Would I be unreasonable to cancel on an Airbnb guest arriving tomorrow?

[Abouttogonuts]

I’m about to explode with stress. Got a sick child (been cleaning up vomit all day) and another child on half term. We’re going away tomorrow to stay with in-laws and putting our place on Airbnb (as we usually do when we go away).

Got a cleaner coming of course, but haven’t been able to organise or do anything because of sick child, other child on half term. (I usually lock up one room with all our valuables, but haven’t been able to start doing that yet.)

And there is laundry coming out of my ears!

Also behind on the one day of work I had to do this week (yesterday but couldn’t because of said sick child).

I know I’d get fined by Airbnb, but would I be unreasonable to cancel on guest? We live in London, there is other availability locally. Though pricier for less nice (making me also think I undercharge!).

If we cancelled, I’d go to in-laws’ a bit later this week, when sick child is better, and stick the telly on for him tomorrow to properly sort the place out and finish my work...

Just seen update.
So ignore my PP

It's now just a marketing website, like any other.

It has homestays on there, but I would say that the majority now are just holiday lets, like on any other marketing platform, e.g. Sykes, Home and Away , trip adviser etc.

All the self catering holiday lets on all the sites are owned by individual owners. So absolutely any holiday let could become unavailable at any time because of boiler breakdown, flood, previous guests trash it etc etc.

And this ladies and gentleman is why NOT to use unregistered, regulated establishments.

AirBnB is brilliant, one of those great ideas that was so obvious that you wonder why it wasn't being done before.

I don't want to go back to the old days (i.e. until last year for me) of having to go to several individual accommodation websites and having to make multiple phone calls to find somewhere available. Or pay for overpriced and restricting B&Bs or hotels when actually I was happy to self cater and have a flat to ourselves. Rather than being able to search the length and breadth of the country and overseas, compare accommodation on facilities, price, reviews, availability etc very easily and book online.

It's a bit like when black cab drivers complain about uber. Well, if you actually existed in London when multiple people need a cab perhaps it wouldn't have to have been created.

AirBNB is great.

Airlines overbook & have issues - no one suggests you should only ever go by ferry instead

I would be more annoyed at not being told the house had had a sickness bug in it for a week as it hangs arounds on surfaces and you don't know who is coming. I think you have to cancel.

i think you have to cancel

If you go to settings you can ‘highlight OP posts’ then you can read their updates

Well done OP!

Just a note about AirBnB to those who use it - I use it from time to time, with varying satisfaction. After one particularly horrible experience (disgusting dirty place, lock on door didn't work, horribly aggressive host etc), I learned about 'super-hosts' - hosts who are registered with AirBnb, I will only use these now - no guarantee of good service, but a better chance.

Airlines overbook & have issues - no one suggests you should only ever go by ferry instead

If that happens, you at least get put on another flight, given food vouchers and a hotel if necessary

Cancel

I hosted twice. First guest lovely, second awful. Chinese girl, arrived with a friend in tow despite only booking one person. They ABSOLUTELY stank on arrival to my family home. They asked for keys, but as I go to bed really late, early hours, told them they didn't need one. For a start off, my insurance would be invalidated and I'm not giving total strangers keys to my home!!! There is always someone in so that's why I did Abnb in between lodgers, they would never be alone here. Anyway in the middle of the night they got really aggressive and she tried to snatch a key! I told them to leave, and they complained to Abnb who took their side. Unbelievable. Never again.

P.s. they did leave and I did keep the money, I had also reported them for being 2 guests not one! Yet Abnb still sided with them.

This actually happened to me on a recent trip. Our first trip abroad with a small baby. It made an already stressful journey even more fraught as we had to organise accommodation on the way. Luckily we managed to find somewhere, albeit for more than the original price, but it was absolutely infuriating to be put through that when we had gone to the trouble of researching and booking in advance. You're being unkind to your guests, but I can see why you're doing it. On the plus side (for you), AirBnB don't seem to mind that much when hosts cancel with short notice.

She didn't cancel!

@Whyhaveidonethis oops - should have posted this one. www.nhs.uk/common-health-questions/infections/how-long-do-bacteria-and-viruses-live-outside-the-body/