AIRBNB changing cancellation policy rules against hosts

[Silvia71]

Hello everyone,
I am writing from a village near Florence, ITALY
Yesterday morning we received an email from AIRBNB that from 18 october got to change the terms of the cancellation policy.
The email was very friendly and nice, but going to the page of the New Terms we realized that there are some new features to the detriment of us HOST, and that encourage cancellations by the GUEST (which were already well protected before !!!)
The problem is that in addition to raising the cost percentages only for us host, (up to 5%) have made REFUNDABLE ALL CANCELLATIONS by the Guest, including those within the strict terms.
Exemple: a guest booking for 3 days, arrives in your room, to spend the night and after make a cancellation and leave then is reimbursed always, even to the RIGID terms. And us? This in our view is not right!

Please lights out if it's something only Italian, or is happening to you, and if you what you think.

We are very angry.
Silvia from Host ITALIA group

[Andrea31]

....and AIRBNB take 5% of my money ALWAYS

[Dan98]

I don't pay much attention to the changes in rules but now I think I should be reading them more carefully. Air BnB did allow a guest of mine to cancel and gave them a full refund even though it was against my terms. I think this is totally unfair. Why do they allow us to have terms if they can override them? 

I totally agree with you on this - it is not an Italian thing, I am in London. Dan

[Zandra0]

At this particular moment, the issue of increased fees only applies to certain markets, so it kinda is only an Italian thing 😞

I really hope airbnb rethink...

[Andrea9]

@Silvia71

There was some mention of this change in the Community yesterday, and the big question was whether this is by country or going to be rolled out internationally eventually.

I got an answer from a host in the UK, and I don't know how she got this information - she said this change is for Italy, and the UK will not get it. How this is decided, I don't know. Perhaps there were more cancellations country-wide in Italy than in other countries, so that Airbnb felt compelled to do something; my guess is as good as yours. 

And you are right, it's costing more for less security, and in my opinion that's a bad deal.

[Zandra0]

It was confirmed by AirbnbUK via twitter yesterday (I think via DM).  I saw the screenshots saying only certain markets were affected.

The host did post it on here yesterday but I can't remember where  .

[Susan75]

I am already unhappy with the current rules.  My guest booked Christmas in the summer...I didn't realize that he even could.  My bad.  His rate for my ski house was half what winter rates are...which he probably was very aware of.  So I wanted to cancel 186 days before the reserviation.  They said ok but i would lose superhost and I would be blocked for the 9 days he had booked.  I was so pissed off I didn't care and cancelled.  Well, they didnt take away Superhost (yet) and they did block me.  Which is stupid because they lose money, too.  

Why can a guest cancel without penalty (well in advance) but a host cannot?  Double standard.  

My other question is:  can I book it under VRBO instead for that 9 days?  Or does that violate some other AirBNB rule?

Susan

[Andrea31]

I want explain what it means "Airbnb takes 5% ALWAYS"

Airbnb takes 5% when the transaction go well TOO

I Ask that on Airbnb's facebook official group

https://www.facebook.com/AirbnbItalia/posts/789563551147017?notif_t=like&notif_id=1474016761671903