I have some dates booked off, yet people are still able to book during those times. It has happened 4 times. The first three times, Airbnb was wonderful and said all the right stuff “yes, we can see that there is a problem, we will cancel that for you”. the 4th time, they are charging me because they say that I can only cancel 3x in 6 months. Is there anything I can do. I have screen shots proving that those dates were booked off.
In addition to blocking dates, try changing the nightly rate to $1000+ as a back-up. I don’t know if the rate changes also disappear along with the blocking but it’s worth a try.
I’ve also had a blocking disappear which allowed guests to book and then I had to cancel - totally annoying.
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The changes don’t disappear. I use this system myself.
As an aside I would say I’ve never had the calendar fail me except on one occasion where my price changes didn’t stick and someone got a New Year’s Eve bargain. In two years of hosting I’ve never had dates unblock … and I would be concerned if it happened 4 times that I was doing something wrong my end.
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Hi @keriscot
You shouldn’t have to use your three ‘free’ instant book cancellations if there is a technical fault that is unblocking your calendar.
Go back to Airbnb and point this out.
This is a bug that has been happening to quite a few hosts in the last three months where blocked dates get unblocked.
It has happened to me and is really frustrating.
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If you forget to click Save Changes after blocking dates, of course they won’t stay blocked. Easy enough to do accidentally. I always go away and then come back to that month to make sure my changes have stayed.
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It is always saved… I definitely know what I am doing when I book it off; I could see my mom or grandmother not really knowing how to work their way around the site. I have even had friends look at those dates and they definitely are booked off, but for some reason some people are allowed to book.
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Thanks for this Helsi - The lady I spoke to was very unsympathetic. I tried to say the same thing - “I shouldn’t have to use my three ‘free’ instant book cancellations”, but she then denied that this was even a problem (that people can book when blocked dates get unblocked). It is good to know that I am not loosing my mind… now to get Airbandb to see this…
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Hi Zandra,
It looks like it has happened to other hosts (see other replies). Even Airbandb has admitted that they have seen this problem in an email to email. I just “snoozed” my place until it is available again, but I am just wondering how to escalate this in the Airbandb process, as the lady I spoke with wouldn’t help.
Thank chicago host! Again, I am glad to hear it isn’t just me. I was going to up the nightly rate, but just decided to snooze the listing until it is available since I booked off four whole months at a time.
It has happened to me twice so far in the last couple of months and hosts on other forums report it has happened to them too. I am very careful about blocking out the dates. And then going back in on another server to check, so am 100% sure they were blocked and Airbnb acknowledged this was the case.
When I spoke to customer services, they acknowledged there was an known glitch and they would be able to check and see whether my calendar had been blocked and was then unblocked.
Airbnb emailed me half an hour later to confirm this was the case and they cancelled the booking.
It makes no sense for hosts to be penalised by Airbnb using their ‘free cancellations’ for a glitch that they acknowledge is their fault. I would perhaps use twitter to try and get some resolution?
Best of luck.
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This issue has been discussed on this forum before.
It appears even if you block your calendar, guests are still able to inquire for those dates, and if you approve them, the booking will be made.
So don’t presume because an inquiry has come, it is for a time when your calendar is open. It may not be.
If there is another airbnb booking this will not happen, but simply blocking a calendar appears not to prevent inquiries or preapprovals.
As someone stated, when you block a date, set an outrageous price on it, to prevent inquiries for the dates in question!