Most B&B policies state that approx. 10% of your total cost will be charged if you cancel a week to 3 days before the arrival.

But, do you, the readers feel that the consumers should be compensated, maybe 10% of the total, if the owners overbook and cancel your reservation?

Airlines have done this routinely for quite some time: overbook, and offer deals to the people that are bumped.

Thanks for any input on this subject.

Glad I live in a part of the world where it doesn't happen and wouldn't be tolerated.

A typical solution if a hotel (at least a chain hotel) overbooks is to "walk" you to another hotel (paying the cabfare if necessary) and not charge you for that night. With a B&B, I don't think you have much leverage.

Are you complaining about something which has happened to you, or are you worrying about something which you think might happen? Which country are you thinking of? Laws and customs vary greatly between one European country and another. I don't think B&Bs overbook, unless by mistake (in which case, most would, I'm sure, try to arrange an alternative).

I don't think compensation policies designed for large corporations would be a practical application for Mrs. O'Leary's BandB. Airlines and large hotel chains generally have overhead built into their pricing policies, overhead that includes amounts to be paid as compensation. BandBs on the other hand generally do not have any such overhead. While the former sometimes overbook as a matter of policy (airlines are notorious for this outrageous practice) my guess is that when Mrs. O'Leary overbooks, she simply goofed up. 'Tis a case then of to err is human; to forgive (and perhaps ask her for help in finding another BandB) not only divine, but practical.

However, if a BandB consistently overbooks, then the thing to do is to complain to the guidebook that referred them, if any, or to report same to a consumer travel board like this one.

It happened to me last summer, in Bath, England. The owner called me as soon as she realized (several weeks before my trip), couldn't have been nicer or more appologetic. Found me another B&B for the same price, only a block away. Since I never stayed at the original one I don't know what it was like, but the one I did stay at was wonderful. I can't imagine most B&B owners not doing this.