Help! How do I change the setting in Airbnb FROM experienced guests can only book

[Lauren3495]

Hello,

Help! Does anyone know how to change this setting? I am getting the following message (below)  and I want to change it to Reservation Request not Instant Book.  My listing is so locked down that potential guests do not have the ability to contact me.  

 

Msg from Airbnb

Right now, only experienced guests can book this place

This Host is only accepting guests with 3 or more trips on Airbnb for their first reservation. It’ll be open to all guests soon.

[Meir10 · Accepted solution]

go to listings, and choose your desired listing, policies and rules, Instant booking.
There you have a few options.
you can deactivate instant booking, or you can choose to remove "Good track record".
you may need to deactivate the Instant booking first in order to see all options.

[Dawie3]

These options do not help to make the listing available. I.e. (a) "all guests" were selected upfront (i.e. not the "experienced guests only" option); and (b) we have activated "Instant booking" and then deactivated it, to try and by-pass the problem.

What can be done to make the listing available? This issue is urgent, since we have tried for two weeks to achieve get the booking to be generally available, and we surely losing bookings!

[Joan2709]

@Dawie3 

Another Host having the same issue. See thread:

https://community.withairbnb.com/t5/Ask-about-your-listing/My-listing-cannot-be-reserved-because-of-...

The setting supposedly can be removed under Account Settings, but other Host tried that and didn't work until he toggled instant book ON/OFF/ON.

I would make sure you have turned OFF experienced guest in your account settings, then try toggling Instant book ON/OFF. You may need to log out of your account first, then log back in using your email (not phone number) and try the above.

Contact Airbnb CS and advise them of the issue ASAP.

[Dawie3]

Thanks Joan, but unfortunately I have tried all the work arounds described in the message string, without success.

I see others have opened a ticket with CS and have not had success yet. I’ll do the same, and hope for the best.

I hope the Airbnb development \ maintenance team will fix this shortly.

Note: I am an experienced host cohosting a new listing with my son.

[Joan2709]

@Dawie3 Something else to try...

1. Have you tried to update on both the app and on a computer?

2. Try logging off Airbnb on the App and your computer

3. Then log back in first on the Appusing your email address (not phone number)

4. Then toggle IB OFF/ON

5. Then try to turn off the experienced guest settings under Account

Then repeat steps on your computer. Let us know if this works...might help another Host. 😊

[Helen3]

Hello Lauren

It sounds like you haven't come across the Airbnb Help website it provides you with FAQs around all the basics of managing your listing on Airbnb including how to change your listing from IB to guests having to make a request for every booking.

I am a little confused though by what you want to achieve. 

All guests should be able to contact you whichever booking setting you are using.

Perhaps you could reframe your question @Lauren3495 

[Huma0]

@Helen3 

I think this is a new setting. A few hosts have posted about this recently.

From what I saw, as part of the Winter Update, there is now a feature where only guests with at least three reviews can make the first booking on a new listing. However, from the posts I have seen, it's like the setting then just stays there and the host can't turn it off and CS has no idea about it...

[Helen3]

It sounds like a good idea in principle as so many new hosts are targeted by problem guests.

However the setting not being lifted sounds like a problem for new hosts who want to use IB without restrictions.

[Lauren3495]

Thanks so much for your response.  I submitted a help ticket to CS on Saturday and as of now they have not resolved the issue.  Right now  I have it set to only guests with at least three reviews can make the first booking on a new listing. I cannot find where to turn that off. It is not listed anywhere including under IB.  Additionally the "Contact Host" button is disabled.  I am thinking of making a duplicate listing to get out of this mess.  However if I do will I lose the guest I have booked in Feb.? Is this even a good idea.? Thanks so much for your input.  

[Huma0]

@Lauren3495 

Yes, if you make a duplicate booking, the guest who has already booked will not transfer across...

Seeing as you already have a booking for the listing, this filter which is only supposed to apply to the first booking, should be gone.

Problem is, a lot of CS staff are not that well trained or clued up and it often seems to me that they are the last to know about changes...

[Carrie507]

I am currently running into this issue.  Did AirBnb ever resolve this for you?  I have spent hours trying to figure out how to remove the Experienced Guest for first time bookers and am unable to find it anywhere.  I put all the settings on my new listing the same as my other listing but -as you had - the listing is so locked down nobody can book unless experienced guest.  

[Lauren3495]

Correct...it's a glitch and not working as intended, but thanks for your feedback.

[Rylan25]

You can change the setting for who can book your listing by clicking on your profile picture, click on "Account", click on "Your first guest", then click "Any Airbnb guest".

I was very frustrated, but this seemed to work. Not sure why this isn't readily available on the FAQ, and the phone support people also had no clue how to do it.

Hope this helps!

Rylan

[Jen4]

THANK YOU 
I agree. Airbnb call centre help were useless!