He originally asked about the deposit refund as I believe Airbnb had charged him for the entire stay. We advised that Airbnb would return any applicable deposit. Airbnb reached out to us and asked if we wanted to give him a full refund. That’s what led me to post this. Someone in an earlier reply mentioned trip insurance, I hadn’t thought of that but it would’ve been a good idea for them to take out trip insurance when they were going to have such a large liability.
Just a reminder that this is an international forum and though most of us are in the US, not all are. Someone could be in Tasmania and maybe they don’t get many bookings in winter.
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Airbnb doesn’t charge guests for the whole booking on a long term booking. Your guest was charged the first month only. Airbnb charges and pays out monthly on a long term booking. When the guest asked for a refund of the “deposit” (it isn’t a deposit, it’s a payment) he was asking for everything back that he has been charged.
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Yes had it happened to me once. Airbnb customer service person even hinted that this is what’s happening but I understood only after I authorized refund and saw next guest canceling right away. She said…he for sure will be happy to get his money back…lol.
wow… there is just no end to the length to which scammers will go to cheat a host for the well deserved payout.
Offer a full refund once your payout is complete. I like to earn my STR income, not steal it.
So you are saying that upholding a agreed upon refund policy is theft and that I am a thief for not refunding a non refundable booking?
RR
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Charging semi-long-term guests for the first 30 days of a multi-month booking is Airbnb’s policy, not mine. I use Flexible, so there are few instances in which I needed to stand by my policy for cancellations w/in 24 hours of check-in. Since stays typically longer than 28 nights are considered tenancies, I doubt “travel insurance” would cover that. It’s a pretty ballsy move to charge someone a whole month’s rent simply bc their job assignment changes. I stick to STR on Airbnb and take longer stays offline. There’s probably reason I get a lot of returning guests, even if their plans change once in a while.
The level for STR cancellation policy is very situational.
I don’t take long term bookings. I do not refund outside of my strict policy and I am not a thief.
RR
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Apples and oranges. Let’s make sure we’re talking about the same thing.
Why would anyone issue a refund BEFORE their payout?!?! I always tell guests I get paid AFTER their first would-be-day of check-in. That’s when I issue any refunds. No sooner. No one ever had an issue with that.
I believe some hosts allow themselves to be “scammed.” There’s a system Airbnb uses, however confusing, that provides safeguards from hosts being scammed. Never, never, never issue a refund until after your payout. Until you get paid for a cancelled reservation, you have nothing to refund. Even if you’re willing to issue a refund for rebooked nights, wait until after the reservation period gets fully booked and the rebooked nights have occurred. Guests can wait. How this is even an issue, I have no idea. Sure, it might take weeks or months before you can honor your refund, but sobeit. It’s how we do business.
What am I missing here? The way I read this is if a host stands by the policy agreed to they are thieves. I see no distinction between long term or short term. The policy is in place, it is agreed to by the host and guest.
RR
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I personally do not agree with Airbnb’s nonrefundable 30-night long-term stay cancellation fee. If other hosts agree to that, that’s their choice, I guess. There’s a reason I avoid staying at other hosts with unreasonable cancellation policies. Also, I didn’t quit my day job to become a STR host. This is a side gig for me. Maybe that’s why I find it so puzzling hosts are willing to charge guests for cancelled stays weeks, even months ahead. I do not live in a vacation destination, but I do live in a high-demand area, so I’ll generally get rebooked, even if someone cancels w/in 24 hours of check-in. I probably could use this supply and demand ratio to my advantage…
When guests tell us the airbnb they are staying at has “unreasonable cancellation policies” that is code for “policies are unreasonable when they do not favor my issues”. Who is to say that the ‘months ahead’ booking that was cancelled should not be charged, when the host made the agreement with the guest and is expecting that outcome while they make plans? Many Karens are indignant when the favors they ask for, when counter to what they agreed to, are held to the original agreement. No, sorry, Karen or Ken, your need to break a deal is not always going to work for a host.
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Whatever.
What you are avoiding here is the implication that those of us who disagree with you are thieves.
Maybe you could have phrased it differently, maybe that’s not what you meant but since you keep defending it and have not edited your comment it seems clear to me.
I’m done responding here.
RR
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Then, with all due respect, your opinion on this issue is irrelevant to STR professionals. For many of us this how we put food on the table, Oloroso in the glass and ensure our bills are paid.
I’m with @RiverRock on this one.
Buenos noches.
JF
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This is also a side gig for me. So I guess I may as well quit posting.
As it is to a lot of folks, but the flip side is that it’s a living to many others.
I’ve added a qualification to my post above, as I’d hate to see you stop posting, most of the time 
JF
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Being a ‘side gig’ does not absolve you of the requirement of professionalism and quality.
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