Advice for Instant Booking Cancellation!

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Hi All,

I have been watching and learning on this excellent forum for a few months. I have been on Airbnb in Manhattan since January 2016. I have been a Superhost since March 2016.

I am now requesting your help.

I received an Instant Booking about 3 hours ago for tomorrow, January 2nd… As I always do, I Googled the person who booked, and it came up with that the guest was charged in March 2016 with FORGED CREDIT CARDS AND FORGERY DEVICE.

I called Airbnb and explained that I am not comfortable having that person in my apartment, albeit a separate unit connected to, but with no access to, my apartment. So, to be clear, it is totally separate, but adjacent to my home with my wife and two children.

Airbnb’s response? “We can cancel the reservation on your behalf, but you will be charged a penalty and lose Superhost status”. I explained my concerns about his alleged criminal activity, and their response was “The guest has not done anything to you or your property that would lead us to believe we need to cancel it”.

I then tried to cancel online, but since it was within 24 hours of the booking, I was unable to do so. Of course, it was just booked 3 hours ago!

So it appears my choice is to either cancel the reservation and bear the brunt of the cancellation, or “let it ride”. I was under the impression that you could cancel two reservations a year with no consequences for Instant Book, but the Airbnb Case Manager made it clear that wasn’t the case at all.

I feel completely undermined by Airbnb. Any advice?

Thank you all in advance.

2

I thought we all have the option of cancelling IB booking if we are “uncomfortable” with the guest??

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3

Call back and see if you can get a supervisor.

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4

oh, mine…
Can you ask Airbnb to cancel it for you and get all penalties? I really do not know what a SH status gives to us…

5

Call them back and demand they cancel it! I would feel extremely uncomfortable too.

6

Yes, looks like we ALL thought you can cancel IB, at least twice with no penalty, But they made it absolutely clear that was NOT the case.

7

Yet another reason I will not do instant book, wow

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8

Louise, I called Airbnb THREE times, and spoke with TWO supervisors. They both said the exact same thing, which was I have to take responsibility for cancelling the booking!

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@gardenhost, I tried calling Airbnb THREE times, and spoke with a Case Supervisor twice. They REFUSED to cancel it with no penalty since it was within 24 hours, But the guest JUST booked the IB 4 hours ago!

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Urgh it makes me lose all faith in Airbnb to hear this. Is your listing a room in your home or separate? Any time to install a security camera at your front door just in case anything happens? Forewarned is forearmed, or whatever the saying is

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@gardenhost, I already have a security camera at the front door, so that isn’t an issue.

And it is a distinct apartment separated by a locked door to the rest of the townhouse.

And yes, I feel the same as you. Airbnb completely failed me on this, and will fail others as well.

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12

So ABB will be covering you for the loss when the stolen card he booked with is charged back after the guest leaves then heh?

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@emily, I asked Airbnb that specific question, and asked if this was on a “recorded line”. He said “Absolutely, Airbnb will pay for this reservation regardless of whether the credit card comes back invalid”.

But, again, that is not the point. The point is, I FEEL UNCOMFORTABLE WITH THIS GUEST, and I should be allowed to cancel the reservation without penalty. I even found it in their terms of service.

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I think the problem is in the fact that you googling their name and finding stuff does not, in itself, prove that it’s the same person? I mean unless their name is Engelbert Humperdink or something. I’m sure if you googled my real name you might find some nefarious activities carried out by someone completely unrelated to me.

Edit: in other words, The Internet is not the new God

Edit 2: omg, I have a new respect for those hapless millenials at airbnb having to deal with the things that hosts come up with. They should make a show about it :wink:

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@magwitch, Yes, his name is exactly like “Engelbert Humperdinck”! Literally, no other matches. And from his home town. There is NO DOUBT it is him. I agree, if it was John Smith, I’d also believe it could be mistaken identity. But, it is absolutely unique. And the photos match!

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Make no sense given there have been a few hosts on here lately where guests cards were declined and ABB stiffed them. Perhaps go onto Twitter and say that ABB forced you to accept a criminal & thief into your home…

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17

Don’t you have an extenuating circumstance reason that you can not accept this guest? Did the toilet suddenly spring a leaK? Nobody can stay in a home with a leaking toilet all over the floor.

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This all sounds terrible. I thought Facebook was the place you were supposed to go to for this sort of thing. But sure, Twitter sounds like a good idea too. Though this sounds bad enough that a news story could possibly be made of it. Does anyone know any journalists?

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Or someone suddenly had a fall or came down with an infectious disease. It’s not just guests who can play that game. Of course, Airbnb will require a medical certificate, so you’ll have to know a friendly doctor who is willing to bend the rules a little.

Would Airbnb require “proof” of a leaking toilet, I wonder. If so, time to go online and google “leaking toilet”.

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You’re welcome to use the pic of my dead mouse I provided earlier…

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