consultation with my husband, @Letti0. We thought he had blocked off the dates, and only cancelled the bits he didn't want to pay for. So we agreed to up the cancellation to strict, so he couldn't keep changing his mind, if we decide to take him after all this messing about. 

But on balance, I agree with you, this booking has trouble written all over it. I think I might be better off cancelling this one. So, to be 100% clear, your advice is to decline the change request and tell him to cancel?

Thanks for your solid advice, Letti. Have a great day

[Letti0]

@Mel101  Absolutely DECLINE any request and DO NOT cancel yourself let him cancel. If he booked under your moderate plan that is the policy he's got. 

For future use:

DO NOT CANCEL a reservation, DO NOT ACCEPT any message about cancelling, changing or refunding DECLINE it a loophole that comes back to bite you and gives guests back their service fees and/or voids your cancellation policy (changing dates) or the cancellation is now on you, not the guests (accepting cancellation). DO NOT REFUND anything until actual cash has been given to you by AirBNB. If you refund they will take the money from you and a lot of times guests get refunded from both AirBnB and you if you do this, then you have a fight to get your money back. Tell the guest you do not deal with the booking funds that is all on AirBnB's end.

[Mel101]

Will do, @Letti0!

Thanks again

[Andreas-and-Anna0]

You can also change the Weekly Fee to 0 % discount if you want so there is not a discount.

[Mel101]

That's a good point @Andreas-and-Anna0. I think the 2-4 day stay suits us best in any case.

[Pete28]

I when he cancels, just block out all the dates and tell him someone else booked. Life is too short and the risk too high if you suspect trouble.

[Mel101]

Thanks for your help everyone. In the end, someone else instant booked most of the dates between him cancelling and me working out how to block him, so it kind of resolved itself. Sometimes instant book can be great, after all!