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Last year I had someone book in June for Xmas-NY on ABB based on my regular prices. I keep the calendar 6 months ahead and it had crept over that period. I explained I had made a mistake and that was the time of year I needed to make money so would they mind cancelling or accepting a change in reservation at the higher price. Which they did. Anyway I’ve just had a booking on Bookings at my normal base rate. I’m not too au fait with Bookings website so it appeared all I could do was request a cancellation (saying it was at their request) and send them a note explaining they could stay but at the higher price. Sorry this is a question about Bookings but does anyone know if there is away to send a booking change request or cancel the booking as a host? I don’t really care if they penalise me somehow as I don’t get enough bookings through them to care.
I have a sneaking suspicion that there are people who go around at this time of year looking for cheap Xmas-Jan rates (our main summer holiday is over Xmas and January) because the host hasn’t thought that far ahead to update them.
Update: I got a reply to cancellation request that they have confirmed the booking at the previous price so I guess they wish to play hard ball.
I had a local book on booking, tons of red flags including wanting to check in at midnight and check out at midnight. I said no to those request and then the credit card kept not working until she gave up.
“I’ve called booking .com as my booking has been confirmed at the rate listed . It’s not my fault you had not updated your information. They tried calling you.
I will be happy to take it to consumer affairs and see what they say”
I sent back the following message:
“I’m sorry you feel that way it was a genuine mistake on my part. You sound like a real piece of work. I live directly upstairs on the property with a door which can be left open where you will be visited by my cats, dog and me smoking as well as loud television noise. You are quite welcome to take it to consumer affairs or anyone else. The property will be rebooked through another agency and you will not be allowed on the premises. I don’t care if I lose my Bookings.com listing I don’t get any bookings I cant afford to lose.
Sorry you have decided to be unreasonable”
I checked my Bookings account and they don’t have my direct debit details just my bank account to pay money into. I paid previous invoices manually. So they can’t take money out without my permission eg the difference. I am just going to cancel my Bookings account (not obvious but there was a website that shows you how to do it.) I’m tempted to wait and see what she replies first…
She replied she was going to forward my message to them. I am sure they have it already. I have requested they deactivate my account. Good riddance.
I am guessing they will send me a stern message about how I have an existing booking and I am required to honour it or pay the difference. There will be some legal bumpf at the end. I think they are based in The Netherlands and I am in Australia. What a palaver over a booking over 6 months out that was cancelled less than 15 minutes after it was made.
They seem to be onto that or maybe I don’t accept credit cards so its not an option. Honestly I am sure it sucks if hosts cancel but not 6 months out just because you think you’ve found a really cheap Xmas booking. If they get a 48hr grace period to cancel I don’t know why we don’t as well. Oh right, of course we don’t, we’re just hosts.
Probably not unless they have a local legal entity for the purposes of being registered as a business. When they sell debt to a debt collector they receive money in return, less than the face value of the debt. It would be tricky if they were not set up to make and receive payments in Australia. I wonder how often it happens?
I must admit I am quite shaken by this. I guess I could handle someone cancelling with a bit of snark like “sort yourself out buster so I don’t waste my time” but to say “bad luck, it is your problem, not mine. I’m gonna stay at that price”. Why would you want to stay with your family at such a place when you know the owner lives upstairs? And you have over 6 months to book a new place. And the request for cancellation was made literally 5 minutes after you booked. Makes me glad I stay on top of things with ABB and the advice of this forum. Maybe best to stick with the devil you know.
I am sorry, but this is not an acceptable message to send a guest.
You were at fault for not setting your prices to take into account seasonal variations.
I am sorry this happened to you, but put yourself in the guests shoes, why shouldn’t they try and reinforce the original price you offered your listing at?
You are quite right @Helsi , I should have been more professional. Which I had up to that point and apologised for my error. Last year the same thing happened in July (hence the title of this post) and the ABB guest agreed to pay the extra which was still a very good price, had a great stay and left a nice review. This time I had blocked out January (our Summer high season, like August in the north) on Bookings and forgot to block out the week before from Xmas to NYE. I am a disability pensioner (obviously rolling in dough), I need the extra money I make over Xmas and January to get me through the rest of the year, usually to pay for structural repairs I can’t afford otherwise. She didn’t need to pay the extra she could have just cancelled and been exactly where she was 20 minutes earlier. Of course it was my fault, it doesn’t mean people need to take advantage of my mistakes.
Why should anyone do anything they are not legally required to do? The Golden Rule, or its non Christian equivalent spring to mind.
I think it would have been better to tell the guest you made ia mistake and the listing was not available and request they cancel. Better to change the price in private rather than discuss it with the guest.
A good point. But Bookings says if you do that you need to pay the difference back to the guest between what you said you would charge and what it would cost them to replace the booking. Other people nearby will be charging 2-5 times what I do over the Xmas-NY period. In my case this would have been as much or more than the full price I’d charge anyway.
Again I remind people this is over 6 months away and I replied in literally 5 minutes.
