Airbnb Answers: Guest information and flagging guest behavior

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Airbnb Answers: Guest information and flagging guest behavior

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.

 

436 Replies 436

I feel a little bit like we at the mercy of guests. They know that we need good reviews so sometimes they will complain about nothing in order to get maybe a price refund. I have had to do this a couple of times for unreasonable guest requests because I would rather refund them say a 100.00 then get a bad review that I have no defense again (other than to comment) which would ruin my good rating. Once I had a couple show up on the wrong day and at 3 a.m.! and then give me a bad review because the check in process wasn't smooth. What???? I even got woken up at 3 a.m. and was very gracious to them and let them in (luckily no one else was booked at the time) and still got that complaint. I had one guest complain to AirBnb that I never responded to their texts but they were using the wrong phone number even though I had texted them the correct number three times! I must say though that most guests are very nice and that you can never over communicate. Send out info, print info (i have a guest manual on the coffee table and another list on the fridge). It helps a lot if you can meet the guests in person when they arrive. My rental is in my basement so I am on the premises so actually have had a very positive experience over all. But very frustrating that it only takes one or two bad apples and there goes your rating again. 

Cathy270
Level 2
Northern Territory, Australia

I agree that the rating system needs to reviewed.  I have always received 5 star ratings up until recently.  I am a remote host (living in Darwin) but our home is in south west WA so I am very reliant on my cleaner to let me know if there are any problems.  She discovered that a guest had been dishonest (she paid for 8 people) and 11 people had been staying at the house, even though we only have beds for 8!  I called the guest to confront her about it but she denied there was 11 and said that there were 9 and then had the gall to ask 'what was my problem'?  The end result was she gave me a low rating.  A second guest gave me a low rating for enforching the 10am checkout - when he orginally booked six months prior I told him then I would not be able to offer a late checkout because we had another family checking in that day.  And yet, he still gave me a lower rating.

 

On the issue of not wanting to give the guest a bad review for fear of repercussions - I did give the dishonest guest a poor rating because I felt that it was right thing to do for other Airbnb hosts to be aware.  If we don't accurately rate our guests, then we are all none the wiser. 

Susie20
Level 2
Los Angeles, CA

Superhost holds no value when they size with guests thru mediation! I rarely file damage claims and it will b quite interesting if they side with these cheap guests that are not willing to pay for 2 if 8 damages.. which cost $30. She wrote 100 page thru resolution stating her case! Really! Making about stories!

David_Karen0
Level 2
Fort Worth, TX

My husband and I have been hosts for 4 years now and can happily say that most guests have been lovely people.  Still, every now and then comes some peculiar behaviors and downright nightmares:  one man slept in his van with the doors open because his snoring bothered the rest of his party, folks slept with the windows and doors wide open during a thunderstorm, former college buddies overimbibed and vomited over the balcony and into our pool.  Each visitor proves to be a lesson learned, and often a new house rule added to our online home page and guest guide on the coffee table.  Recently we have been booked by guests who sneak in additional persons, or who "loan" their membership to someone they claim is their spouse, both violations of our house rules.  Other trends seem to be the ones who inquire as to using our space to film music videos - what is that about?  I'm not sure I even want to know.  We usually go with our gut in determing if the proposed guest will be a good fit; if we have further questions, we ask them.  We will never sign up for Instant Book for all the reasons and odd guests listed above.  And we do review our guests very carefully, for we would not want to bestow upon other hosts some of the strange, rude or disrespectful guests that we have had to endure.  We do give low ratings and we tell the guests why in our private message to them.  We kindly request that they treat the next host with improved communication, respect for personal and real property, and with the behavior that you would wish to receive, should the tables turn.  We try to make those comments direct but still friendly and offer advice in an educational format rather than in a punitive manner.

If I were to request one thing regarding rejected reservation requests and inquiries, it would be to have an opportunity to denote to Airbnb the reason for not accepting a guest.  Most of the time, it is because the guest is inquiring to book for what I consider a long term lease (all summer, or an entire school year, as opposed to a week or less), they want to host a party or film some kind of video, or they wish to bend some of our other rules and limitations such as number in party, number of cars, bring their dog, etc.  We pride ourselves in displaying Southern Hospitality.  We are usually agreeable to most inquiries and will make every attempt to accommodate our guests' wishes...unless they want special circumstances.  We have learned that a guest who bends one rule will bend most of the others and we shall be feeling disappointed, disrespected and taken advantage of.  It would be nice to flag these types to Airbnb after rejecting an inquiry:  "Inquiry rejected due to house rules", or "Inquiry not for a vacation rental but long term lease".  Perhaps if a guest received enough of such rejections, their membership could be limited or recused.

Victor310
Level 1
Madrid, Spain

We had quite unfair reviews by some guest like... the weather was cold or rainy and yes, you can reply back but the score is there... 

Lia64
Level 2
New York, NY

Hosts are worried about leaving negative remarks about guests.  So are possible solutions?

Can the comments that hosts make about their guests perhaps be visible only to other hosts? 

 

Maybe Airbnb has got to big for its pants!

Lauren338
Level 8
Los Gatos, CA

Claude for Thailand had a great idea.  My biggest complaint about the system is guests nit picking on small issues and/or the lowered star review without having given me a chance to handle the complaint.  I have also had guests that complained about a LOT of things that were absolutely not true with the angle of getting refund out of me.  Of course they ONLY told me of their "complaints" after having completed their 5 day stay...  It's upsetting when you do your best to get the place in ship shape order and they ding you stars for cleanliness because they found a hair in the bathroom.  I have taken to beginning my "Welcome Letter" with a disclaimer that it is NOT a luxury hotel, but a HOME and as such, it is NOT perfect.

Stephanie596
Level 2
Nashville, TN

While I wish we were able to see the review we’ve been given before we have to leave a review and response, I completely understand Airbnb and the reasons in which they handle the reviews the way they do. It keeps from retaliation reviews. I may have a guest who was wonderful but if they were displeased with me, that’s not reason for me to leave them a negative review. Their process respect the integrity of the review. I am a shared space host and am sure that’s easier than those renting their entire homes or remote hosts but I feel as though the guests renting a home from Airbnb are not only looking for a more economical way to travel but also a more personal/connected one. This may be a business to us hosts, but it’s not to them. I feel that if a host goes out of their way to connect with their guest (whether in person or over messaging), you are much more likely to have the guest be respectful of you and your home. I never treat my guest like they are a dollar to me. I’m here to help them have the best trip they can have and all my guests know that. My house rules are clearly stated in my listing but also in the guestbook I provide in their rooms. If they like you and respect you as a person, they will be much more apt to respect your home. So hosts need to do their part to earn that respect. I think Airbnb is doing it the best way there is. 

Ilya23
Level 2
Toronto, CA

What if a guest is lying about their purpose of the trip. For example, they say they are coming to visit relatives but then they are throwing a party. Nothing is damaged but my other Airbnb guests staying at other listings (I have a fourplex) are bothered significantly and then they, who were bothered, leave me a bad review. What to do? How to prevent this?

Carla417
Level 3
Midrand, South Africa

I disagree COMPLETELY with Eduard! People should NOT change their behaviour on holiday! I have an AirBnB host next door who hosts ALL and sundry. He made a two bedroom home into a four bedroom home. WHO/WHAT do tou think he attracts? Groups of low life boozers who are drunk and shout and bang stuff around till 3am then sleep all day to get up and repeat this process. I think AirBnB needs a neighbour comment forum as I have approached this owner who says "this is the nature of the rental business, isn't it. I can't do psychometric tests on each guest". Um.... a group of ten friends needs no psychometric test. It is the nature of the beast in big groups. And it's very unfair on a neighbour with no recourse! 

Ann10
Level 10
New York, NY

@Robert0-No they won't help you! If you don't want the paintings stolen, move them. You can trusts all ABB guests, and you can't trust ABB at all. Read the posts above yours and there is google. Also, airbnbhell.com, trustpilot.com, etc.

Pamela335
Level 2
Snellville, GA

New guests or rather ALL guests should provide a clear picture of themself and not pictures of other family members. I would like to see who is coming to my home. There needs to be something put in place that requires guests to read the house manual before they book, because you cant assume that they have read it. When guests arrive I go over the house manual while showing them around and I ask if they have questions about the house manual. I have a problem with guests not wanting to leave, I am not sure if thats a compliant or a curse. I have problems with guests leaving my door unlocked, losing my keys, using private areas and bringing more than themselves. I have a max of 3 people in a room, but guests believe that since they paid for the room that its ok to bring as many people as they want AND this is the difference between a hotel and Airbnb, this should be emphasized. Its hard to give accurate reviews with people that have stayed in your home, but there should be a way to do so without putting the host in a vulneable position.

Ann10
Level 10
New York, NY

@Susie0-They will bend over backwards to believe the obviously lying guest. 

Lauren338
Level 8
Los Gatos, CA

@Susie20 wrote:

These people don’t understand that it is a house and not a five star hotel!!

AMEN