Guest sent a request, airbnb said If I approve a request, I will not get a fine

[Julia_Purcena]

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. It’s ok, I don’t care about it, I’m 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 “superhost” will not change.
What the heck? O_O So, if I will NOT approve, I will get a fine?
It’s something new or it have always been here? There is a screenshot (sorry, dunno how to change the language)

[KKC]

This seems like a question you should also ask Airbnb. Their customer service agent may not but helpful though. I don’t think I’ve 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.

[Rolf]

@Julia_Purcena

If you approve a request, you will not get a fine, and your status “superhost” will not change.

Is this the first time a guest has asked for a refund from you? Have you declined before? What was the reason for the guest’s cancellation? Maybe these factors play in…

[muddy]

@Julia_Purcena I would venture a guess this is just Airbnb’s typical convoluted wording. Making a simple concept confusing. What I assume they are trying to say is that approving a refund request doesn’t get registered as a host cancellation, for which hosts get fined and can lose their Superhost status.

[Rolf]

It is translated from Russian so the word ‘fine’ might not be accurate in this context, too

[Julia_Purcena]

@muddy

I would venture a guess this is just Airbnb’s typical convoluted wording.

@JJD

I’ve seen that before. I think it’s always there.

Ah, ok, then just ignore it. Never opened these requests before actually, so thought maybe it something new. Thank you

[muddy]

@JJD

What it tells me is that a lot of hosts have called Airbnb and asked if it means the cancelation will go against them.

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 “cancellation” somewhere in that message.

[muddy]

Well, then Julia will have to tell us if the original Latvian included the word “cancellation”.

[Brian_R170]

Maybe something was lost in translation, but I can understand the concern because it’s worded as though something might happen differently if the host does not approve the request. It really should say “Whether you approve or decline this request, you will not be penalized and your Superhost status will not be affected.”

[muddy]

@JJD

I’m sure it didn’t since that’s not a Latvian word.

Of course I meant whatever the Latvian word for cancellation is.

@Brian_R170

It really should say “Whether you approve or decline this request, you will not be penalized and your Superhost status will not be affected.”

If it is intended to reassure hosts that approving the refund doesn’t count as a host cancellation, then that is what it should say. “Approving 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.”

[Julia_Purcena]

I’ve switch the language, and what was there: If you approve this request, you won’t be charged a cancellation penalty, and your Superhost status won’t be impacted.

anyway, she did not cancel her reservation, probably (obviously) because she’s gonna leave 1star feedback. Looking forward to that
Screenshot:

now i’m starting to think that it’s more like “don’t worry, fellow host, don’t be afraid to approve it, it won’t cost you anything”.