Double standard in making information unavailable after a stay has ended.

[Michelle1164]

I've noticed that after a guests' stay is over the words "phone number unavailable" display where phone number had once been in the reservation. I had just assumed that on the guest side of the platform the same thing happened. Meaning that hosts' address and phone number would no longer be available to guests. I recently discovered this is not the case. I went back to look at something where we had once stayed as a guest. I was a bit surprised that I could still see the host phone number, full address and directions from your host. This means that every one of my past guests still has easy access to our phone number, address and specific directions within the platform. However the same is not true for hosts of their guests. After a stay is over why does a guest still need access to contact information when a host doesn't have the same access? Especially someone who stayed, say 3 years ago.

All of our guests have been great. Have been given good reviews and visa vera. But if this wasn't the case I am not sure I would want them to still have all this info available to them years after they had stayed with us. I can just see how this could go very wrong with a bad or even vindictive guest. Just wondering what anyone else's thoughts are on this. Concerned or not concerned? 

[Emilia42]

@Michelle1164 I also came across this when looking at my past stays recently. I can still see the addresses and directions from my stays dating back to 2017. I agree this information should be removed shortly following the completion of the stay. 

[Colleen253]

@Michelle1164 MASSIVE double standard and massively WRONG. 

[Laura2592]

@Michelle1164 its concerning. Why would a guest have a need to retain this info after the review period has closed? Can anyone think of ANY reason?

Maybe bring this up with a member of the Host Advisory Board?

[Michelle1164]

@Laura2592 How does one go about doing this? 

[Sarah977]

@Michelle1164  I can't see where the address still being visible after a completed stay is of any concern. After all, an already hosted guest knows where they stayed. And if they have written down your phone number, or entered it into their phone contacts, they would have that as well until and if they delete it.

I write down my guests' phone numbers and email addresses in a little book and keep that info, so Airbnb deleting it doesn't matter to  me.

So while I agree that it's a double standard, so are much more serious things about the way Airbnb deals with hosts andd guests, and it's not anything that concerns me.

What would concern me is guests who have cancelled and never stayed having access to that info.

[Michelle1164]

@Sarah977 I have no doubt that some guests do save this info in their phones, but I'm going to go out on a limb and say a large majority don't. But the very reason you bring up as a concern is one very valid reason this info shouldn't be available indefinitely. Thanks for sharing your thoughts. 

[Helen427]

@Michelle1164 @Laura2592 @Emilia42 and others Yes I learnt recently when I went to text a guest about a personal matter their contact number had disappeared.

It was most annoying because some of us like to keep in contact after hosting nice Guests, and why not?

I'm somewhat surprised however that our information is still retained in Guest Databases, maybe they think it's so they can msg us for future bookings, alas it works both ways.

[Laurelle3]

I agree with @Helen427 about contacting guest and no phone number. I discover this as to let guest know about local artist that they had enquied about. I also print off future booking and their phone number is on there. (use recycled paper). was doing this so husband can see when next person booked in for his planning events as he is involved with community volunteering. 

[Max144]

@Laurelle3  I also print off future booking as is good as is common only have 1 guest name so write in second guest on arrival, also any peculiarity from stay as record for future stays plus have used copy when guests vacated and left things behind i can phone straight away. 

[Ryan2352]

That seems quite odd.  The only thing that makes sense to me is that they don't want to make it easy for you to market directly to them for repeat stays.

[Colleen253]

Along that same line, I’m very surprised Airbnb would want to make it easy for a past guest to bypass the platform and ask to book directly. 

@Ryan2352 

[Ryan2352]

Great point!  Just don't say it too loudly.  Wouldn't want AB&B to realize that hole.  LOL.

[Sarah977]

@Ryan2352  It's not really anything Airbnb can do anythhung about. I retain all my past guests phone numbers and email addresses. I keep in touch with a few of them, as we became friends. Many hosts tell their guests to hang onto the contact info so they can book directly if they ever want to come back.