Airbnb Answers: Guest information and flagging guest behavior

[Airbnb]

You asked: Can Airbnb share more information about guests, like their ratings, full name, etc.? Can we get the ability to flag bad guests and make this information visible to other hosts?

More guest information

We're taking a close look at what additional information we can share to help you feel confident about the quality of every guest, every time you host. Currently, before confirming a booking, you can see a potential guest’s prior reviews and profile information (including hometown, education background, hobbies, and languages spoken). But in order to protect the privacy of both hosts and guests, we don’t share last names until after a booking is confirmed. If you don’t feel comfortable accepting a reservation with this set of information, you may message guests with additional questions. We don’t share guests’ home addresses because that information is not relevant or required to make a booking.

Every guest is required to provide their full name, date of birth, phone number, email address, and payment information to Airbnb before being allowed to book a reservation. As a host, you also have the option to require guests to provide a government ID before booking your home, which is just one feature of our ongoing effort to build trust in the community.

Flagging guest behavior

In the coming months, we’ll be adding more ways for you to report guest behavior that we might need to address. Stay tuned for more, but know that host reviews of guests remain the most powerful flagging tool for the community.

More than ever before, we’re using your reviews to signal both excellent and not-so-great guest behavior. We’re developing a Superguest program that will help you identify experienced travelers with excellent ratings. And for the rare occasions things don’t go well, your reviews will help us identify poorly behaved guests, issue more specific and strict warnings, and remove those guests who do not improve their behavior.

Be assured that when guests get negative reviews from hosts, Airbnb follows up. We make sure guests receive warnings about unacceptable behavior, and in some cases they can be blocked from booking entirely. We take the safety of you and your guests very seriously, which is why we require everyone in our community to uphold our community standards. Your reviews of guests are essential to establishing trust in our community, and we’re dedicated to taking action on your behalf to help ensure high quality experiences every time you host.

In the latest Host Q&A, CEO and Head of Community Brian Chesky answered top-voted questions during a livestream event. For questions he didn’t have time to address, we’ve introduced Airbnb Answers. Want to ask more? We’ll invite hosts to ask their questions before the next quarterly Host Q&A. We’ll keep you posted in Airbnb Updates.

[Ange20]

We have found a reocurring issue with probably 80% of guests who book our property via Airbnb.

We have our own website and we also advertise on the other main key accomodation sites, but we never have issues with those. We don't live in our Airbnb rental, it is purely used for short term guests. However it is set up quite nicely with lovely furiture and feels just like someones home.  We have found 80% of Airbnb guests seem to generally leave 30 minutes to an hour after the agreed check-out time, which impacts our cleaning schedule for our next guests. They also tend to disrepect our house rules a tad, mainly by leaving dirty dishes around and not emptying rubbish.

I totally realise these are not huge things by any means but we do provide a manual at the property which covers our house rules which are displayed on a wall at the property. 

Sometimes I think people who book via Airbnb tend to be a bit less considerate sometimes. I not sure why this is. They may presume we live in the property and moving back in after they leave, so checking out late won't effect anyone (but it does) or leaving the place a bit messy doesnt really matter. 

I have put additional steps in place to manage these very small issues but thought it was worth mentioning as it has been a reoccuring issue with airbnb guests. 

[Anne837]

One thing that annoys me is when I bend over backwards for a guest and they don't even bother giving a review - which we rely on as hosts. It has happened me twice - both times with guests from the US - both times I went above and beyond. Can the system not INSIST that they give a review, or even put a black mark against them for not being a good airbnb citizen? Also the way it works at the moment means that if the guest feels like you might not give them a good review, they don't give a review either - that way your review of them is not published. So they can effectively hide and other hosts never find out.  

[Kelven0]

I have group he is background Afghanistan. My place is very clean and tidy. I don't know when he left he wrote bad reviews about my place smell not worth how much they spend and they say arabib change toomuch service tax.after that review my place booking going down 50%. I spoke to Airbnb can you remove that review because other 44 reviews say my place clean and tidy.but arabib say they can't removed because there Policy.i guess it not fair.thanks.

[Natasha55]

I agree, all rgistered users should be required to provide a photo with a clear image of their face.  I refuse guests if they have no picture ...but ‘if you update your profile I would love to host you!’ I inform Airbnb in the section provided for ‘private feedback’ too. I feel if I don’t have a “valid” reason for declining a request my visibility on the website will diminish as punishment.

 After 1 year of hosting I assume the majority of guests dont pay attention and am always delighted when the 5* guests visit. Armed with this knowledge, as soon as someone books, I send them the info that is commonly overlooked (location) & ask them to read the house rules ‘if they haven’t already’. It helps...usually.

Ultimately I feel pressured to be the obsequious & grateful host. The question remains...Are we lucky to have Airbnb or is Airbnb lucky to have us all as hosts? 

[Juliet41]

I am very clear what I expect from guests, generally they will be like me, quiet livers around my age visting family in the area etc.  The times this has not been the case have been my biggest disappointments (yes damaged property and ugly behaviour!)    It is true to say as a host we are offering hospitality, but at the same time hosts and guests should be matched and requirements met, it is not hard - if you do not match then hosts shouldn't take the bookings or the guest should not book.   I personally would like some specific assurance guests have read and understand all requirements.  People don't bother reading anymore 😞    Back to the point at hand, hosts are opening their homes and properties....and charging less than 1/2 the going hotel rates......and I don't believe our prices reflect the property wear and tear alone.   So due diligence and descretion from all parties is required.  

[Emily6]

It would be great if guest reviews could include a "private feedback for other hosts" so you can read other hosts feedback before they have made a booking (or after the fact in Instant Book) so you know what to expect.

As mentioned above, sometimes guest behaviour is not so bad as to warrant a public negative review (as let's be honest, this would kill their career as an Airbnb guest in its tracks), but worthy of giving their next hosts a heads up. ie Will use all towels in the house if given the opportunity (suggest to remove all additional towels and bedding for this guest), OR not a very practical guest, does not read instructions and has trouble opening lock boxes OR unfriendly in their communications and didn't check out on time OR complained about request to put out the wheelie bins on collection day etc etc. 

[Juliet41]

Thank you for sharing Sue-Virginia...That is beyond frightening.....How would another host be protected from such a person in the future?  There needs to be some sort of system that you can check on the website (that the guest can't access) so the truth can be easily attained and informed decisions can be made.    

[Lisa1084]

What worries me is that I've had a few people do outreach about staying and they have no reviews, no profile. I think Airbnb should make new users on the platform fill out their profile, not just be verified that they have a FB account or the like. I've felt that in two cases that the people had nefarious intent and that made me really uncomfortable dealing with them.  I'd like to have Airbnb raise the level of info that new people have to fill out prior to contacting a host.

[Patrice6]

I love this idea I could use some help. Unfortunately I’m not on site at my property and while I have requested information about my guest at their cleaning, I never get that information in time to leave a review. Any suggestions

[Flor-and-Scott0]

I would love if AirBNB had an age section that renters would need to fill out. I have had issues with young 20-30 year olds leaving my home like it was a frat house. I refuse to rent to that age group now. 

[Ivy38]

Yep, i had the same issues, my last lot of guests have put me off. I had speified it was a 10am checkout, unless previously arranged, i had driven 90 mins to get to my bach as my cleaner was unavailable so i went to clean it only to find the guests still in, and didnt leave until 12.30, then i went in, the house smelt, and they told me that " i needed to leave it cleaner"!? i was like what? there was beer bottles in the games room, the rubbish bin lid looked like it hasdnt ever been cleaned and they were only there for 2 nights,  these dirty people gave me a 3, the cheeck! there was dry noodles on the floor in the bedroom, the hand book folder disappeared and the papers were out of it and looked like they had been used as plates for food. i didnt end up posting any feedback on them in the end, as the owner we get worse back lash. I have always treated places that i rent as if it were my own, so to have people who dont care and then give you a **bleep** is a real deal breaker.

[Aly13]

Pls lower the weight of a guests rating whether good or bad if that guest is staying in a house that say has 5 different rooms listed as 5 different listings.

A host cannot control how this 1 guest interacts with the rest of the 4 guests especially if all 5 are instant books. It's a random event.

Such a rating should have 0.2 * rating of a guest staying in a house that is listed as 1 listing.

[Jesse-and-Erin0]

We have had people complain how it’s to warm in the suite then leave all the doors open all day and night. But they want the AC cranked. Then will complain when they **bleep** the doors that it’s to cold down there. Thu run the electricity bill through the roof. 

Also so if we leave toiletries and complimentary items like tea bags out for them we find the whole cub board raided of everything and have to replace it all (theses guest stayed for 3 nights) 3 weeks worth of stuff there. 

Hostin is fun but there are so many **bleep**ty things that come with it.  We aren’t baby sitters for them or a concierge desk. People who stay over 5 nights with 4 other guests should learn to buy supplies and not grovel over how they paid and expect things everyday 

[Dylan37]

AirBnB does nothing when guests damage your home.  Their host guarantee is worthless

[ChuckandCarole0]

i really think if a guest breaks our "house rules" they should not get to leave a review.....they know they are breaking the rules, so they leave a bad review, even though everything is steller, because they know they are going to get a bad review.  

 there have got to be consequences for breaking  the house rules. after all,  they have to agree to, as well as check a box,  before they can complete the booking process....but at this point, there are no real solutions to those snarly reviews that i get ever so rarely, and always from a guest that broke the rules....or give the host the option to remove a review from one of those guests.