Airbnb alteration policy considerations

Learn more about Airbnb alteration policy and how to use it properly.

Sometimes, plans change. Work trips get moved around, vacations get shortened, or travel groups increase in size at the very last minute. It’s inevitable that at least once in awhile, people’s Airbnb reservations will need to be altered. It happens all of the time, but it may be tricky for a busy multiple account manager to handle if their reservation calendar is booked. So what’s Airbnb alteration policy and how does it work? Keep reading to learn more about this policy and how it affects you.

First things first, can guests alter their Airbnb reservations?

When guests confirm a reservation or want to change it,  they can submit a change request with the host. After the host accepts the changes Airbnb will alter the reservation. If there are rate changes, additional payments or refunds are worked out, and the new reservation is confirmed.  If a host did not yet accept the request, a guest can simply cancel the current request and submit a new one with the updated information.

Can a host alter a guest’s reservation?

Yes. The same process applies as if a guest was asking for a change from the host. The host simply submits a change request form, and if the guest accepts it, Airbnb will change the reservation. If a guest rejects it or doesn’t respond, the reservation will stay the same. As it’s difficult for a guest to change their travel plans, it’s obviously not a good idea to alter guest reservations if you can avoid it.

Can we just agree to an alteration without going through this formal process?

Technically yes, but it’s not a good idea. If you take Airbnb alterations through text or other communication methods, they can easily be confused, forgot about, or misinterpreted. This can lead to double bookings, missed reservations, and angry guests which is never good for business. Using Airbnb alteration policy is a best practice to help keep your guests happy and your business running smoothly.

Pro tip: As a host, reservation changes can be confusing and tricky, but they don’t have to be! Make sure that they’re never a problem with Hosty! Hosty is the vacation rental management software that can make sure you never miss Airbnb alternations or changes. Our easy to use dashboard helps you keep track of all of your reservations, and our Multi-calendar makes sure that you never overbook a property again! Ready to start your free trial? Click here!

Now that you know more about Airbnb alteration policy how about reading up on some other topics that can help you become an Airbnb master? Click below to learn about recent changes to Airbnb in Vancouver and Paris and how they may affect your vacation rental management business.