Does the guest have to read the description before booking?

[Helen23]

This is a problem I seem to have frequently, guest books, I accept, then later get a message from guest saying they would like to cancel because there is no heating. Normally I would just go ahead and cancel, I am perfectly aware that not having heating is an inconvenience, that is why I rent the studio out incredibly cheap during the winter months, what do people expect to get for 15€ a night?

Monday afternoon a guest booked for Wednesday and asked if it was ok to arrive in the morning, 7 nights, great! The studio has been unoccupied for almost a month so as soon as I got the reservation I go out, open the doors, hang blankets, carpets, etc out to air, I spent Tuesday morning cleaning, put clean linen on beds, when I had just about finished and was making sure everything was ready got a message from another airbnb user "my friend booked you cabin for us. it looks really nice. but i think it is better for summer. he booked to soon. can we please cancel this."... Really?

My question  is when guests book do they have to click anywhere saying that they have read the description?

Would you give them a refund just because they didn't like what they booked? I am a bit divided, I do not what unhappy guests, but I also need the money and do not enjoy doing all that work cleaning for free.

[Dave-and-Deb0]

Hi @Helen23,

Yes this is a common complaint among hosts on Airbnb.  Many people do not read the entire listing and often not even the house rules.  The only time that I know of during the booking process where the guest is prompted to agree the read anything is when a person books using Instant Book.  In this case, I understand the guest has to verify that they have read and agree to abide by the house rules.

In terms of refunding, no I would not refund in this case.  The guest entered into a contract and had full oppotunity before he entered that contract, he had a chance to fully understand your listing and what it entailed.  Also, if there is any refunding happening, it is Airbnb who handles refunding the guest dependant on your cancellation policy you have set.

Happy hosting !

Dave

[Helen23]

Hi Dave,

Thanks for the advice, the guetst have now "oficialy" canceled, so I can leave it up to airbnb to solve.

It is just so frustrating how people are always doing this.

Regards

Helen

[Dave-and-Deb0]

Hi @Helen23,

If the guests are always cancelling because of the heating issue, I would move that up in your description as people could miss that.  If it is one of the first items, it will stand out to me right away.

I am glad the guest cancelled and if they try to get you to refund anything, tell them refunds are handled by Airbnb. 

Dave

[Helen23]

Now they have sent me a request through resolution center for 112€ (the full amount of their stay) with the message:

"Dear Helen, It was the first time for me to use a creditcard and Airbnb yesterday. I did not realize the reservation resulted in a booking so soon. That was the first mistake. Also it turned out that my travelpartner did not agree with there being no heating in the house. Clearly these two things resulted in the cancellation. I hope you can understand we ask for a restitution. Excuse me for the inconvenience, I am a bit of a noob, and illiterate in the world of credit cards and internet ;( Friendly regards"

I realy do not know what to do in this situation, am I beeing to strict if I do not give a refund?

[Raymond-and-Elaine0]

You tell them that all cancellations fee are in accordance with airbnb's strict cancellation policy and that airbnb will deal with it.  Then you stop corresponding and leave it with the resolution centre who should support you in this, it is after all their policy.You have no obligation to refund them other than in the policy you chose. Airbnb will deal with it. If however airbnb wish to reimbourse them anything that it up to them. You should not bend to pressure from anyone.   Please keep us posted to the outcome.

[Helen23]

Thanks for you support, I will leave it up to airbnb.

[Eloise0]

While I am not a seasoned airbnb host I have discovered that by only communicating through the airbnb platform is the surest, safest way to resolve all problems and it is also a great deterent to people even trying to change things around, bend the rules, try to guilt trip a host for all kinds of situations.  A host should never have to accomodate someone elses "inability to drive a unfamilar car, so can I have my money back because I went to the wrong place!"  What ever the excuse is I have found that if I consistantly write in my responses that I only communicate through the airbnb email platform, then airbnb has your back.  I have been very satisfied with how they resolved a prospective guest who did not follow the guidelines.  The advice given of not to communicate any further with a prospective guest and giving them the airbnb 800 # is a great way to get it solved painlessly.  I also just read a post by a woman host who writes in her house rules that if they do request a stay they must include a specific word from her house rules, and if they don't she does not accept their reservation!  It's like an insurance policy that they have actually read the house rules and the description.  I thought it was a great idea and plan to do something similar.  The advice of writing clear, consise rules and stressing clear communication is great advice, but it is also up to the host to be consistent about what you expect and not cave in just because you are afraid of bad reviews.  airbnb is a great concept and philosophy, unfortunately there will always be people who want to get away.

without being responsible for their actions. I personaly do not want people of that caliber in my home, it's not Motel 3 1/2!

I always learn something by reading these posts, so thank you to those hosts who take the time to share their experiences and knowledge with novices such as myself.

[Amy38]

@Helen23  Try mentioning the heat a couple or 3 times in your description...perhaps in capital letters.  People dont read thoroughly.

I have to collect local taxes and have had no problems since I have repeated the issue.

even when people havnt read it, I point out that it is in the description twice and they are properly mollified.

if this happens a lot, you might put unheated in your title....Rustic, charming unheated cabin in the woods.

[Ryan91]

dave just killed it with that reply. **bleep** 🙂 i agree. do not refund 

[Raymond-and-Elaine0 · Accepted solution]

There is no button to press to say a guest has read our listing and even if there was they could still press it without reading. Don't get involved in a cancellation. You have done nothing wrong. Send them to airbnb who should apply the policy you have chosen.In this case Strict.You are not responsible for guests not reading. You are responsible for providing everything you say you will on the listing, no less and perhaps maybe more.  You are already very reasonably priced and your home is lovely. It seems too low to be profitable but I imagine you have looked at other listings in your area and the price is comparable. You also ask guests to read and look at all of your photos. The only thing I can suggest is to shorten your listing to make the reading easier. Short simple sentances are much easier than long essays.The listing is very, very long,you also repeat things (eg smoking)and some  phrase are in the wrong place( ie baby cot, tea and cofee and special needs in house rules) Guest access is all wrong( guests have access to the whole studi and the garden, no need to go into any details); Don't give these guests a second thought, you have already wasted too much time on them. I noticed you have no cleaning fee for an entire home and no security deposit so that  breakages or damage can be paid for . Spend a bit of time tweeking the length and I'm sure you will have some very happy guests.Good luck Helen

[Helen23]

Hi Raymond & Elaine

Thanks for the advice, I will certainly have another read of my description and change some of the details you sugested. I started of with a short description, but over the years I have had to add on so many details that it has become a mess!

The guests have now oficialy canceled their reservation so I will leave it up to airbnb.

[Michelle354]

That happends often to me too. I can't be anymore blunt in my description, in my house manual, rules. First line is to read the ENTIRE DESCRIPTION. I even title my rental with the explanation. They have to agree to the house manual before booking. Once in awhile, I still have people who walk in confused. It's kind of exhausting. Airbnb policy is that guests must read the entire description before booking. If your ad describes what they are getting clearly, they cannot even get airbnb service fees back. Airbnb states on their policy agreement that they have unique rentals and so it is the guests responsibility to read the full description. I have been a host for 8 years and all of a sudden today a rep decided I am in the wrong category, ignoring 8 years of decisions on my account. For the past 6 years they stopped contacting me about it even. No questions, no refund to the guest. Today all of that changed. I put in a resolution request for damages and unpaid snack bar items from a guest that I accepted a last minute reservation with. He cost me more than I made. Once I sent the resolution, he complained to airbnb that he didn't get an entire home. That rep decided that based on airbnb policy today, I am in violation and will not be paid for the damage or items taken. She decided that I have to take my rental out of entire home and be put in private room and said if I keep it there, and there is further complaints, guests will receive full refunds. The rental is connected to my house. It's in a wing of my home with private entrance. They have their own bedroom, living room, kitchenette with built in bar and sink, dining area, and bathroom. The only thing that is different is that their bathroom is in the hall that sectors my space and theirs. It's outside their living room door. I have around 350 reviews that is rated almost 5 stars in accurracy. I've had thousands of guests. They believe the listing is accurate but this girl doesn't think so. So I deserve damages and stolen items apparently. It is insane. It really depends on the rep to say whether they will uphold the policy or not.

[Amy38]

@Michelle354  Dont sweat it ,Michelle.  Just wait a while, then go fluff your description and put your place in the category you choose.  Abnb is to big to be paying any attention.

[Mark-And-Anne0]

Yes. I have the same problem with guests not reading the description. They don't cancel but they do mark me down . This prevents me from getting to super host status.

I clear state in my description that you cannot see the water from the unit and it is close to the railway line and the is some noise. 

I am effectively penalised because the guest doesn't read the description. At least I haven't lost bookings over it.