Airbnb host retrospectively changing booking terms

OctaviaP

We'd booked four nights in Bournemouth for spring half term next year (hope springs eternal...), but I've just had a call from the company that runs the property to say that the host is now only accepting seven-night bookings for that period and we will have to extend our booking (and pay, obvs) or cancel. Can they retrospectively change the terms and conditions of booking like this?

theoretica

Sounds like they are trying to get you to cancel to avoid any penalties if they cancel.

TBagpuss

Check the small print - see what it says, in particular regarding cancellations.

My guess is that they can cancel, and you'd probably be entitled to full refund, but that they can't force you to pay for a longer booking.  I doubt that you would be able to force them to honour the original booking, so you may need to decide  whether the extra cost is likely to be more or less than you'll pay if they cancel and you have to rebook somewhere else. 

that said, if it is a company rather than an individual, it may be worth making a formal complaint if they do cancel, and if it is AirBnB then you can, I think, leave feedback and possibly raise it with Ar BnB rather than just with the hosts direct