Post by High Priestess on May 26, 2016 4:09:56 GMT
www.airbnb.com/groups/content/content-64566
Ginger2 years ago
Quick question
Hi, everyone,I'm new to Air BnB and so appreciate the meeting at Charlotte's last week where I got a wealth of great info.
I have guests now who have my house reserved from 1-10 July, but they called today to day that they have to leave on the 3rd. My policy is that I need a week's notice for cancellations.
Anyone have wisdom on this? I hate to cause them a problem, but I'm pretty sure I could have rented it for this week if it had been available, but I'm not sure I could rent it now and I've counted the income into my budget this month.
Thanks!Ginger
12 comments
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Charlotte
Charlotte2 years ago
So Ginger, they checked in and after one night informed you they were leaving after the second night? And your cancellation policy is posted?
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Ginger
Ginger2 years ago
yes, it is actually a 5 day before arrival cancellation policy. They thought they had a job here and were going to look for housing, but the job feel through and now they are going to DC to look... The are offering 500, which is half of what they would have paid.
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Debra
Debra2 years ago
Ginger, this is unfortunate. But it depends on your cancellation policy...if you have one of the stricter ones, it's pretty cut and dried. They are eligible for refund, or they're not. You should do what you think is fair. But remember, this is your business. These folks aren't friends or relatives. You took your place off the market because you had a confirmed reservation. The terms are clear to what the guest is agreeing to when they make the reservation. Refund something if you want to, but don't beat yourself up if you don't. My two cents!
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Ginger
Ginger2 years ago
Thanks, Debra. That is excellent advice. I don't want someone staying or paying who doesn't want to, but I do depend on the income to pay the mortgage and it would put me in a real bind. Thanks again. Ginger
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Joan
Joan2 years ago
Ginger, you are within your rights to stick to the cancellation policy when it's the visitor's and not your fault. I would only forgive money due if I had done semething wrong that caused them to have to leave. That's clearly not the case here.
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Ginger
Ginger2 years ago
Thanks, Joan. Here goes--I hate to say no to anyone but there is always a time to learn how! Best,
Ginger
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Charlotte
Charlotte2 years ago
Just to present another perspective... Yes, they did reserve for a very long time and could have requested a shorter term with a potential to extend. And yes they did sign the agreement and pay the fee. However, I do hope that this community is a bit more about the experience than strictly about the money. AirBnB is held up as a an example of the sharing economy and whether or not we agree with that characterization, we have talked about how we are building a structure that is vastly different from the hotel experience. A community of hosts and travelers can support and learn from each other and, yes, also profit from the experience. Just a thought.
Like 1 reply
Scott
Scott2 years ago
To be wishy washy. I personally would take Charlotte's approach, pretty much anything we make on air bnb is icing on the cake. But that is just me. I realize from conversations here that there are a variety of reasons for renting your house, and for some it is in fact partly out of necessity to make the mortgage, so that is just as valid a point for some people. As I understand it, the default is that air bnb will send you the money if there is no cancellation after the specified cancellation date, so you by default will get paid. What they are suggesting is that you send them a check for some rebate? This might make things easier if you decide to not let them out of the obligation. Good luck.
Joan
Joan2 years ago
True, but do you have any documentation for the reason they cancelled beyond their word? If so, no contest, as their intentions were honorable and of course we should work with people in this circumstance. If not, do you know with 100% certainty that they did not make the reservation, get bored in Charlottesville and decide to move on? If the latter they are asking you to be responsible for their mistake. And if the latter, is there possibly an element of social responsibility expecting that they, not you, suffer the loss for their mistake?
Like
Joan
Joan2 years ago
I'm not sure I'd feel good about the future negotiations that would endue if a guest were to then write in his/her comments "she was really nice about giving us our money back when we had to cut our visit short."
Like
Ginger
Ginger2 years ago
Just to let you know the outcome: I called Air BnB last night and they said that the guests could cancel their reservation and get their money back starting 24 hours after the cancellation (thought I have a 5 day cancellation policy), so either Air BnB let them know that or the guest figured it out and the did cancel. So the house is available again (in case anyone has overflow) and for various reasons that I don't entirely understand, I only lost about $200.
Thanks to everyone on here for supporting me in that dilemma!
Best,
ginger
Like
Ray
Ray2 years ago
I've read on advice articles that people who are moving/looking for housing, like Ginger's example, are the most likely to change their reservation. Is this true?
Like 1 like
Ginger
Ginger2 years ago
Hey, Ray, I've had several people who were here to look for housing and they all stayed. One point I should have mentioned is that I think the guests could have gotten their whole fee refunded if they had been able to provide documentation for the reason they were leaving. They gave me 3 different reasons, 2 of which involved medical emergencies, and I guess they didn't have documentation for those. They also had a package delivered to my house from Amazon, which I thought was a bit strange. Maybe they were just people who took stuff for granted? Good to be flexible.
Ginger2 years ago
Quick question
Hi, everyone,I'm new to Air BnB and so appreciate the meeting at Charlotte's last week where I got a wealth of great info.
I have guests now who have my house reserved from 1-10 July, but they called today to day that they have to leave on the 3rd. My policy is that I need a week's notice for cancellations.
Anyone have wisdom on this? I hate to cause them a problem, but I'm pretty sure I could have rented it for this week if it had been available, but I'm not sure I could rent it now and I've counted the income into my budget this month.
Thanks!Ginger
12 comments
Follow
Like
Charlotte
Charlotte2 years ago
So Ginger, they checked in and after one night informed you they were leaving after the second night? And your cancellation policy is posted?
Like 1 like
Ginger
Ginger2 years ago
yes, it is actually a 5 day before arrival cancellation policy. They thought they had a job here and were going to look for housing, but the job feel through and now they are going to DC to look... The are offering 500, which is half of what they would have paid.
Like
Debra
Debra2 years ago
Ginger, this is unfortunate. But it depends on your cancellation policy...if you have one of the stricter ones, it's pretty cut and dried. They are eligible for refund, or they're not. You should do what you think is fair. But remember, this is your business. These folks aren't friends or relatives. You took your place off the market because you had a confirmed reservation. The terms are clear to what the guest is agreeing to when they make the reservation. Refund something if you want to, but don't beat yourself up if you don't. My two cents!
Like 1 like
Ginger
Ginger2 years ago
Thanks, Debra. That is excellent advice. I don't want someone staying or paying who doesn't want to, but I do depend on the income to pay the mortgage and it would put me in a real bind. Thanks again. Ginger
Like
Joan
Joan2 years ago
Ginger, you are within your rights to stick to the cancellation policy when it's the visitor's and not your fault. I would only forgive money due if I had done semething wrong that caused them to have to leave. That's clearly not the case here.
Like 1 like
Ginger
Ginger2 years ago
Thanks, Joan. Here goes--I hate to say no to anyone but there is always a time to learn how! Best,
Ginger
Like
Charlotte
Charlotte2 years ago
Just to present another perspective... Yes, they did reserve for a very long time and could have requested a shorter term with a potential to extend. And yes they did sign the agreement and pay the fee. However, I do hope that this community is a bit more about the experience than strictly about the money. AirBnB is held up as a an example of the sharing economy and whether or not we agree with that characterization, we have talked about how we are building a structure that is vastly different from the hotel experience. A community of hosts and travelers can support and learn from each other and, yes, also profit from the experience. Just a thought.
Like 1 reply
Scott
Scott2 years ago
To be wishy washy. I personally would take Charlotte's approach, pretty much anything we make on air bnb is icing on the cake. But that is just me. I realize from conversations here that there are a variety of reasons for renting your house, and for some it is in fact partly out of necessity to make the mortgage, so that is just as valid a point for some people. As I understand it, the default is that air bnb will send you the money if there is no cancellation after the specified cancellation date, so you by default will get paid. What they are suggesting is that you send them a check for some rebate? This might make things easier if you decide to not let them out of the obligation. Good luck.
Joan
Joan2 years ago
True, but do you have any documentation for the reason they cancelled beyond their word? If so, no contest, as their intentions were honorable and of course we should work with people in this circumstance. If not, do you know with 100% certainty that they did not make the reservation, get bored in Charlottesville and decide to move on? If the latter they are asking you to be responsible for their mistake. And if the latter, is there possibly an element of social responsibility expecting that they, not you, suffer the loss for their mistake?
Like
Joan
Joan2 years ago
I'm not sure I'd feel good about the future negotiations that would endue if a guest were to then write in his/her comments "she was really nice about giving us our money back when we had to cut our visit short."
Like
Ginger
Ginger2 years ago
Just to let you know the outcome: I called Air BnB last night and they said that the guests could cancel their reservation and get their money back starting 24 hours after the cancellation (thought I have a 5 day cancellation policy), so either Air BnB let them know that or the guest figured it out and the did cancel. So the house is available again (in case anyone has overflow) and for various reasons that I don't entirely understand, I only lost about $200.
Thanks to everyone on here for supporting me in that dilemma!
Best,
ginger
Like
Ray
Ray2 years ago
I've read on advice articles that people who are moving/looking for housing, like Ginger's example, are the most likely to change their reservation. Is this true?
Like 1 like
Ginger
Ginger2 years ago
Hey, Ray, I've had several people who were here to look for housing and they all stayed. One point I should have mentioned is that I think the guests could have gotten their whole fee refunded if they had been able to provide documentation for the reason they were leaving. They gave me 3 different reasons, 2 of which involved medical emergencies, and I guess they didn't have documentation for those. They also had a package delivered to my house from Amazon, which I thought was a bit strange. Maybe they were just people who took stuff for granted? Good to be flexible.