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.

[Melanie315]

This is great. Does Airbnb have a list of tips for new guests? I find that these are often the ones that do strange things like use every possible plate/bowl/saucepan/cuttlery etc and leave them all dirty on the kitchen bench. Or last week I had a guest use 20 tea towels for a 3 day stay (wtf is that about??). It’s not really enough to warrant a bad review but it would make my (and my cleaners) life easier if basic guest etiquette was explained to guests before they make their first booking 

[Mango0]

i think for privacy airbnb should be the 3rd party holding the information in case is needed , no point to reveal guest personal data apart from the comment, airbnb have lots of hosts who dont understand hospitality , people on holiday want to have fun , they normally dont behave that way and the level of acceptance of guest needs and cultural aspect must be higher, its more about the guest than host , i know many people would disagree , but its how it works in hospitality, host can give star rating and comment and so the guest. 

[Mary996]

Are you a Host MangoO?

[Maureen165]

I have a brand new luxury home I have rented through Airbnb and others since September.

I have had gouges in the walls, sprinklers in lawns and pavers broken  from guests parking on them and locks broken on our guest lock up cupboards  from guests trying to break into them. 

The problem is being a remote landlord the cleaners don’t always notice and report everything due to the size of the house and time constraints. Some guests leave the house in a disgraceful state ie garbage not put out, white linen destroyed by heavy staining, fans and A/C’s left on, doors not locked, damage to appliances and dirty dishes everywhere. People book for a certain number of guests and then double the number turn up. With an increased number of guests comes the risk of more damage. 

It is difficult to give them a bad review when they can retaliate by getting back at you on line by posting negative comments. 

[Anthea26]

This is my concern too....the fact that the "power" seems stacked in favour of the guest. I am a new Air B&B Host and Im working hard to build up trust so others can book me in the future. I feel powerless waiting for the review so I can build up my star ratings and will always write a very favourable review for the guests who have stayed (5/5 stars) and then cant change it after finding theyve written a low star value for something that seems innocuous. I dont understand why the majorty of guests claim its fantastic value for what they pay for but that ONE guest will give me 3/5 and 4/5 over all as they felt it wasnt good value. And yet I baby sat their 6 month old german shepard puppy for 3 hours whislt my family came over for dinner...(they came up to me and asked me to, whilst we were all eating dinner) PLUS they allowed their dog to chase my cats, crash through my gardens, wonder around my property unsupervised whilst they slept, etc etc...but only gave me 3/5 for value! But I couldnt report (no avenue to do so) and felt bad if I posted a true reflection of my ratings on them as a guest ( 1/5 stars). I dont want them back to book with us ever. But I cant say that. There dosnet seem to be a venue for us hosts to get support. Any recommendations? 

[Mary996]

Why couldn't you just say it as it was? You don't want them back and your kindness as a Host shines through. Just a summary of the above in your reply to their review perhaps might have them screaming to Airbnb to allow them to change their ratings of you .....!

[Eugénie1]

To Melanie
I agree with you. To save problems in my home I have compiled a very comprehensive Guest Information Folder which on check in I ask them to read. It outlines everything, including re-iterating the House Rules, and has pictures. e.g what is a tea-towel for? Many international guests don't know what to do with one. Or don't know what pegs are for.  Washing clothes in the bath and hanging on the curtain rod in their bedroom was in the past a big problem, considering there is a communal laundry with washer, tub and outdoor clothes line. Each time a guest does something inappropriate or displays bad etiquette because they simply don't know, I add relevant info to the Guest folder so I've got it covered.  In the past year, I've not really had any problems as guests are fully informed. Hope this may help you. If Airbnb come up with something guests read prior to booking that would be awesome. cheers Eugenie

[Todd119]

Im realtively new and getting positive reviews is important. 1 bad out of 10 brings down rating dramatically. So if you have negative feedback directly to guest they will slam your review. If you use current system and they see a negative review from you, what is stop them from damaging your property from outside in revenge. I think there should be a host warning system that is just seen by hosts for a heads up mindset and even similar for guest to guests if thats necessary. Then you can just not review them if bad and put it on private review system avoiding revenge problem. 

[Washington9]

The guest described by Melaine sounds like the one I had in February. They even smoked in the house; went on to do the same to next host. I gave them a report they deserved.

[Mary996]

Tee hee... well done!

Oh can we see it? No names ... xx

[Debra-and-Robert0]

As with Eugenie We have some information in each room we ask guests to read. We also haved othersx listed in housee rules. BUT really how many of our guests read all ofwhat is written. We haved had guests arrive that were terrified of dogs. We had the fact that we had a dog on our listing introduction in the first seentence. Poor Charli had to stay outside all of their 3 night stay. They never ventured out for more than 30 mins as they didn't have a car, also recommended in listing. Getting bad ratings for location when you give detailed times for travel to beach etc and location map is quite accurate. We charge less than half ,the price of local hotel /motels. Really sometimes I wonder what people expect. 

[Sandra530]

I have written a very thorough description of my Listings and also left the same details on a laminated sheet along with a lot of relevant and emergency phone numbers and outlining Rules.  I believe guests do not read anything. They look at the pictures then decide.  As a Host I find I have to put myself in a Guest situation. Some guests in hotels treat the place very badly. What guests in Airbnb need to realize is they are going into someone's home and property and need to treat it with respect.  Respect is what is lacking

[Silvana136]

Totally agree with Todd. I have over 40 reviews on another online booking system, all highly rated. They are well deserved as I put 200% into cleaning and presenting the property for EVERY guest, no shortcuts.  And I can’t afford to outsource the cleaning which is good and bad. 

Yet one or two reviews here that are 3 to 4 instead of 5, and boom - just like that my place lowers in rating.   Can I say that one of these reviews actually said the top of the fridge had not been cleaned. I mean, what can I say?!?

As a host, I have to weigh up whether to speak up about guests who don’t follow the House Rules versus getting a lower rating from them or a negative review. Something doesn’t add up. 

[Sandra530]

Silvana. I so agree. Well put