As part of its major product update last month, Airbnb announced a change to its cancellation policy. The change, which was partly inspired by the industry-wide impact of the pandemic, aims to make cancellations more flexible for both hosts and guests.
Airbnb’s cancellation policy is largely set by the hosts, which can make canceling a reservation difficult. Your ideal getaway can have strict policies, which means you will still be charged some of your reservation fee even if you have to cancel for legitimate reasons. However, the change aims to give hosts and guests alike more leeway with a new one Category added to its cancellation level. Even so, there is no reason to be given a little more cancellation authority to use this accommodating policy to cancel your reservation like an idiot and possibly let a host down.
What are Airbnb’s new cancellation policy?
Airbnb’s usual cancellation policy works on a scale: flexible, moderate, strict and long-term (there is also a “super strict” category for stays longer than 30 and 60 days). Refunds are based on when you cancel, and with some of the stricter policies you can expect to kiss at least some of your money goodbye in the event that you cancel a reservation on short notice. of course, if every party is affected by COVID-19, many of Airbnb’s previous guidelines go out of the window: If someone is sick, they have to prove a positive test result, then the company cancels the booking with a full refund. (Try this out Company policy in detail if you are curious about any eventuality).
The new policy adds a new level to the mix. Airbnb calls it the “hard” cancellation policy, and it’s somewhere between strict and moderate. The hospitality giant explains the policy:
Under this new policy, guests booking well in advance will have greater flexibility to cancel a booking free of charge up to 30 days prior to check-in. In pilot tests of this policy, our data showed that hosts who switched from strict to fixed saw bookings increased by an average of nine percent * overall.
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It’s more forgiving, which the company’s internal data suggests is a good thing that guests find popular. But the update and greater leeway don’t give guests a free ticket to toss all cancellation labels out the window.
Here’s how to cancel your Airbnb without being an asshole
There are things you can do to make your canceled reservation less painful for your host – and if you can, you should. Canceling within a reasonable time frame (or as soon as you know you need to) is always a best practice. But if something happens at the last minute that affects your ability to travel – like an injury, car trouble, or accident – be honest and direct with your host.
If possible, provide evidence of what is holding you back from the trip, as this is the best way to ensure your host’s understanding (and get a refund if customer service needs to be called in). Your message should be written thoughtfully and compassionately to your host, who likely had to make some arrangements and pay the cleaning staff in anticipation of your arrival. Don’t just say, “Hey, we have to cancel; How do I get my money back?”
It is up to you to provide a legitimate reason why you cannot physically be there, and something like “I forgot my niece’s birthday” is not really going to do it. On the downside, however, if your host adamantly refuses to listen to you, it is okay to be ready to fight for a refund. How very well it was published Some hosts are doing their best to make cash at the expense of travelers. Try to avoid this by choosing a host with a good rating and appropriate guidelines.
