Not sure if guest is canceling or checking in

1

A few weeks ago, someone in our neighborhood booked our place for their visiting parents. Yes, I know that’s verboten, but it’s been a dead winter and we also have alternate STR insurance.

Anyway, she texted me outside of Air, 3 days before arrival, saying that now another family member is coming too and what’s our cancellation policy because they need a 2 bedroom (and our place is a studio). I replied to her through Air and told her our policy is moderate. I said if they cancelled, I would be glad to give her an offset refund if we rebook. I thought that would be “neighborly.” However, I haven’t heard back from her and don’t know if the parents will be checking in on Monday. And I usually send check in information the day before (tomorrow).

If I don’t hear back from her, or even if she doesn’t cancel, I need to send check in info. Otherwise, she could say they couldn’t check in and request a refund. I’m concerned that she won’t cancel and will choose to write a negative review; I think I would be able to appeal to Air to have a negative review removed.

Any other issues I’m not thinking of?

2

She was probably contacting you to get all the information so she could discuss/decide with her family. Considering you haven’t had a cancellation come through, she might have found another place for the other family members, and therefore, will need your place along with the other place.

I’d send her the check-in information on the basis that she hasn’t cancelled and the booking is still valid.

Also, don’t worry about a negative review until it happens.

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3

Personally I would chase this up. She may just be blocking your calendar until the last possible minute.

4

Do you have your check-in info in your House Manual? If so, guest would have it as soon as she booked.

5

Is it self check in or are you there to welcome guests?

I will proceed as normal.

6

The mistake wasn’t booking someone from the neighborhood; it was communicating – at all – with them outside the Air system, except to say “contact me officially through AirBnb”.

7

Oh yes… You should have proceeded normally with the checkin info. Not being able to access the place is grounds for a total refund.

8

If you reread my post, she contacted me outside Air but “I replied to her through Air” and reiterated her text to me.

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9

I will proceed normally with check in info. I would normally do that the day before which is today.

10

It’s self check in. I’ll provide the check in info today regardless whether I hear back from the guest. I think that’s good advice from all considering that not providing check in info would be grounds for a refund.

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