Cancellation: host-initiated, emergency.
Host has to cancel due to emergency (plumbing failure, family situation).
Last verified
Example input
Burst pipe day before guest arrival
Example output
{{guestFirstName}} — I'm sincerely sorry: a pipe burst at the property overnight and there's water damage in the kitchen and downstairs bath. I cannot in good conscience host you tomorrow as planned, and I'm cancelling the reservation now to free your refund and free your dates to book elsewhere. The platform will process a full refund within {{refundDays}} days. If you can't find another property in the area, I have a friend with a similar place at {{neighborProperty}} — I called and they have your dates open if you want to reach out: {{neighborContact}}. Again, deeply sorry to do this last-minute.
Mustache placeholders ({{guestFirstName}}, {{propertyName}}) mark the values you'll swap in for the actual stay.
How to write the host-cancellation message
Host-initiated cancellations are the single most damaging guest interaction you can have, full stop. The platform punishes you for them (reduced search visibility, lower star averages, sometimes lost Superhost status), and the guest is angry, stuck, and often paying for non-refundable plane tickets.
The template above is built around four moves, in order:
- Lead with the apology. Not the explanation. The first words should acknowledge the guest’s situation, not yours.
- State what you’re doing right now. Cancelling on the platform — past tense, already done — frees the guest’s refund and frees their dates to book elsewhere immediately. Don’t make them wait for “I’ll see what I can do.”
- Offer a concrete alternative. A neighbor’s property, a partner host nearby, or a credit toward a future stay. Empty apologies cost you nothing; alternatives cost effort.
- Stop talking. Don’t explain the plumbing or the family situation in detail. The guest doesn’t owe you sympathy and you don’t owe them transparency about your private life.
What NOT to say
- “I’m so sorry but…” — the but signals an excuse coming. Just apologize.
- “These things happen.” — they happen to the host, not the guest. Don’t shift the frame.
- “I hope you understand.” — you’re asking the guest for emotional labor in the same message you’re delivering bad news.
- “Hopefully we can host you another time.” — vague and forward-looking when the guest is still processing the cancellation. Save it for a follow-up after the dust settles.
When to use the template
Genuine emergencies only — pipe burst, fire damage, family medical situation, the property is genuinely unsafe. NOT for: double-booking errors (apologize separately and absorb the cost), guests you regret accepting, neighbor complaints during a prior stay, or “I just realized I need the property myself.” The platform rates host-cancellations on intent, and willful cancellations cost you Superhost status for a year.
If you’re cancelling because of damage from a prior stay, file the platform’s resolution claim FIRST and let it process before the next reservation arrives — don’t cancel the next guest to cover for the previous guest.