New Problem.... Cancellation?!?!

Advertise with us
Shop deals on ebay
shop deals on amazon
Bed & Breakfast / Short Term Rental Host Forum

Help Support Bed & Breakfast / Short Term Rental Host Forum:

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.
Generic

Generic

Well-known member
Joined
Feb 24, 2011
Messages
7,728
Reaction score
281
So, this morning the door rings while I'm making breakfast, guest supposed to arrive tonight at the door telling me that he cancelled. I told him that normally on the day of arrival a cancellation is a forfeit of all nights. He said he was invited to stay with friends and he'll be back.
After breakfast I check and the cancellation went through... and so I processed the charge.
About 20 minutes later... the room rebooked, both nights.
So, I've done it as per policy, but what the heck do I do if he comes back thinking that he paid for the two nights he cancelled and wants the room? 20 years in this business and this is the first time it's happened!
 
Give him back his money minus the booking fee. That way, he hasn't paid for anything.
(Most places will refund if they are able to rent the room. I take it your policy is more cut and dried than that?)
 
TheBeachHouse said:
Give him back his money minus the booking fee. That way, he hasn't paid for anything.
(Most places will refund if they are able to rent the room. I take it your policy is more cut and dried than that?).
Click to expand...
I totally agree. If rebooked, refund. No need to double dip. Keep Service charge fee.
 
We also refund, less a cancellation fee, if all nights are rebooked. If he shows up later tell him you took his word on canceling and opened the rooms up for someone else. Money refunded less fee.
We had something like that early on but it was a walk in. She never rang the bell, just sat down in the living room, ate cookies and tea and waited for someone find her.
She demanded a lot from us, went out to dinner leaving every light on, tv going, etc, then came back and said she changed her mind she was going to stay with friends.
She was totally upsetting the vibe and we didn't have a policy yet for this so we gave her a refund and figured it was worth it to have her gone. Cleaned bathroom 'she never used' (ha!) and went about our lives.
 
Morticia said:
We also refund, less a cancellation fee, if all nights are rebooked. If he shows up later tell him you took his word on canceling and opened the rooms up for someone else. Money refunded less fee.
We had something like that early on but it was a walk in. She never rang the bell, just sat down in the living room, ate cookies and tea and waited for someone find her.
She demanded a lot from us, went out to dinner leaving every light on, tv going, etc, then came back and said she changed her mind she was going to stay with friends.
She was totally upsetting the vibe and we didn't have a policy yet for this so we gave her a refund and figured it was worth it to have her gone. Cleaned bathroom 'she never used' (ha!) and went about our lives..
Click to expand...
Yikes.
 
Morticia said:
We also refund, less a cancellation fee, if all nights are rebooked. If he shows up later tell him you took his word on canceling and opened the rooms up for someone else. Money refunded less fee.
We had something like that early on but it was a walk in. She never rang the bell, just sat down in the living room, ate cookies and tea and waited for someone find her.
She demanded a lot from us, went out to dinner leaving every light on, tv going, etc, then came back and said she changed her mind she was going to stay with friends.
She was totally upsetting the vibe and we didn't have a policy yet for this so we gave her a refund and figured it was worth it to have her gone. Cleaned bathroom 'she never used' (ha!) and went about our lives..
Click to expand...
Morticia said:
We had something like that early on but it was a walk in. She never rang the bell, just sat down in the living room, ate cookies and tea and waited for someone find her.
She demanded a lot from us, went out to dinner leaving every light on, tv going, etc, then came back and said she changed her mind she was going to stay with friends.
Click to expand...
Sounds like she was just decided to use your place to wait until she met up with her friends. When she was caught, she booked and her friends told her how to get out of her room. Probably did it at hotel lobbies, etc and didn't know that it wouldn't do at a B&B.
 
Morticia said:
We also refund, less a cancellation fee, if all nights are rebooked. If he shows up later tell him you took his word on canceling and opened the rooms up for someone else. Money refunded less fee.
We had something like that early on but it was a walk in. She never rang the bell, just sat down in the living room, ate cookies and tea and waited for someone find her.
She demanded a lot from us, went out to dinner leaving every light on, tv going, etc, then came back and said she changed her mind she was going to stay with friends.
She was totally upsetting the vibe and we didn't have a policy yet for this so we gave her a refund and figured it was worth it to have her gone. Cleaned bathroom 'she never used' (ha!) and went about our lives..
Click to expand...
That is why we have a statement that says all cancellations are final once we send out the e-mail cancellation confirmation. I tell people up front that they can not change their mind once they cancel. Otherwise, you take the chance of a double booking. We also refund if we can fill the entire vacancy (minus $25 service fee), but on short notice it is not likely that we will fill the entire vacancy. We take a 2-night deposit or 50% for more than 4 nights so we stand to lose some $ if the cancellation is for more than a 2-night stay.
 
Do what you want…. Our policy is if it rebooks they get it back minus the fee.
 
Duff2014 said:
Morticia said:
We also refund, less a cancellation fee, if all nights are rebooked. If he shows up later tell him you took his word on canceling and opened the rooms up for someone else. Money refunded less fee.
We had something like that early on but it was a walk in. She never rang the bell, just sat down in the living room, ate cookies and tea and waited for someone find her.
She demanded a lot from us, went out to dinner leaving every light on, tv going, etc, then came back and said she changed her mind she was going to stay with friends.
She was totally upsetting the vibe and we didn't have a policy yet for this so we gave her a refund and figured it was worth it to have her gone. Cleaned bathroom 'she never used' (ha!) and went about our lives..
Click to expand...
Morticia said:
We had something like that early on but it was a walk in. She never rang the bell, just sat down in the living room, ate cookies and tea and waited for someone find her.
She demanded a lot from us, went out to dinner leaving every light on, tv going, etc, then came back and said she changed her mind she was going to stay with friends.
Click to expand...
Sounds like she was just decided to use your place to wait until she met up with her friends. When she was caught, she booked and her friends told her how to get out of her room. Probably did it at hotel lobbies, etc and didn't know that it wouldn't do at a B&B.
.
Click to expand...
I thought the same but then decided it was too devious. But, now, I think you are right.
Wouldn't it be just as easy to find a nice coffee shop?
 
TheBeachHouse said:
Duff2014 said:
Morticia said:
We also refund, less a cancellation fee, if all nights are rebooked. If he shows up later tell him you took his word on canceling and opened the rooms up for someone else. Money refunded less fee.
We had something like that early on but it was a walk in. She never rang the bell, just sat down in the living room, ate cookies and tea and waited for someone find her.
She demanded a lot from us, went out to dinner leaving every light on, tv going, etc, then came back and said she changed her mind she was going to stay with friends.
She was totally upsetting the vibe and we didn't have a policy yet for this so we gave her a refund and figured it was worth it to have her gone. Cleaned bathroom 'she never used' (ha!) and went about our lives..
Click to expand...
Morticia said:
We had something like that early on but it was a walk in. She never rang the bell, just sat down in the living room, ate cookies and tea and waited for someone find her.
She demanded a lot from us, went out to dinner leaving every light on, tv going, etc, then came back and said she changed her mind she was going to stay with friends.
Click to expand...
Sounds like she was just decided to use your place to wait until she met up with her friends. When she was caught, she booked and her friends told her how to get out of her room. Probably did it at hotel lobbies, etc and didn't know that it wouldn't do at a B&B.
.
Click to expand...
I thought the same but then decided it was too devious. But, now, I think you are right.
Wouldn't it be just as easy to find a nice coffee shop?
.
Click to expand...
Yeah, but you would have had to buy the tea and cookies…
wink_smile.gif
Besides Mort's Manor is such a nice and inviting place!
 
Duff2014 said:
TheBeachHouse said:
Duff2014 said:
Morticia said:
We also refund, less a cancellation fee, if all nights are rebooked. If he shows up later tell him you took his word on canceling and opened the rooms up for someone else. Money refunded less fee.
We had something like that early on but it was a walk in. She never rang the bell, just sat down in the living room, ate cookies and tea and waited for someone find her.
She demanded a lot from us, went out to dinner leaving every light on, tv going, etc, then came back and said she changed her mind she was going to stay with friends.
She was totally upsetting the vibe and we didn't have a policy yet for this so we gave her a refund and figured it was worth it to have her gone. Cleaned bathroom 'she never used' (ha!) and went about our lives..
Click to expand...
Morticia said:
We had something like that early on but it was a walk in. She never rang the bell, just sat down in the living room, ate cookies and tea and waited for someone find her.
She demanded a lot from us, went out to dinner leaving every light on, tv going, etc, then came back and said she changed her mind she was going to stay with friends.
Click to expand...
Sounds like she was just decided to use your place to wait until she met up with her friends. When she was caught, she booked and her friends told her how to get out of her room. Probably did it at hotel lobbies, etc and didn't know that it wouldn't do at a B&B.
.
Click to expand...
I thought the same but then decided it was too devious. But, now, I think you are right.
Wouldn't it be just as easy to find a nice coffee shop?
.
Click to expand...
Yeah, but you would have had to buy the tea and cookies…
wink_smile.gif
Besides Mort's Manor is such a nice and inviting place!
.
Click to expand...
And I just reread that she never rang the bell. So she was hoping no one would notice. Too funny.
Or creepy.
 
He never did return. The guests who booked his room... happy as can be that they got that room.
 
Generic said:
He never did return. The guests who booked his room... happy as can be that they got that room..
Click to expand...
I hope he is enjoying the couch in his friend's living room…..and glad that your guests are so happy. May they be full of humor as well!
 
Momma Smurf said:
TheBeachHouse said:
Give him back his money minus the booking fee. That way, he hasn't paid for anything.
(Most places will refund if they are able to rent the room. I take it your policy is more cut and dried than that?).
Click to expand...
I totally agree. If rebooked, refund. No need to double dip. Keep Service charge fee.
.
Click to expand...
Yes. It is the moral high road: charge for what you are short - in this case, not the rental, just the admin effort.
 

Latest posts

Back
Top