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What would you do?
Curious as how other hosts would manage this.
I have a strict policy, I had a VRBO booking for a Saturday and Sunday night coming up.
Guests asked to cancel, I said sure and that I would refund any nights I could get booked.
Booking came in for Friday and Saturday
So only one night of the reservation booked.
Cannot book Sunday because I have to leave a day between
Refund in full?
Refund 1 night
Remember, this is a non refundable reservation.
RR
Though it’s technically not the nights booked it’s the replacement booking. When the prior guest booked Sat and Sun you couldn’t book Friday because you have to leave a day in between. Not refunding the Sunday might honor the letter, but not the spirit, of what you said you would do.
KKC and I usually agree, but not this time!
It’s a business transaction; these folks are not your buddies. Refund the one night, which is what you made a commitment to do.
Plus, they will be very pleased to get that one-night refund. Win-win.
Unless you think they will be repeat visitors – but I withhold the VIP treatment until the repeat visit occurs!
LOL. I’m surprised on this one.
If you leave one night between bookings, then you wouldn’t have been able to book Friday night anyway on the original reservation, so it sounds to me like the fact you can’t rent the Sunday night now is a moot point. You had a 2 night booking that was replaced by another 2 night booking, it just isn’t the exact same days.
My thought as well, they booked a non refundable reservation. I offered them a generous solution considering I could have kept the entire amount and rebooked as well.
Wise words indeed.
Well technically they cancelled a non refundable booking, so there is that.
Do airlines feel guilty re-selling a cancelled seat that they did not refund for?
Hmmm
RR
I’m not an airline. I don’t even really consider myself a business. I’m a human first and I value other humans, relationships, what I consider ethical and how I feel about my actions. I’ve said here many times that I don’t feel good about charging for services that aren’t rendered and I especially wouldn’t feel good about it if I got a replacement booking and I kept all the money.
You shouldn’t feel the need to defend your decision. I thought the question was “what would you do?” and that’s the way I answered it.
First, follow the law as your minimum.
Then, Do what you feel is right so you can sleep at night.
When I owned my previous business in MA the few times a client wanted their money back for unused services I refunded their money immediately. MA consumer law is very friendly towards the consumer. Small claims court would have given them 3x what they were owed plus fees and expenses possibly. Not worth the headache.
I once was consulting to another business in my field and the husband of a client was an attorney and said he would spend $10k to get the $300 back for unused services. It took me 2 days to convince the other business owner to just write the check.
You know how your occupancy actually runs. Was it a wash or did you lose a day?
If we were made whole (2 vs 2) and the guest was courteous, we would refund both nights.
If they gave us attitude, they would get 1 day back and be treated as a mere business customer.
Oh I don’t mean to come off as defensive, the answers here are what I expected
I’m actually glad this guest canceled, she actually had to use a second credit card for her deposit (with VRBO I actually run the card, the money is already in the bank )
She can’t afford to lose the money. I’ve replaced the reservation
Once I get paid I plan on refunding her both nights.
RR