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Good Evening,
Newbie airbnb host here.
I posted my listing yesterday not realizing that my instant book was on and I had a instant book from a local for 8 nights.
I offered to even provide the renter with $50 myself if she would cancel and she declined.
It is now 12am and the renter checks in at 3pm tomorrow.
I don’t know what to do.
If I cancel the booking what happens to my listing or am I penalized?
Thank you for your help.
Your first cancellation is free. After that, it’s $100 for each cancellation.
On the website it says
Within 7 days of check-in: Airbnb charges a $100 fee for any reservation canceled within 7 days of check-in.
They must have changed their policy in the past year (I canceled last year for the first time without penalty). Looks like you will be penalized.
You can try to have them waive the penalty due to being a brand new listing and not knowing that IB was default. But they will likely say that this was your responsibility, esp because they are trying to get everyone on board to use IB.
It sounds like IB was on by default. I would phone Airbnb and tell them your story about how you Re new and didn’t realize it was on. Get them to cancel without penalty.
You need to find out if Air is going to put a notice on your listing that says “host cancelled reservation one day before arrival” - if they do then you will be screwed and may never get another booking.
Then it may be best just to create a new listing.
Why do you want to cancel?
Like Maggieroni, I’m asking Why do you want to cancel?
Not trying to be hard ass here, but whether IB was on or not, if you weren’t ready for guests why did you activate your listing? When we activated back in November, we had 4 bookings within two days.
That was my immediate thought too - why cancel? When a booking is made the guest and the host have entered into a sort of contract and they should really stick to it.
Not to be repetitive, but yes - why do you want to cancel? Inquiring minds want to know.
Is it just me or is it annoying when people come here for advice and then don’t follow up?
I’d just take the booking then close it after. It’s money.
This person posted on another thread with a link to his new listing in Orlando and said he accepted the guest and she’s there now. Never did say why he was worried the community would find out or why he wanted to cancel. He confused his two posts it seems.