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I was booked for the Labour Day weekend at the end of July. As he had no reviews I searched the school he has listed, it’s a very expensive private school overseas, he’s currently a student at a college in Toronto. I’m on strict policy.
Two days ago, he asked me to cancel as he didn’t want to lose 50%. I have in the past given people a free cancellation if it is in the first 48 hours. I refused this guy as it’s the last long weekend and I’m not sure I will get another booking.
He wrote asking me to cancel once he figured out that was the only way to keep his money. I told him hosts can’t cancel, which is true in a way, as if I cancel someone, there is a note put in my reviews, it wouldn’t be for this one, but I’m sure if I cancelled him, he’d make a stink.
Airnb called me today asking if I waould waive the fee. The agent didn’t push me, in fact she was very supportive. So, I wonder what the guy said to her.
I’m home now, been to work and doing errands to find several messages from him. I find them offensive and almost threatening.
My listing is a separate unit, fully private. I’ve gone to great lengths to describe the setup and reviews have been complimentary re privacy.
Here is what he posted to me.
" I talk to the airbnb about to cancel they told me you are not willing to cancel full refund for us. is that ture ? and you lied to me says host can not cancel.
I also want to cancel not just because one of my friends are not coming I went on the airbnb website to see the definition for each space. And she provided false information. On airbnb it says
"Entire homes/apartments
Entire homes/apartments are best if you’re seeking a home away from home with complete privacy and the freedom to cook breakfast in your pajamas. With an entire home/apartment, you’ll have the whole space to yourself. You can be your own host, make your own dinner, and remember to treat your listing with the respect and courtesy you would at your own home. which isn’t what she is providing as she is also staying at the accommodation.
her accommodation should be listed as a shared space as she says she lives upstairs but can be in the kitchen with us. this isn’t an entire space it’s false advertisement and I want full refund.
I just request the cancel I hope you can cancel it for us. Airbnb said that it was up to you to cancel it and get the full refund. If you cannot do it, we won’t be able to enjoy the trip and you might not feel comfortable as well sharing the space with us. "
I’d appreciate feedback and perhaps a strong response to shut this guy up. I don’t rent out my place for amusement, it’s a necessity.
This stinks. What does he mean by sharing a kitchen? Do you have access to their space? If so is he right? Hosts can cancel but at a severe penalty so you should have said you were not willing to do that.
I don’t like his attitude though.
I might just tell him to cancel and you could refund the remainder if you get another booking. But don’t do it before or they will make you pay him now when he is not even a customer.
Private school or not this brat needs to learn what strict means before booking.
I’m not offended. I’m not rich and I didn’t go to private schools. I just didn’t see that it was relevant to his request for a refund. I’m no more enthusiastic about people saying the offender was rich than I am if they say he was black, or Asian or poor or whatever. If the descriptor isn’t relevant to the story why include it? I know we are on the same page on this so chalk it up to being cranky because Trump is my president. LOL.
Most expensive private schools… at least 50% of the kids are on a scholarship. I have to agree with @KKC, it isn’t part of the story, unless that is the filter you are using to determine if you are going to refund some of his money.
As it happens, my nephew had a part scholarship to a private school for two years. Due to side effects from leukaemia treatment at age 3, he has some long term damage. He was found to be highly gifted when he had neuropsych testing as part of the monitoring during and post treatment. His mother and I were trying to find a way to help him, as because he was gifted, the public school system refused to give him the accommodations that were recommended by the doctors. This caused him severe distress and he was almost failing. I paid 50% one year, $10,000 and did fundraising for one year. He was then accepted into a public school gifted programme, which promised to provide the accommodations. Sadly, the lied. My nephew is cancer free, and thanks to the two years at a school that cared, he has faith in his abilities. He has learned a lot of hard lessons in his 17 years,
No the filter is the timing, Labour day is my last prime weekend til next May. If he’d asked within 24-48 hours, I would have refunded. But now it’s getting close to the date, most people plan 4-8 weeks in advance. I was considering an offer to him, but when I read his email, It made me angry. Is Airbnb going to give him his fees back?
Just to clarify ( once more ). These are 2 entirely separate units under one roof…correct? Like a "duplex " so to speak. Each has a separate entrance, separate kitchen and cooking, and there is no overlap, other than the fact that it is all under one roof. Is that an accurate description?
Just trying to figure out what he is saying. Thanks
I’d be upset if I was a parent paying for expensive schooling, and my kid still only had the english skills of a turnip.
It’s a good lesson for him. It will toughen him up for future real world experiences and teach him that a) dumb-ass decisions have consequences, b) whining doesn’t get you where you want to be, c) if you’re going into ‘battle’ get your facts straight and in a logical order, and d) evaluate your chances of success, and if they are poor, then perhaps adjust your approach to collaborative rather than aggressive. (i.e., if he didn’t come in hard, hot and heavy, but rather apologetic, polite and courteous, there would be more sympathy to his cause).
Finally, I would be tempted to allow him to stay, cook a fried breakfast naked, and perhaps learn another valuable lesson regarding hot fat and sensitive exposed skin.
He alluded that it “might not” be a comfortable situation for the host to share the space with them if there was no cancellation forthcoming. That smacks of a threat to me.
Even in his somewhat tortured English, it came through loud and clear along with his animosity.
That’s what I thought at first. But I think he’s still thinking it’s shared. Shows lack of comprehension or maybe I’m being too generous?
I might contact Airbnb and let them review his emails.
Something new? I was sent an email from Airbnb asking if I was still able to host kid or was I going to cancel. It gave me until the 11th to confirm one or the other. I confirmed that I was still able to host.
I’m thinking of offering him a partial refund if I can rebook the dates. It would be nice to get this sorted.
DO NOT offer this guy anything. That’s a sign of weakness, and this shark will attack weakness.
Tell Air that YOU will not cancel unless it is penalty free, because now, with his mildly veiled threat, you do not feel comfortable hosting this person and his friends.
He’s grasping at straws by making a stink about the entire home/shared home issue hoping Air will cancel it for him and give him a refund.
You could appease him by offering him a refund if you can rebook the space (good customer relations - to reduce tension), but based on his attitude, even if I did rebook the space, I wouldn’t give him a penny. Rewarding his veiled threats with a refund is teaching him to be aggressive to get what he wants. That’s just wrong!
