Fee to cancel Airbnb request?

What did AirBNB say when you reached out to them?

rtmrrtmr wrote: ↑ This is my first time using Airbnb. I requested to reserve a house in France for a month during the RWC. The host sent me a message stating that the house is not available on the dates I requested and asked me to cancel the reservation to avoid paying a fee. Would I have to pay a fee? I chose this place because it had free cancellation until August so I don't think I should have to pay anything. I guess I would like to know what will happen if I let the request expire instead of cancelling.

The host probably does not want to be seen as having cancelled the reservation. There may even be a fee for them to do so.

You can cancel for free until August so you can wait if you want to or you can contact AirBnb support although I have not usually found them to be too helpful.

Personally I would just cancel and go and find somewhere else.

I would ask them why you would hit cancel when it is them cancelling on you.

They’re gaming the system they don’t want review that say “the host cancelled this stay” which I believe appears when this happens.

My guess is they got a private offer and want to dodge airbnb fees.

While I try and be flexible. You are doing a disservice to other airbnb guests. If these guys pull this funny business it should be documented.

Probably rented the place out for a weekend for a majority of what you paid for a month.

Say ne pas!

Do not EVER give in to a request from the host to cancel. They can do it on their end, but try to pull this BS since they get penalized for doing so (i.e. losing Super Host status). Simply put, if they aren't free to rent for those dates, they shouldn't have released availability. There is zero excuse to wreck someone's vacation. Can't have it both ways.

You should contact AirBNB and ask them to review the message log, and that the host is cancelling on you. They will usually block the host from renting those dates in the future, in case they want to jack up rates, rent to someone else, etc. Further, if there are major price differences between the unit you reserved and the remaining units out there, they can sometimes issue you a credit to make up for the difference.

Thank you, that's what I was thinking but wasn't sure how to go about it.

Update: He ended up approving the stay since I didn't cancel. He messaged me saying he "had the dates wrong" and that there is a cleaning fee that wasn't advertised.

rtmrrtmr wrote: ↑ Thank you, that's what I was thinking but wasn't sure how to go about it.

Update: He ended up approving the stay since I didn't cancel. He messaged me saying he "had the dates wrong" and that there is a cleaning fee that wasn't advertised.

Well done. I imagine he pulled this garbage before and it worked. .

gr8dlr wrote: ↑ IMO Host cancellations and lies/fabrications should have penalties and repercussions.

Sure, but who's going to prove a lie or fabrication?

I have been compensated by AirBNB in the past when the host cancelled a booking.

13inches wrote: ↑ Sure, but who's going to prove a lie or fabrication?

I have been compensated by AirBNB in the past when the host cancelled a booking.

Well nobody can force a host to rent to you. What is the disgraceful part here is the host told the OP to cancel on his side, then doubled down the lied by syaing the OP would dodge a fee.

Both lies. Both dishonest. Seems the host gave in and said fine which would piss me off because it’s a monthly rental and you are already on bad start with the host. Especially if theyre actually french. The host is probably insulted. Imagine if other issues come up.

The OP should report the host for the shadiness but that will further damage the relationship.

A jerk host period.