Guests that were to check in today want to cancel and get full refund because of religious reason

[Brynja0]

Hello everyone

I was expecting guests today and they could check in at 14:00 or later. However the main road is closed because of weather and will be until 17:00 or 18:00 the latest. The guests want to cancel the booking (two nights) because of religious reason. Say they are jews and the sabbat starts at 18:00 and then they are not allowed to drive and not tomorrow either. Is this really true and if so should I bear the total cost of this? 

Brynja

[Cynthia-and-Chris1 · Accepted solution]

Nope.  They entered into a contract with you, which included your cancellation policy.  Religious reasons aren't covered under the Extenuating Circumstances policy.  Instruct the guest to cancel with Airbnb.  DO NOT cancel on their behalf.

[Andrea9]

@Brynja0 

And if you get an email from Airbnb asking if you agree to the cancellation DON'T click to agree!

click on No, that you are willing to let them stay!

Nasty dirty little trick to bounce the guest cancellation back onto the host with all the penalties!

[Brynja0]

But if you don´t agree to the cancellation and they booking stays in the system, then the guests can give you really bad review and hurt your business. Isn´t that true?

[David126]

They are religious and that would be immoral.

[Cynthia-and-Chris1]

@Brynja0  Absolutely not.  Reviews are not allowed if the guest did not stay.  If they write a review, you can Contact Airbnb and have them remove the review since the guest did not actually stay.

[Brynja0]

The roads are open now. When I told them that I would not refund their stay, mabe give some discound, they decided that they are coming.

[Branka-and-Silvia0]

@Brynja0  hehe :)))) 

[Alice-and-Jeff0]

Why would you discount their stay?  You didn't do anything wrong.  If the road was impassable and they could not get to your home, the need to get ahold of Airbnb to discuss other options.  Do not be held hostage to the idea of bad reviews.  

[Brynja0]

Yes, the road was closed but only for 3 hours.

[Helen3]

Hi @Brynja0

I am not sure where you got that information. If a guest doesn't stay with you. They can't give you a review.

[Betty-B--M-0]

@Brynja0 everything everyone said and two additions: (a) cancel your discount. Are they offering to pay you extra for all the inconvenience and extra time you've spent trying to maintain their booking and accommodate them? If yes, it's the least they could do. If no, why are you now paying them to come?  (b) Please leave a very honest, fair, non-judgemental review concerning these guests' communication skills and interactions with you, their host, on a good faith basis.

Thank you. 

[Brynja0]

I´m not giving them discount since they are coming, I only considered giving them discount if they were because of religion reasons not able to come. But when I told them that they would not be fully refunded they decided to come.

[Betty-B--M-0]

Ok. I really don't mean to be snarky here and at risk of this being taken the wrong way, I just have to ask: do their religous convictions not apply when they realise that there is no full refund? They are suddenly able to come afterall? Or am I the one who has missed the point? Anyway, I'm glad no discount was necessary on your part and I hope it all goes well for both you and them. 

Happy hosting, happy travels.

[Cormac0]

@Brynja0

What amuses me about the scenario you laid out is your guests wanted you to pick up the tab because of their religious convictions. Surly they should suck it up as you took the booking in good faith (no pun intended), any ideas as to what a “Real Hotel” would do under those circumstances?