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We’ve recently come across someone looking for the deal of the century! They instant booked, and now we are in a bind. They are still trying to get us to come down on price using every angle, excuse in the book. I finally just said, this is what it will cost, take or leave. The problem is, if they cancel/ we cancel, we all get charged and I can not rent to someone else. If they take the AMAZING deal, I just KNOW they are going to knit pick and leave bad review…
If they cancel, you don’t get charged - they do, and they chose instant book based on what they read and surely should not start to renegotiate after that.
What are your cancellation terms? Strict? Flexible?
I’d say do a filtered search and see what your competition is offering and think about whether it’s worth it to go any lower, given what you offer vis a vis the competition! I sometimes find that there may be a competitor that offers something I don’t (eg a swimming pool) but their calendar is already booked, so I don’t quote like I am competing with them anyway, as they are fully booked!
Whatever the case, if they really are not going through with it, then they should cancel ASAP so that your own diary is open again. You should not cancel. Let them be the ones to do it!
Have these guests used Airbnb before? Do they understand that when they use instant book, they have booked at the price that was quoted before they entered their credit card?
Definitely don’t cancel on your end as a review will posted that says “host cancelled such and such days before check in.”
Not sure why these guests think the price is negotiable - they should have just inquired first if they didn’t want to pay the price. Do you think these guests realize they already have a reservation?
Thanks you guys! I had already cancelled because I was just sick of dealing with her… and then got nervous. I have been talking to AirBnB specialist and they will look over the case. I’m pretty sure it’s clear to see she wanted what she wanted. I’m just glad she isn’t going to stay because I foresaw a nightmare.
Here’s my advice: do not use instant book. Unless you are okay with just anyone or everyone, no matter how much of a pain in the a$$ they may turn out to be, occupying your home, then do not use instant book. It removes the control you have over filtering out insane people like this who think they can negotiate with you after they have already booked. By the way, instant book not only means that once the guest books they are bound to the terms presented, but it also means the host has passively agreed to accommodating the guest…no matter how psycho the guest may be. With instant book, you have removed your ability to decline someone you don’t feel comfortable dealing with. Since you had instant book on, you ended up with a guest that you could not tolerate and then had to cancel and incur the penalties of doing so.
I hope you avoided a nightmare guest, but call Airbnb to make sure you are not shown as the one to cancel. You get one freebie but that is for emergencies. I would hate to see that these guest now have caused a public cancellation on your part. Airbnb will show this on your profile
Jackulas hit the nail directly on the head!
You may want to reconsider Instant Book. With other cancellations like that, you may struggle to get guests and your ratings maybgondown the tube!
I know a lot of people do not use IB for a good reason. I started using IB few days after I listed, because I was on a phone texting non stop, answering inquires and then people did not book. I think there is also a holding time on the calendar that doesn’t allow anyone else to book either, I am not to sure about that.
After I did IB, it became much easier. They just book and no correspondence.
Those who something specific, ask anyway without booking, and almost a 100% , those who inquire first, never end up booking.
I had more that 40 guests by now, all of them booked instantly and may be I was very lucky but only couple of them were not to my taste.,
My bookings are usualy last minute. For that I arrange to leave keys in a secret place, the room is always clean and ready, so wheni am at work guests can still can enter.
It will change when we go into busy season, and I will have back to back. I will have to start blocking d ays during the week as there is no way I can do such close turnaround.,
Thank you! I took it off and agree 100%. Although I still haven’t heard back from anyone at AirBnB and I have that negative automated response of “host cancelled 14 days before” Hoping to find a number or hear from them soon!!!
I’m very interested to see if Airbnb helps you out here. It will be obvious to them that the guest was acting up and trying to talk you down on the price they had already agreed to which is clearly against policy, but will Airbnb help you? My belief is they won’t. I think it’s pretty clear you’ll be left holding the penalties here. Airbnb doesn’t help out new hosts that are learning all their rules how to manage difficult guests. Once you’ve done what any normal host would want to do, which is make sure the nut jobs don’t end up in your home making your life hell, it doesn’t matter to Airbnb, you still have to pay for cancelling, whether the guests were out of line or not. Or please let us know if the outcome is different and they let you off the hook this time Lindsey.
They did help me out. They read through the emails and it was pretty clear she was just trying to get me SO low. They took it off and no penalties. Thank goodness. I don’t know if it’s because it’s my first time dealing with this and I’m still a “newbie” at all this, but they did it.
Yay! Yes, it’s nice to hear they are looking after a newbie. Sometimes depending on a guests behavior they will side because it’s so obvious they were trying to take advantage, it really depends who you get to serve you. This is great. I have had two completely different responses to the same issue from different agents. Now that you know never to cancel and take it up with Airbnb first, you hopefully won’t be in this bind again. Congrats on the great outcome.
Hear hear! Great news, SO glad to hear they took care of you. I am still pretty new as well (just finished my 12th set of guests). So far their customer service has been outstanding. I understand it isn’t always though. I am sure as Sandy says that a lot depends on luck of the draw with the agents.
Agree , as a guest I never had problem with service. agents were always patient and issue was resolved immediately, not that had many, just few times. Once I had a a problem with a guest, and they were very helpful again.
Yay! Thanks for updating us. Just make sure it wasn’t the one freebie cancellation you get as a host. If they didn’t use that one then you should still have one in reserve for emergencies (I think) - anyone correct me
I agree. I have IB on, but only fit guests with at least one positive review.
If they IB then they’re agreeing to all of my terms and prices on the spot.
If you’re overly nervous about renting your house then IB isn’t for you.
But the way I look at it is that I am the type of guest that would like to IB because I’m busy, I know West I want and I don’t have the time to drive someone crazy with a one month email chain before I finally press the button.
IB guests can actually be guests who are more accustomed to traveling and less of a hassle than the guests who are also just as nervous as the hosts.
One thing though. When I, initially, allowed IB, I hadn’t realized that my minimum stay during high season wasn’t set and a guest ended up booking on the spot for five days (instead of NY usual minimum of seven). I accepted that issue and just made sure that everything is well taken care of in my calendar from now on because any error becomes an “instant error” that you have to honor.
Hoping to find a number or hear from them soon!!!