Declined bookings that don’t meet my criteria

[Jillian115]

Lately I’m getting one request after another that does not meet my listing criteria. My listing is for two max, no pets. Today I had a request for a family of four with Covid. I’ve had two recent requests to bring dogs. It’s really frustrating. I understand Airbnb sends warnings if you decline to often. Does anyone know what that threshold is? 

[Lisa723]

@Jillian115 yes the not counting infants thing is nuts.

[Sandra126]

Highly likely not all 5 are infants. I had someone with a 2year old passing as infant.

[Jillian115]

Yeah, it's crazy. Could you imagine trying to swing that with a hotel?  There is no way. I feel like Airbnb is trying to force everything on hosts these days.  

[Lisa723]

@Sandra126 I agree that's likely. However Airbnb defines infants as "children under 2" -- which I'm sure many people will choose to interpret as any child who has not reached their third birthday.

[Helen744]

@

helen744 ha ha . Are they baby nappers?

[Branka-and-Silvia0]

@Jillian115 @Huma0 @Emiel1 @Lisa723 @Sandra126 

The acceptance rate is NOT Superhost criteria. Only rating, number of guests, response and cancellation rate. It may be the search ranking factor but who knows?

The reason why we all get so many requests from guests who don't fit our listing is simple.

I've tried it today.

I researched my area and I've set a filter for free parking and guess what? I got 111 results but only the first 7 of them had free parking. In fact, on the 7th place was a listing without it and on the 8th place was the last listing with free parking. Other 104 listings in the search result don't offer free parking. Crazy ha? 🙂 Knowing that guests don't read the listing, even less amenities or God forbid house rules hidden in footer, no wonder we have to decline so many requests.

[Jillian115]

@Branka-and-Silvia0 Yeah, It feels like I'm being bullied. My last guest booked for 1 was "visiting family" and invited them over for a pizza party, even though it's against the house rules. That was upsetting too. But it really annoys me that I'm having to address bookings that don't meet my criteria on a regular basis. I hope the international travelers come back.  They were so good and respectful. 

[Branka-and-Silvia0]

@Jillian115  you are not the only one, it happens to all of us since Airbnb decided it would be a good idea to include in search results not only listings with, but also those without filtered requirements and amenities.

I think they did it this year. Or last... I don't remember anymore.

I see it as a desperate bite and switch move.

[Helen744]

@Helen744 If you have say a three bedroom house then someone books for one then ask them why they need a three bedroom house for one person and remind them to look at your rules and that there are to be no parties or overnight visitors or any visitors unless you are informed and if they have visitors then names addresses and phone numbers will be required and if wanting to have a visitor it must be a proper request which you may or may not grant. Gently let them know that one or two bedroom places are available and that they look suspicious booking a three bedder for one. Sometimes they just say . Oh I meant to book for three and you send a variation.

[Laurelle3]

@Helen744 I have in my listing that if one bedroom the other bedroom will be locked as I don't charge a cleaning fee. Most couples are happy with this arrangement. It also stops the other room being used and other people staying.

[Huma0]

@Branka-and-Silvia0 

That is crazy. Yes, I have also done searches to get an idea of what is available in my area and, when I apply certain filters, many of the listings I see on the first few pages are not appropriate for the filter applied.

Often we blame guests for being clueless/lazy (some are), but I think other times Airbnb is just making it confusing for them.

[John2406]

@Jillian115 @Lisa723 @Huma0   @Branka-and-Silvia0 @Sandra126 

Thank you for posting your question, especially as there would appear to be a number of worrying trends creeping onto the platform in recent months, although it is difficult to determine whether those trends are of Guests' lack of interest, or our OTA's lack of concern; all of them relating to what Hosts' state in their listings, especially regarding "conditions" to be read and agreed to by Guests before they actually make their booking, versus what subsequently occurs!

I had been going to say that thankfully we hadn't had any bookings where Guests' couldn't have properly or correctly read our listing, until I remembered that for one non-OTA booking we received a couple of months back, it wasn't until the couple arrived at our property that there was a cry of dismay (initially from them, but then from me) when they discovered - but they hadn't mentioned (at any time throughout weeks of correspondence, otherwise I would have been able to let the Guests' know) - that our property is not suitable for anyone unable to use stairs!

I mean, besides the description of the property and of each room/area, there are lots of photographs on our pages (and on Anb's) that visually show what everywhere looks like - all of which, apparently, they had seen and really loved - (and several of the photos show the staircases, highlighting  where they are, as well as how many there are) - yet despite that (they admitted), they hadn't thought to ask whether the premises were suitable for disabled persons (we do provide an Accessibility Statement on request; but as no indication had been given as to Guests' having disabilities, we hadn't mentioned the Statement).

Fortunately the matter was amicably resolved, although both Guests', understandably, were upset that they hadn't thought to find out whether the property was suitable for their needs, BEFORE they booked.

That that couple had not set out to deliberately ignore what we had written and/or highlighted in images, would appear to set them apart from other Guests' (such as my fellow Hosts' have mentioned on here) who chose to ignore Hosts' conditions, rules etc, (ignoring includes failing to look at, whilst here in the UK, ignorance of the law does not excuse anyone from breaking it!)

I understand that it is (or maybe) possible to ask (Anb) for the lead Guest to sign a Contract to state they agree to and will abide by the Host's conditions etc.

Has anyone else seen about the latter, and if so, has anyone else actually had Guests agreeing to and Signing such?

And did it make any difference?

I agree we all need Guests, but surely not at any price!?!

[Branka-and-Silvia0]

@John2406is interesting... but maybe not surprising. It's a brain game - if there is too much going on then our brain is designed to choose which information will take and which will dismiss. Planing the trip, especially overseas, for multiple members, with multiple transportation, cities and accommodation is a lot if not too much for some people.  And they subconsciously dismiss half of the information. This is called holiday brain 😉

Btw...Today I've seen a post " Iron or not to iron the sheets for guests?". I tried to remember if the sheets where I was staying as a guest were ironed or not... and I couldn't. I just blurry remember how the hotel room looked like. I have no clue what was the color of the walls or the bathroom or the sheets . I had other things on my mind during my trips so I can understand why your guests didn't notice stairs. As we say: they didn't see the tree in the woods.

[Huma0]

@John2406 

It seems like it's pretty obvious from your listing that there are stairs. While I agree with @Branka-and-Silvia0 that travellers often have 'holiday brain' when they are booking, and wouldn't notice if you had ironed sheets or not, but if they have disabilities that prevent them from climbing stairs, I would think that they would check something so crucial. 

Airbnb also does not make it easy for guests to see the information. I have mentioned the stairs under the listing description section 'other things to note', but guests do need to click on the 'show more' link under the description summary and I know a lot of people simply don't do this. 

"I understand that it is (or maybe) possible to ask (Anb) for the lead Guest to sign a Contract to state they agree to and will abide by the Host's conditions etc."

I believe the guests have to tick a box when they book agreeing to follow the host's house rules. In theory, this is a contract, but I am sure many simply tick the box without reading (I have heard they have to click another link to actually see the rules they are agreeing to). How many people actually read all the T&Cs when they are buying or booking or signing up to something?

Also, there is a section on the listing called 'Guests must acknowledge'. Here, you have the option to highlight certain points like 'must climb stairs'. This used to be under house rules I believe, so it really depended on if guests bother to read the full house rules or not. Now, I have noticed, Airbnb has moved it under the health and safety section. I am pretty sure few guests click on 'show more' here. I really don't know why Airbnb choses to hide the most important points!

I have a lot of stairs in my house and, although they are mentioned a few times in the listing and shown in the photos, I now make a point of mentioning them (along with a few other key points) in a message to guests before they book. I stopped assuming early on that guests would actually read the listing.

[John2406]

Hi @Huma0 

Apologies for delay in thanking you for your comments, and yes, we too have always (long before we came to Airbnb) sent out details about our place, whilst as we used to do a lot of direct bookings, we were able to find out - before anyone actually booked - Guests' needs/"desires", to make certain for both them and us that our place would be suitable.

Despite our not only having lots of photos of our place (interior and exterior) plus a,  plan of the layout of the property, and despite our including a map highlighting close-by parking places etc, Guests' - in the main - do not read through everything - and yet they actually sign to say that they have, and that they understand the contents etc!

As someone who is "old school" and reads every Company's Terms & Conditions, Privacy Policies and Cookie Policies, before signing up, or purchasing anything, or before agreeing - or not - to allow not so much "cookies" but all of the beacons and other tracing technology, websites' rarely, if ever, mention, I can easily understand both the how and why many Guests fail to read the far less boring and far shorter details "we" all  provide for Guests', to ensure that they'll be happy with everything when they arrive for their stay.

That our Guest obviously had seen all of the photos of our property hasn't been in question, especially as she sang the praises of all the rooms etc, but in view of the disability she failed to mention BEFORE she booked (not everything is down to Hosts to ask) one can only wonder whether she was mesmerised by the "book's" cover, but didn't go on to read the book itself?

Although I reimbursed the - very disappointed - Guest without a quibble, one does wonder what Airbnb's stance would be when Guests fail to read, or read properly, both Airbnb's T&C's, PPs, CPs, etc, as well those of the Host, IF Airbnb CS also aren't au fait with the contents of Airbnb's T&C's etc?!