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...

My mum and I once arrived at our B&B in Naples to find the host outside who explained that he couldn't have us and took us to his friends B&B which although more expensive he'd be covering. It wasn't ideal but didn't make much difference to us in the end.

Explain the problem and solve it.

I don’t need to browse them I’ve got an Airbnb account.

Moderate policy: if your guest cancels within 7 days of their trip you’ll get paid 50% of the reservation.

Strict policy: if your guest cancels within 30 days of their trip you’ll get 50% of the reservation.

It is recommended that you start with moderate (the one I quoted previously) until you build up bookings + reviews and then move to strict.

Not even the strictest is appropriate for large houses because if someone cancels less than 2-3 months before you will not be able to rebook, thus you will lose all the rent.

If someone cancels less than 30 days before you have lost half the rent, which on a 2 week booking on most of my properties would be somewhere between 3500 and 8000 Euros. Thus I only put my smallest and cheapest properties on Airbnb.

Thanks for the update OP and glad you got it sorted! Hope your kid is on the mend too!

You said upthread

The guest can cancel up to a week before for a full refund. Which you may well not get back

And yet now you are saying that the guest can cancel up to 30 days before and you will get 50%.

These are not the same thing. At all.

And you fail to mention the Super Strict policy, where guests can cancel up to 60 days before and you will get 50% refund and the guest will also lose the service fee.

It would be unfortunate if someone booked an air bnb property based on your statement that they can cancel up to a week before and get a full refund, when that’s unlikely to be the case.

Did you read the moderate policy?

And you fail to mention the Super Strict policy, where guests can cancel up to 60 days before and you will get 50% refund and the guest will also lose the service fee.

Because they’re only available to superhosts, and I’m not prepared to risk losing substantial sums to get to superhost status on large properties.

It would be unfortunate if someone booked an air bnb property based on your statement that they can cancel up to a week before and get a full refund, when that’s unlikely to be the case.

It would certainly be unfortunate if a guest didn’t read their property’s cancellation policy before they booked!

Because they’re only available to superhosts, and I’m not prepared to risk losing substantial sums to get to superhost status on large properties

That’s your choice. Because, as you now acknowledge , the platform has a range of cancellation policies , not just the one you misleadingly quoted in your OP.

Hosts and guests have choices.

It is very last minute and will probably really inconvenience your guests but it's purely within reason if you have had a sickness bug in the house. Even with a cleaner coming in I would not like to be a guest walking into that. I am sure under the circumstances they would understand,

It's very unreasonable and a good reason why all holiday accommodation should be licenced, inspected etc. Airbnb's are mostly professional these days so unless you specifically stated it's your home you are going to ruin someone's holiday (remember Airbnb won't reimburse them quickly, perhaps they can't afford to pay for an alternative before the refund) and annoy them because they thought it was a proper holiday let.

No it’s not my choice. It’s forced upon me. Anyone who is not a super host does not have the choice of any cancellation policy beyond ‘strict’.

Airbnb was devised for rooms and small apartments and does not have cancellations policies suitable for large houses.

I look after Airbnb properties and if I was a guest in one, I would not want to go near it if there's a bug as I'd risk catching it. Be honest with them and offer them plenty of other options (contact the other hosts and see if they can help first) That way they still haven't lost out on their stay.

You could explain about the sickness and offer to pay the difference for similar accommodation in nearby location but if you just cancelled on me I'd be pissed off, would leave you a bad review and not recommend you to friends or family.

I wouldn’t want to stay in a house where there was a bug. I’d email the people and explain the situation. Give full refund.

YABU to cancel. Don't do Airbnb if you can't commit to providing what people are booking.
And get a cleaner to EXTRA clean everything with anti bac

You are offering your home as a business, the guests are paying to stay, its not their problem you have sick kids and it would be totally unreasonable to cancel on them

How would you like it if you had a holiday booked only to be hold the day before the accommodation wasn’t available

Your problem to sort

OP, you did the right thing. However your situation just reinforces to me why I avoid airbnb where possible. It totally moved on from its original 'ethos' and is basically mainly another booking site. Yet it lacks the security and professionalism people expect if not just booking a spare room. Also it is so bloody expensive, I can usually book cheaper through booking.com with free cancellation if my plans change. The add ons for the guest are crazy and I rarely find a good deal unless someone is a new host and offering a discount. I find the whole business model really odd to be honest.

You are a star.

I saw a great AirBnB this week, didn't book because they had cancelled a few guests.

You're right, hosting is not for you, always these people whose spouse conveniently just can't do any lifework.

I don't use AirB&B out of principle (some places, such an Edinburgh, have been, IMO, a bit trashed by AirB&B lets), but definitely wouldn't now after reading this thread!

I think that would be pretty mean.

To be fair I'd prefer you to cancel on me if there's a sickness bug in the house! I'd be so upset if I got ill and you knew about a sickness being in the house

I would be really rather disappointed. As both a host and airb nb guest- I had one cancelled the other week last minute and it caused havoc. We had booked another apartment nearby and it just became annoying

If I were you I’d bundle everything in to the room you lock, take the laundry to in-laws and go relax. Perhaps in-laws can watch the kids then whilst you work!?

Young children + disorganised = inappropriate and unfair for OP to operate an air BnB

I wouldn’t want to stay somewhere with a ‘live’ outbreak of vomiting bug. I guess that’s a risk you run with booking Airbnb, when you are basically moving into a home - that the hosts will have an in foreseeable crisis.

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You deserve it!!

I would have understood you cancelling if I was your guest yes it’s an inconvenience, but life happens. It’s AirBNB, not the Marriott

I can’t imagine AirBNB’ ing my Home I live in - sounds way too much hassle & too stressful to me (separate holiday home is fine).

I hope DC stays ‘ok’ and the rest of you don’t get it!

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God there are some sticks up some arses.

🍷🍷🍷you’ll need more after reading more replies!!

Totally unreasonable to ruin someone's break. I would talk to the guests explain the situation and see what they want to do. If they still want to come you need to let them. Just bung the washing in the locked room.