Airbnb requests to shorten stay for refund and does not leave

Short-Term & Vacation Rental Discussions

Airbnb requests to shorten stay for refund and does not leave

Investor · Maggie Valley, NC · Member since 2020 · 284 posts · 85 votes

How to proceed if a guest requests a partial credit for leaving early, accepts alteration request, and then pretty much says, "Thanks. We will be leaving in morning. I'll let you know.'

0 Reply

86 views

Most Popular Reply

Patricia Steiner

Real Estate Broker · Hyde Park Tampa, FL · Member since 2019 · 2k+ posts · 3k+ votes

Whoa...you're running a business. You reserved the property - and made it not available based on the days the guest booked it. As such, you are entitled to the full stay rental price whether they leave in a day or stay the full RESERVED period. When asked for a refund, just say no - and explain that you held the property for them exclusively during the time they requested it. And, why are they supposedly leaving - and now hedging? They obviously are not in a medical emergency or a family crisis - because "I'll let you know" pretty much kicks those emergencies to the curb.

Let AirBnb know that you will not be authorizing a refund and that the guests are still occupying the property. On their last day at departure time, send in your cleaners! Now you're letting them know. Crazy...sorry you're having to deal with this.

3 Reply

See this reply in the discussion

13 Replies

Jump to latestLatest

Sort by

Paul Sandhu
Investor · The worst town to live in, KS · Member since 2016 · 4k+ posts · 4k+ votes
3y
Remove the electric meter and shut off the water. I've done it before.
0 Reply
John UnderwoodPro Member
Investor · Greer, SC · Member since 2014 · 13k+ posts · 17k+ votes
3y
Contact Airbnb and see if they can help you.
1 Reply
Patricia Steiner
Real Estate Broker · Hyde Park Tampa, FL · Member since 2019 · 2k+ posts · 3k+ votes
3y
Whoa...you're running a business. You reserved the property - and made it not available based on the days the guest booked it. As such, you are entitled to the full stay rental price whether they leave in a day or stay the full RESERVED period. When asked for a refund, just say no - and explain that you held the property for them exclusively during the time they requested it. And, why are they supposedly leaving - and now hedging? They obviously are not in a medical emergency or a family crisis - because "I'll let you know" pretty much kicks those emergencies to the curb.
Let AirBnb know that you will not be authorizing a refund and that the guests are still occupying the property. On their last day at departure time, send in your cleaners! Now you're letting them know. Crazy...sorry you're having to deal with this.
3 Reply
Bruce WoodruffPro Member
Contractor/Investor/Consultant · San Diego / Phoenix · Member since 2021 · 12k+ posts · 15k+ votes
3y
Yeah, a deal is a deal. They agreed to rent your house for a set amount for a set period of time. You agreed to provide said house and reserve those dates for them, thereby taking your house off the market for other possible renters.
Just tell them NO....
1 Reply
Michael BaumPro Member
Olympia, WA · Member since 2016 · 8k+ posts · 7k+ votes
3y
Our last guests told us they were leaving early due to weather, 2 days. No issues and no refund. None requested.
If it isn't an emergency, then I wouldn't do much if anything. If they are just tired and ready to go home, then that is their decision.
Of course they could leave you a bad review, but talk to AirBNB and get that sorted ahead of time.
I will say that I never have these sorts of issues with VRBO guests, just AirBNB.
0 Reply
Bruce WoodruffPro Member
Contractor/Investor/Consultant · San Diego / Phoenix · Member since 2021 · 12k+ posts · 15k+ votes
3y
Quote from @Michael Baum:

I will say that I never have these sorts of issues with VRBO guests, just AirBNB.
Yep.....

0 Reply
Eliott Elias
Investor · Austin, TX · Member since 2021 · 9k+ posts · 5k+ votes
3y
Have your property manager go out there in the morning, if still there get police involved and notice of eviction.
0 Reply
Nathan GesnerBusiness Member
Moderator
Real Estate Broker · Cody, WY · Member since 2010 · 28k+ posts · 41k+ votes
3y
Quote from @Kyler J Sloan:

How to proceed if a guest requests a partial credit for leaving early, accepts alteration request, and then pretty much says, "Thanks. We will be leaving in morning. I'll let you know.'
You need to figure out a better policy and stick to it. 50% down required at time of booking. Remainder is due 14 days prior to occupancy. If they cancel/change their reservation within 14 days of occupancy - or during occupancy - there is no refund.
The DIY Landlord Book4.7247 Reviews
Website View Page
0 Reply
Kyler J Sloan
OP
Investor · Maggie Valley, NC · Member since 2020 · 284 posts · 85 votes
3y
The complaint she had for leaving early was that of mice.
I have an exterminator scheduled for the 8th but agreed to let her leave early so that I could spend the next couple of days while it is vacant setting traps literally everywhere doing my best to rid myself of them before my next guest arrived.
That was the only reason I agreed to issue the refund.
But, then she decided to stay the last night after it was given.
I'll contact Airbnb and ask them not to withhold the refund amount from my next payout since they decided to stay.
0 Reply
Jonathan Avellaneda
Investor · Puyallup, WA · Member since 2021 · 73 posts · 53 votes
3y
Quote from @Kyler J Sloan:

The complaint she had for leaving early was that of mice.
I have an exterminator scheduled for the 8th but agreed to let her leave early so that I could spend the next couple of days while it is vacant setting traps literally everywhere doing my best to rid myself of them before my next guest arrived.
That was the only reason I agreed to issue the refund.
But, then she decided to stay the last night after it was given.
I'll contact Airbnb and ask them not to withhold the refund amount from my next payout since they decided to stay.

Understood, instead of asking them to withhold, can you still alter the reservation to show that they stayed the extra night? Change it and charge it back to them. If not send a request for money for the extra night and be sure to document that they decided to extend the stay to the original date after all.
This way you have some documentation on them sending you the message to stay and you charging them for the night. After that I would then involve Airbnb if the payout doesn't go through.

0 Reply
JD MartinBusiness Member
Moderator
Rock Star Extraordinaire · Northeast, TN · Member since 2015 · 10k+ posts · 16k+ votes
3y
You shouldn't have done anything until they were gone. It's like paying a contractor before the job is finished. As for the mice, forget the traps. That's a band aid. You need to find the points of entry. You have a house in the woods. It's getting cold. There are a lot of mice in the woods and your house is better than sleeping under wet leaves.
Podcast Guest on Show #243
Skyline Properties
View Page
1 Reply
Kyler J Sloan
OP
Investor · Maggie Valley, NC · Member since 2020 · 284 posts · 85 votes
3y
@JD Martin Yeah, I will certainly not repeat that mistake. As for the mice, exterminators said that method was futile considering that they can get through a hole the size of a dime. Also, mice do not migrate great distances. If you kill those that are making their way into your house, you have likely removed the problem for the foreseeable future. In the summer, they stayed in my shed. They build nests and particularly in the winter stay fairly close to them. This, at least, was my reasoning.
0 Reply
JD MartinBusiness Member
Moderator
Rock Star Extraordinaire · Northeast, TN · Member since 2015 · 10k+ posts · 16k+ votes
3y
Quote from @Kyler J Sloan:

@JD Martin Yeah, I will certainly not repeat that mistake. As for the mice, exterminators said that method was futile considering that they can get through a hole the size of a dime. Also, mice do not migrate great distances. If you kill those that are making their way into your house, you have likely removed the problem for the foreseeable future. In the summer, they stayed in my shed. They build nests and particularly in the winter stay fairly close to them. This, at least, was my reasoning.

Mice will move around several hundred feet between where they nest and their furthest extent looking for food. When they come into your house to make a nest they'll be constantly migrating outside to obtain food, or they'll get it from inside your house. They can squeeze through small holes for sure but there shouldn't be any small hole entrances into your home. Mice don't like to be in the open air so they will almost exclusively travel along walls, in tunnels and under leaves to get to where they need to go - so if you get all the leaves away from your house and leave the perimeters wide open it will go a long way to discouraging them - but I would definitely have the pest control look for and seal up all access holes. This can be really tough - I will have a couple get into my mechanical area in my house almost every year, despite my many years of working on sealing up gaps here - but my house is in the woods, and half buried in the ground so finding all possible entry points in my case is nearly impossible.
Podcast Guest on Show #243
Skyline Properties
View Page
1 Reply

Join the conversationCreate a free account to reply, vote on answers and follow this thread.