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What happens if I don’t respond to a booking request in time?

Why responding on time matters for your ranking and conversion

Written by Product Team
Updated today

When a guest submits a booking request, timely responses are essential to secure the booking and maintain strong performance on Plum Guide.


Booking requests expire automatically

Booking requests must be accepted or declined within 48 hours.

If you don’t respond within this timeframe:

  • The request will expire automatically

  • The guest will be notified that the request was not accepted

  • The dates will be reopened on your calendar


Impact on your listing performance

Not responding to requests can affect your visibility and performance:

  • Lower search ranking – unresponsive hosts may appear lower in search results

  • Reduced conversion – guests are less likely to book homes with slow response times

  • Account monitoring – repeated missed requests may lead to your account being reviewed


Impact on the guest experience

Guests expect quick replies when planning their stay.

Missing a request can:

  • Create a poor guest experience

  • Reduce trust in your listing

  • Lead guests to book similar homes that respond faster


How to avoid missed requests

  • Respond within 24 hours (we strongly recommend this, even though requests expire after 48 hours)

  • Enable SMS notifications for instant alerts

  • Keep your calendar and pricing up to date to avoid unnecessary declines

Pro tips

  • Please sync your Plum Guide calendars with any other platforms you operate using iCal links to automatically maintain utmost calendar accuracy. Find out more on how to import and how to export iCal links to synch your calendars.

  • Consider switching to Instant Book if you’re frequently unavailable to respond, helping avoid missed opportunities and increase your booking rate. Instant Book can help achieve up to 21% higher conversion and comes with the added security layer of guest ID verification.


Need help?

If you have any question, we’re here to help. Please reach out at info@plumguide.com

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