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Hi, there is something weird about bnb.
Guest canceled her reservation and asked for refund (strict policy). I have already replied to her twice about the cancellation policy, but she sent me a request, obviously. Itās ok, I donāt care about it, Iām not gonna answer it of course.
BUT then I opened her request I saw this: If you approve a request, you will not get a fine, and your status āsuperhostā will not change.
What the heck? O_O So, if I will NOT approve, I will get a fine?
Itās something new or it have always been here? There is a screenshot (sorry, dunno how to change the language)
This seems like a question you should also ask Airbnb. Their customer service agent may not but helpful though. I donāt think Iāve seen any other posts about being fined for declining a refund request. Hosts get only charged and their superhost status can change if they cancel a guest.
Is this the first time a guest has asked for a refund from you? Have you declined before? What was the reason for the guestās cancellation? Maybe these factors play inā¦
@Julia_Purcena I would venture a guess this is just Airbnbās typical convoluted wording. Making a simple concept confusing. What I assume they are trying to say is that approving a refund request doesnāt get registered as a host cancellation, for which hosts get fined and can lose their Superhost status.
Iāve seen that before. I think itās always there.
It only means that you are not being held responsible for the cancelation by granting a refund. That is that you are not admitting any guilt by complying.
You should not read too much into it. What it tells me is that a lot of hosts have called Airbnb and asked if it means the cancelation will go against them. And it is not because that would make any sense but because hosts are paranoid about cancelations (and for good reason too).
Additionally what it tells me is that Airbnb either employs people to write copy who are less than fluent in English, or flunked language arts and English composition.
Because if one were trying to address host concerns about having a refund count as a host cancellation, a normal, literate person would include the word ācancellationā somewhere in that message.
Maybe something was lost in translation, but I can understand the concern because itās worded as though something might happen differently if the host does not approve the request. It really should say āWhether you approve or decline this request, you will not be penalized and your Superhost status will not be affected.ā
Yes. It says something kind of like that. I donāt remember exactly but Iāve noticed it before.
Iām sure it didnāt since thatās not a Latvian word. Also, Iām the one who mentioned cancelation. I donāt remember what it says exactly when I see it in English, but it doesnāt say anything about cancelations. It was only my supposition as to why they say anything at all (e.g. because hosts are paranoid about cancelation penalties, penalties being the operative word).
Of course I meant whatever the Latvian word for cancellation is.
If it is intended to reassure hosts that approving the refund doesnāt count as a host cancellation, then that is what it should say. āApproving this refund request will not be registered as a host cancellation, and approving or declining will not affect your cancellation rate nor incur any other penalties.ā
Iāve switch the language, and what was there: If you approve this request, you wonāt be charged a cancellation penalty, and your Superhost status wonāt be impacted.
anyway, she did not cancel her reservation, probably (obviously) because sheās gonna leave 1star feedback. Looking forward to that
Screenshot:
