I agree whole heartedly with everything @Christine615 said above, @Catherine-Powell
I have not had a problem with parties or events recently at my property. But I really go the extra mile to correspond with guests, and if they do not provide answers as to what their intentions are, or I get a queasy feeling, I trust my gut and I just don't book them. I probably lose quite a few good bookings this way and spend many extra hours communicating, but what else can we do until Airbnb steps up!
If guests are not communicative, provide wishy washy answers as to why they are visiting, I just do not book them. It is an awful lot of work, but I can tell quite a bit about a prospective guest by their correspondence with them. I also insist on two previous reviews, so they are not using my property as a testing ground for how Airbnb works.
Airbnb should INSIST that the a guest provide:
o A COMPLETE profile with information about who they are, what they do and where they are from. Ninety percent I see are blank with only the date they joined Airbnb. Many have moved and not bothered to update their profile.
o A REAL picture (not a cartoon, avatar or Moray-patterned photo clipped from a magazine -- I have seen all 3!) so you know who is on site and who you will meet and greet at check in. How can a guest sign up as Anthony Michael, for instance, then change their profile name to Ant Mic with a profile picture that was clipped from a magazine?
o Verify the ID of the individual booking AND the other guests -- for ALL HOSTS, not just for instant bookings. Could be a dangerous person who could damage your property - who knows? Are you willing to risk a $1M property to make $2K? We are assuming tremendous risk and it is very stressful.
o I want to see a COMPLETE profile before someone can book.
o Guests like self check in but I find that when you meet them in person and lay out ground rules, it goes a long way toward preventing problems. I know that is not always possible due to arrival times and location of the property.
o I also say NO PARTIES, FILMING, OR EVENTS, or your reservation will be cancelled and you will be asked to leave immediately in my initial email and in my guidebook.
We walk a fine and precarious line between Welcoming and being gracious and protecting ourselves and our properties.