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Right, I completely agree that is the reason why they’ve changed the policy. I personally don’t even have a problem with it, but I do think it’s a slippery slope to gradually force us all into changing our cancellation policies. As I mentioned before, even though I’d agreed to this “free cancellation” before it was even mandatory, I am now NOT showing up in searches if a guest checks the “free cancellation” filter. Only folks with moderate or flexible policies show up. I don’t know if this is a mistake or what, but it really ticks me off that it’s mandatory but I don’t even reap a benefit. I’m assuming I don’t show up because it’s not free if it’s within 14 days. It’s just one more “race to the bottom” IMO.
UPDATE : I just went incognito and the free cancellation filter is GONE! Maybe they were experimenting with it?
What is going on. Airbnb keeps changing.
Yesterday morning I did my customary weekly search to check everything is okay with my listing and no problems. Last night I checked again after seeing Arlene’s post and yes there was a new filter for flexible cancellation and I was not showing as my policy was the new strict even though it has the flexible cancellation.
I decided to change my cancellation policy to moderate as I am coming up to my dead zone - winter in a tourist town - and didn’t want to miss any opportunities to appear in a search.
I have logged on this morning and done a search and the cancellation filter is gone and the "flexible cancellation’ line has gone from the main page - now its just Descriptions, price and star ratings.
I am in Australia, they may be doing it differently elsewhere. I have put one of my rooms on strict and one on moderate for now to see what happens. I hope it all settles down soon.
I had an issue about this when I was booking last week to stay with 7 people in Bath UK. We sent 3 queries and booked with the first person who replied as we were worried about being able to book somewhere. We then received 3 emails from the 2nd host, after I had let them know immediately that we had already booked so please not to save three booking open for us. They offered a higher discount and then said with the new 48hr policy we could cancel the other place.
I wasn’t impressed with the cut throat practice this seemed to be encouraging between hosts !
I was more worried about the security aspects of this 48 rules which has already been imposed upon me despite my protests. But last night I discovered this is an even bigger scam that seems designed to cremate a new revenue stream for ABB.
I was looking ti make a booking last night in France and I needed to ask a question to the host . She was on IB and there now seems to be no way to send an INQUIRY - the only option is to book. They highlight the 48 hour cancel and refund everything EXCEPT the Abb fees - what a scam!
I nearly booked by accident. But why should I or any other Guest pay them fees because they have blocked the ability to contact Hosts on IB?!?!?! I am finding it hard to believe that they would do this - it’s bad for hosts and bad for guests who end up paying unnecessarily. In the end this kind of tricky practice will ruin the reputation of AIRBNB and make guests look elsewhere . I’m going to try my 2 listings on booking.com now .
I’ve just checked - you are right on the web site - it is possible to contact the host, but I was using the phone app and have checked again - the only option is to book. This is unacceptable as so many people use the app - especially guests I should think
If you go down that screen, past House Rules, Canellation Policy, Additional Prices, Availability Calendar and finally Accessibility, there is a Contact Host.
That is pretty buried, but it is there… unless they have updated the app and I haven’t. Or we are using different operating systems. Or whatever differences we might have.
I see this on my home page today.
We heard your feedback about the upcoming change to our Strict cancellation policy and are delaying the change until May 1, 2018 to address your questions. Learn more in the Community Center.
And a link to some explanations:
So - I created a new listing today, and the only option was “Strict with grace period”. So the “delay” must only be for existing listings.
Much easier to impose on people who (for the most part) don’t know any different. There will be a whole new generation of airbnb hosts who “have no idea how great Airbnb was when I was a kid.”
Hope not. This is why Airbnb is so good to use because once is booked we get paid. Personally I do agree with 48 hour cancelation policy. May be they could make it 24 hours. But in any case we still have 14 days to rent our listings. And that’s quite a time frame. Yes 48 hours will be blocked.
I being a frequent travel and booking so many hotels and Airbnbs during a year, make mistakes sometimes .Inputting wrong days, or even month or even cities. Sometimes I am so tired from
All these web browsing that I can’t even concentrate well and mix up . Recently I had to put up a huge fight with Priceline.com because I put in wrong date and within seconds after booking I realized that. And they wouldn’t refund me my 100$. Just like that a 100& down the drain.
I think many hotels and hosts use it as other way to make money . I would understand if it was days after the booking but not even a minute and to keep my 100$ for making a mistake!
For me 48 hours grace period would work perfectly but I hope it will stop at that
