Missed out on last-minute guests due to Airbnb blocking the inquiry

[Ken63]

I appreciate Airbnb trying to manage risk like partying during New Years Eve or some weekends.  Today, I had a cancellation for Dec 31 to Jan 2 from the competitor platform because of flight cancellation or winter storm related issues so I freed up the calendar and offered 25% discount to fill the two days last minutes.  Within a few hours I receive an booking inquiry from a local (maybe an hour away) asking about the pet policy to which I replied with my pet rules.  Then I see a message "This inquiry was blocked" so I call.  The reason for blocking were as follows:

1. It is last minute

2. The listing is a whole home

3. Therefore it is high risk of partying

I don't know the age of the guest other than her profile is somewhat local, has one positive review linked to her profile from 2016, booking is for 4 people and asked if its okay to bring a dog.

Apparently, there is no way anyone at Airbnb can do to unblock even if I feel it is safe to allow the booking to go ahead.  This means that I am not going to be able to fill these two highest value dates simply because they became available last minute.  I think this is over reaching and is unacceptable.  If Airbnb's AI is able to determine high risk, they should be obligated to provide more details, not just 1) last minute and 2) its a whole home.  My listing is a rural ski area in Washington State.

[Jenny]

Hi @Ken63 

I noticed that you posted this as a reply on an old discussion.  I thought it was worth starting a new discussion post so I've clarified the post title and moved it over to our "manage your listing" board.

Hopefully one of our awesome members will be along soon to discuss this with you.

Jenny

[Mike-And-Jane0]

@Ken63 there is a way around this but it is obviously dangerous as it breaches the security process Airbnb has put in place.

If you are certain the guest is a good fit then flip the listing to 'private room' get the guest to book and then flip it back to entire property.

[Ken63]

I rather not circumvent the system.  Airbnb must allow hosts to make the final decision.

[Helen3]

Hello @Ken63 

As you say your listing became free because a last minute cancellation - surely you've already been paid for the time period -  so why the need to get paid for the space twice? 

if you find Airbnb's policy to protect hosts from guests who are identified as being at high risk of partying unacceptable - the best thing is not to use the platform and use other listing companies /invest in marketing your listing for direct bookings . 

their algorithms pick it up as high risk not just because it's last minute and a whole listing but as you said because they are local and likely don't have any positive reviews. Most hosts would see that combination as a red flag when combined with a major bank holiday when people are known to party . 

[Gillian166]

@Helen3  I also had a cancellation, but with my setting at 5 days, the guests got a refund and I got an open calendar, that suddenly was shadow banned. 

[Ken63]

Agreed! Let the hosts decide, not some algorithm.

[Huma0]

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@Helen3 wrote:

as you said because they are local and likely don't have any positive reviews. 

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@Helen3 the guest does have a positive review linked to her profile. 

This method seems a bit too broad brush and really needs to be a bit more sophisticated as listings, and the types of guests they attract, vary enormously. And how 'local' does the guest need to be to attract suspicion? @Ken63 said this guest was 'vaguely' local...

Some listings are popular with locals for reasons unrelated to parties. A listing near an airport, for example, might attract many one night stays, often last minute, because someone has an early flight, has missed a flight, or has a flight delay/cancellation. Would that be unusual around NYE or another holiday? And the party ban is not only for NYE but year round. A host in that situation could potentially miss out on a big chunk of their business. 

And I am not sure how clever this algorithm is. I've read many accounts here from hosts who had guests blocked who did not entirely fit the 'party' profile. I remember one who said a young woman from another country booked for herself and her parents for a month and was blocked simply because she was under 25 and it was an entire listing. She was prompted to choose an Airbnb 'hotel' instead. 

[Ken63]

The reason I want to make the dates available to others is not to make double money as you suggested (I am not greedy) but for these two reasons.

1) These are the most popular and high value dates of the year not only because it is New Years Eve and Day but also for skiing.  The cabin is in a gated community closest to a ski hill that were booked months ago.  Why not allows others the pleasure of staying at my cabin now the dates freed up?

2) I want to be able to refund the guest who had to cancel without me being out of pocket.  It is unfortunate her flight got cancelled and pipes burst in her home so I want to help as much as I can (financially).

The potential guests may very well be high risk (e.g. the algorithm is correct) because they did not reply to my message that they have been blocked by Airbnb (AI) and after specifying my pet rules (e.g. if left alone for more than 2 hours - crated in bathroom) but the decision should be the host's, not Airbnb's computer algorithm. 

Thanks to all the community members for the comments and discussions and will not comment or reply to all so hopefully this one reply will do.  My point is simple, let the human make the decision, not the computer!  I worked in risk management and information systems most of my life and definitely have an appreciation for technology and artificial intelligence / automation etc. but there needs to be a place for human intervention where a process exists for Airbnb to manually review these "rejections" and allow the hosts to participate in the decision making process.  At this point, they are telling me, too bad, the system says they cannot book but you can still message each other but no way to book even if I (after messaging) determine the guest to be low risk for partying.  The only way to do it is off platform, something host should not have to do.  The final decision should reside with the host, not Airbnb's algorithm!

[Gillian166]

@Ken63  yes, I just did a post about this. it's my business and I should be able to make the decision about my business. there is NO risk on my farm for a couple renting my small cottage for the night, they will not be able to throw a party, and when I contacted CS they would no open my calendar. 

I put a 2 night minimum for 31st and 1st and dropped the price a smidge and got a booking, which is lucky. 

8-0% of my guests are "locals", so the algo is applying a default setting to everyone, even where it shouldn't.