This forum is dedicated to connecting hosts with other hosts. Sign up to get the latest updates and news just for AirBnb hosts! Note that we are not affiliated with Airbnb - we are just passionate hosts!
Simple question, what is the most $ you’ve voluntarily refunded because you want to do “the right thing” and refund the 50% deposit that’s owed to the host within a strict policy? approx? $100, $500, $1,000, $2,000?
How about the most you’ve refunded when people have canceled at a point that it was non-refundable?
You wouldn’t care if someone held 25-days in your calendar for a year and then cancelled a day before? I wouldn’t think that was fair at all. You would have probably had a valid reservation for those dates, or at least part of them.
When someone takes advantage it’s painful and it pisses you off. But the vast majority don’t take advantage in my experience. I think fair hosts are treated fairly more often than not. And I have to do what feels right to me. If refunding doesn’t feel right to you, you shouldn’t do it. Each of us has to live with ourselves 24/7.
I’ve never refunded a cent. Air has refunded some percentage for a couple of guests who had truly extenuating circumstances, but I don’t give refunds. I may offer a special deal if a cancellation rebooks at another time, but not often.
I feel like having a Flexible cancellation policy is doing the right thing for guests with minimal impact to me. Prior to COVID-19, having strict cancellation would not have helped me significantly since all of my cancellations combined (7 reservations) resulted in only 3 days not getting rebooked. After COVID-19, it doesn’t matter since Airbnb is overriding host cancellation policies with their own. Plus, I can’t measure how many guests may have never booked my place at all if had a strict policy.
I think I am going to go to moderate. I’d imagine most people can figure out whether they are coming within 5 days and it would still give me a little time to rebook.
I’ve always had strict though up until now, and I’ve looked around and almost everyone in my area does. It hasn’t hampered my business at all and it’s never been an issue before. I’ve never had someone request to cancel…
I started with strict and then decided to go to flexible for my first ‘non-tourist season’. It made no impression on bookings at all one way or the other so I’ve stuck with it ever since.
I like the policy of being more lenient towards people who ask politely. Like @georgiahost I am less likely to give discounts to people who are jerks. Likewise with early check in requests. I like to think it increases a bit more “niceness” in the world.
While this is perfectly understandable there was an ancient philosopher who said this about increasing niceness in the world:
You have heard that it was said, ‘Eye for eye, and tooth for tooth.’ But I tell you, do not resist an evil person. If anyone slaps you on the right cheek, turn to them the other cheek also. And if anyone wants to sue you and take your shirt, hand over your coat as well. If anyone forces you to go one mile, go with them two miles. Give to the one who asks you, and do not turn away from the one who wants to borrow from you.
You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor[[i] and hate your enemy.’ But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be children of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Are not even the tax collectors doing that? And if you greet only your own people, what are you doing more than others? Do not even pagans do that?
We have refunded 50% up to 100% and we just got started BnB-ing (even when it was non-refundable). Of course this is due to Cornona, which I hope is a once-in-a-lifetime occurrence.
I am also a newer host so I don’t have the history many of the members here have. It’s really shocking for me, as a new host, to see that the “policy” doesn’t matter at all. I guess we have to realize that desperate times call for desperate measures. Some of my cancellations, 50% was $1500 for 3 to 4 night stays. It’s a lot of money to lose - worse is the loss of the full stay and the fact that my business is “on hold”. I have to move on with life though. I can’t sit around complaining forever. It’s always nice to chat with other people who commiserate…
I was initially angry because I felt like maybe I would have had a guest that wouldn’t have canceled but now I am seeing that everyone would have canceled and it’s the best thing for all of us.
My opinion is that you should assume everybody will be cancelled until May. Best of luck, hopefully you will find another way to make this space profitable for you in the near term.