Declining booking due to covid19

[Jessica1886]

Had to decline a booking due to covid 19 regulations. I have explained I can’t take bookings due to current isolation rules. They got quiet upset and have started being disrespectful to Australia as a country and also Australians. Had slight threats saying that when overseas people travel to Australia they will no longer want to stay at Airbnb because of what has happened. There isn’t much more I can say to help them. I’ve offer to look for suitable accommodation if they can’t find any. I guess I just leave it and dont reply to their disrespectful remarks? Im guessing I may have more that I will have to decline until this Coronavirus settles. Just need to know what to say as to not upset anyone. 

[Sharon1014]

@Jessica1886  Leave it alone.  They're cranky because you aren't playing their game.  Let them find other accom themselves.  You don't owe the "entitled" crowd anything.  And if they want to take cheap shots at Aussie then they especially don't deserve your time or energy.   My 2 c.

[John2654]

@Jessica1886 

I've blocked my calendar totally now to prevent anyone booking. As regards abusive comments from a potential guest, could you report them to Airbnb? I'm guessing probably not as Airbnb doesn't seem to care much about hosts at the moment but it would be good if they could be blacklisted somehow. Pity the next host that has to say no to them.

[Sarah977]

@Jessica1886  There's apparently been lots of nasty messages and even quite threatening ones from guests during this crisis. I'd report their profile to Airbnb. There should be a report flag on their profile or right under the message they sent.

[Ocean50]

@Jessica1886 

If any guest ever give me a disrespectful, I would let them book. Then once they come to the airport to travel and realize their dumb asses can't go no where. I can't be more happier to take their money with no refund policy. Are they live under a rock or what? 4 billions people are in lock-down and they still don't get what that mean.

[Mary269]

I was shocked tonight when I received a flashing message that my calendar would be blocked for a week if I did not accept the next inquiry. In Madison, WI, short term rentals have to live in the home which I do.

I am not comfortable accepting:

1.  a guest who wants to book to quarantine because she has Covid or has been living with someone who is sick and has a positive test.

2. a reservation that is made at 9 PM, the same hour they want to arrive. That gives me zero time to be ready. My listing shows a  preferred two day advance notice. 

3. a guest booking for 3, when my listing is for 2. They did not want to pay for 3, only one. And they were working in public and did not believe in wearing masks.

4. a guest who is flying from Arizona to Chicago, stopping there to work in the public, then wants to stay here while casually visiting friends and family.  No consideration of exposure.

We get penalized if we do not accept guests for good reasons (like if we do not want to bring Covid into our homes). Airbnb proclaims we can decline if we are not comfortable with the booking or inquiry. But this is a faux-hip company pretend policy. Airbnb policies punish us if we are not willing to die for them.  And do not tell me this is the price of doing business. This is an immoral, unethical way to treat a supplier/host of a business. And yes, I do need the $20,000 a year to live on, so I cannot just go away. 

Often times guests are not yet ready to book. Even with instant book, they are inquiring about discounts, or they want to exceed the limit of guests allowed, or they are booking without any notice (I require a two day notice). But I get punished if I do not accept people who are telling me they will go against my house rules.

Since I do not have faith that Airbnb corporate has any mechanism to address most of our issues including this one, I have two of my own solutions:

1. Accept the reservation (so as not to get punished for declining), but give a special offer of an astronomical amount, so as to not really accept or decline. I have learned that if I do not choose accept or decline when I get a request, I am punished.

2. Go to the local news reporters to report on Airbnb punishing hosts who decline guests for good reasons. Also let them know that airbnb has no REAL way to get grievances like this attended to. 

Remember UBER- they tried to get away with sexism and racism and whatever they felt like getting away with, until drivers starting speaking out. We do not have a good way to document (like UBER driver photos) of what Airbnb is doing to it's hosts. Any ideas? I love the platform and need the income, but I this punishment is just plain inhuman, especially during a pandemic. Have you noticed they still have instructions about booking during Covid that refer to May 2020? Catch up Airbnb, we hosts are still dealing with Covid- 2020- 2021-2022...

[Mike-And-Jane0]

@Mary269 if you have  2 day advanced notice set you need to remove the ability of guests to request a shorter timeframe.

I love the idea of an expensive special offer and hope it works for you.

[Sarah977]

@Mike-And-Jane0  There is no way to "remove the ability for guests to request a shorter time frame".

Guests can send an inquiry asking for anything they want, regardless of whether it's against the host's rules or settings. They can ask to have full catered dinners included or any other absurd thing they want.

[Mike-And-Jane0]

@Sarah977 I beg to differ. If @Mary269 goes to Availability and edits the Advance Notice section there is an option that allows guests to ask to override your advance notice requirement with a request.  'For Instant Book hosts: Allow guests to send reservation requests without advance notice.'

Presumably if you do not tick this box then they cannot just request to book at the last minute.

[Sarah977]

@Mike-And-Jane0  I see. I didn't know that about IB settings. 

But if a guest sends an Inquiry or Booking Request, they can ask for anything under the sun.