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Guest Verification- how would host initiated cancellation work with the OTAS?

  • October 29, 2025
  • 1 reply
  • 26 views

LittleNorwayPA
New Participant
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Hello,

I am relatively new to Hospitable and am excited to see that there is a guest verification feature.  It seems like a great option for cases where Airbnb or VRBO guests come through unverified, or for Booking.com guests.  However, I am wondering how it actually works in practice.  Let’s say the verification identifies a risky guest and I want to cancel.  Wouldn’t I be penalized for initiating the cancellation?  I know there are ¨waivers¨ for host initiated cancellation, but in my experince the OTAs really really don’t want you to cancel as a host.  Has anyone had success not being penalized for a cancellation that resulted from a guest verification that came back risky?

 

Thanks for your help, lots to learn.

1 reply

Mahmodul
Known Participant
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  • Known Participant
  • 147 replies
  • October 29, 2025

I haven’t been penalized myself, though I also don’t have the verification feature turned on yet 💡. My advice would be; if you’re unsure about a guest, consider holding a damage deposit (Hospitable supports this) as an added layer of protection instead of canceling the booking. It’s usually a smoother approach and helps avoid any OTA penalties.