Post by High Priestess on May 27, 2016 20:42:16 GMT
Jenny shared on New Hosts Forum May 2014
www.airbnb.com/groups/content/content-90405
My first cancellation - past moderate terms
Hi Everyone,
I have a guest who would be checking in for an eight day stay on Monday. He called me last night and told me he might be cancelling his reservation. His work will be providing alternate accommodations for his business trip in town. My question is: He has not cancelled and it is less than five days before his stay. I have a moderate cancellation policy. I would normally be booked and rarely have last minute bookings. I doubt I will be able to re book the room. Should I offer him a partial refund?
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Julie and Eric
Julie and Eric2 years ago
The guest needs to cancel and will be refunded by Airbnb according to the policy. Curious why would you offer a refund that is different?
Reply Like 4 replies•2 likes Delete
Nicole
Nicole2 years ago
I have offered refunds different than the cancelation policy because the cancelation didn't effect my bottom line a whole lot and I kinda like to have that good karma in my back pocket lol. But I agree with everyone else for an 8 day stay that's not likely to get rebooked I would follow my cancelation policy too.
Julie and Eric
Julie and Eric2 years ago
Agree - if I were able to rebook, I'd probably offer the difference to the cancelling guest afterwards. Deborah has mentioned she does this for guests. For those with moderate and strict cancellation policies, are the cancelled nights freed up in the calendar? I couldn't find that info in the FAQ but seem to remember those with strict cancellation policies discussing it in groups.
Nicole
Nicole2 years ago
I know I remember if the host cancels it's blocked. I have a moderate policy and had a guest cancel same day and it opened up as soon as they canceled, but was only a one night reservation.
Fleur, Dan and kids
Fleur, Dan and kids2 years ago
If the guest cancels then you get bumped up in the search rankings. I've managed to fill lots of cancelled reservations. As Julie & Eric mentioned you might want to offer more money back if you manage to book it out.
Sandra
Sandra2 years ago
I would handle in line with your terms. He should cancel via Airbnb and the system will do the rest.
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Jenny
Jenny2 years ago
Hi Julie and Eric,
I couldn't read the full cancellation policy terms from my phone. I logged onto my pc at work and read the rest of the terms.
Reply Like 1 reply•1 like Delete
Julie and Eric
Julie and Eric2 years ago
Gotcha.
Andrew
Andrew2 years ago
Jenny, if the guest goes forward with his cancellation with Airbnb, a partial refund is what he's automatically going to get. You need not offer anything else. But in case he's not much of a fine-print-reader, you should let him know that he needs to actually put through the cancellation in order to get his partial refund,a and that he'll be charged full price otherwise.
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Jenny
Jenny2 years ago
Hi Andrew, I already told him that he needed to cancel his request and how to place a cancellation. I am just concerned that he hasn't at this point. I have been burned in the past with Airbnb customer service where they will change my cancellation terms to satisfy a customer's complaint without my consent. Not to mention the sooner he cancels the higher likleyhood I will be able to rebook the room.
Reply Like 1 like Delete
Andrew
Andrew2 years ago
Airbnb does override hosts' cancellation policies if the guest satisfies the requirements of their Extenuating Circumstances policy: www.airbnb.com/help/article/540
But your guest has already made his reason for cancelling explicit, and a CX operator would be able to look through your correspondence and see that his reason is not covered as an exception. They are almost certain to honor your policy in this case.
However, if the guest is genuinely uncertain of whether he will cancel, you don't really have much choice but to wait it out.
Reply Like 2 likes Delete
Jenny
Jenny2 years ago
Hi Andrew, thank you for the advice.
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Nonya
Nonya2 years ago
When a guest want to cancel, I always would say, 'Feel free to go to 'Your Trip' on your Dashboard and cancel your reservation SINCE your payment hasn't been processed yet." Then when they do and realize that their payment is not refunded because of the policy, and you're concerned with Karma, then feel free to offer then a PARTIAL refund ONLY if someone else rent during the time frame in which they had blocked the dates. Reassure them that you will honor your end and it will be automatic once Airbnb review your conversation and resolution. Airbnb will monitor those dates he booked and provide partial payment or whatever your terms for refund to him directly against any future reservations made to your calendar.
So if he blocks 8 days and someone books for 3 days (from those 8), then your guest that cancel would receive only 1/2 of the money earned from 3 days booked. But you have to let him know that he has to unblock the days.
I have strict policy. lol
Reply Like Delete
www.airbnb.com/groups/content/content-90405
My first cancellation - past moderate terms
Hi Everyone,
I have a guest who would be checking in for an eight day stay on Monday. He called me last night and told me he might be cancelling his reservation. His work will be providing alternate accommodations for his business trip in town. My question is: He has not cancelled and it is less than five days before his stay. I have a moderate cancellation policy. I would normally be booked and rarely have last minute bookings. I doubt I will be able to re book the room. Should I offer him a partial refund?
8 comments
Follow
Like
Delete
Hide
Julie and Eric
Julie and Eric2 years ago
The guest needs to cancel and will be refunded by Airbnb according to the policy. Curious why would you offer a refund that is different?
Reply Like 4 replies•2 likes Delete
Nicole
Nicole2 years ago
I have offered refunds different than the cancelation policy because the cancelation didn't effect my bottom line a whole lot and I kinda like to have that good karma in my back pocket lol. But I agree with everyone else for an 8 day stay that's not likely to get rebooked I would follow my cancelation policy too.
Julie and Eric
Julie and Eric2 years ago
Agree - if I were able to rebook, I'd probably offer the difference to the cancelling guest afterwards. Deborah has mentioned she does this for guests. For those with moderate and strict cancellation policies, are the cancelled nights freed up in the calendar? I couldn't find that info in the FAQ but seem to remember those with strict cancellation policies discussing it in groups.
Nicole
Nicole2 years ago
I know I remember if the host cancels it's blocked. I have a moderate policy and had a guest cancel same day and it opened up as soon as they canceled, but was only a one night reservation.
Fleur, Dan and kids
Fleur, Dan and kids2 years ago
If the guest cancels then you get bumped up in the search rankings. I've managed to fill lots of cancelled reservations. As Julie & Eric mentioned you might want to offer more money back if you manage to book it out.
Sandra
Sandra2 years ago
I would handle in line with your terms. He should cancel via Airbnb and the system will do the rest.
Reply Like Delete
Jenny
Jenny2 years ago
Hi Julie and Eric,
I couldn't read the full cancellation policy terms from my phone. I logged onto my pc at work and read the rest of the terms.
Reply Like 1 reply•1 like Delete
Julie and Eric
Julie and Eric2 years ago
Gotcha.
Andrew
Andrew2 years ago
Jenny, if the guest goes forward with his cancellation with Airbnb, a partial refund is what he's automatically going to get. You need not offer anything else. But in case he's not much of a fine-print-reader, you should let him know that he needs to actually put through the cancellation in order to get his partial refund,a and that he'll be charged full price otherwise.
Reply Like 1 like Delete
Jenny
Jenny2 years ago
Hi Andrew, I already told him that he needed to cancel his request and how to place a cancellation. I am just concerned that he hasn't at this point. I have been burned in the past with Airbnb customer service where they will change my cancellation terms to satisfy a customer's complaint without my consent. Not to mention the sooner he cancels the higher likleyhood I will be able to rebook the room.
Reply Like 1 like Delete
Andrew
Andrew2 years ago
Airbnb does override hosts' cancellation policies if the guest satisfies the requirements of their Extenuating Circumstances policy: www.airbnb.com/help/article/540
But your guest has already made his reason for cancelling explicit, and a CX operator would be able to look through your correspondence and see that his reason is not covered as an exception. They are almost certain to honor your policy in this case.
However, if the guest is genuinely uncertain of whether he will cancel, you don't really have much choice but to wait it out.
Reply Like 2 likes Delete
Jenny
Jenny2 years ago
Hi Andrew, thank you for the advice.
Reply Like Delete
Nonya
Nonya2 years ago
When a guest want to cancel, I always would say, 'Feel free to go to 'Your Trip' on your Dashboard and cancel your reservation SINCE your payment hasn't been processed yet." Then when they do and realize that their payment is not refunded because of the policy, and you're concerned with Karma, then feel free to offer then a PARTIAL refund ONLY if someone else rent during the time frame in which they had blocked the dates. Reassure them that you will honor your end and it will be automatic once Airbnb review your conversation and resolution. Airbnb will monitor those dates he booked and provide partial payment or whatever your terms for refund to him directly against any future reservations made to your calendar.
So if he blocks 8 days and someone books for 3 days (from those 8), then your guest that cancel would receive only 1/2 of the money earned from 3 days booked. But you have to let him know that he has to unblock the days.
I have strict policy. lol
Reply Like Delete