Guest verification now involves only a phone number??

[Christine615]

Really, Airbnb? Really?

While booking a space in Washington DC I got a request. No ding. No sound notification. Sigh. New user. Just joined. ONLY verification is a phone number. No bio. No photo. No reviews. No city or state. Just a phone number. 

And oh - he has one more person than my max capacity of 5 (a family) and wants to know if 6 people are okay. But only put 4 in the search engine.

Asked him to create a bio, and upload a verified ID. Explained the price would be higher to account for the missing headcount but he was pushing my max capacity

Honestly - this is how we do host trust and safety? We don't block new users until they have verified credit cards and identity.

Why not be up front with local governments and tell them that your background checks are just "Seems to be breathing, has a phone which may or may not be a burner phone!"

With a blank profile and not track record I have no way of knowing if they are real people or not. (expletive deleted.)

Airbnb quality has gone down quite a bit.

[Christine2476]

I have all of that in my settings.  And I still get those new people unverified like in the past.  I just ask them to complete what is not there.  They usually do because they are new and don't know any better.

But for us busy hosts,

we don't really have time for this **bleep**.

[J-Renato0]

@Sarah977 

If someone ask a question and I know the answer, when I have a time, I answer to help anyone to have a better comprehension of Airbnb platform.

When we answer a post in a community, we are not answering only the original poster, we are also answering a question to anyone who reads the thread.

If I can avoid spreading misunderstandings, I will do it.

I did not answer specifically to one person. I posted my answer without addressing someone specifically, but to anyone who may read this topic, including the original poster.

I jointed Airbnb in 2014 and I am not arrogant to say I know everything about Airbnb. They are always improving the platform. 

However, when I know something that can be of use to someone, I share my knowledge.

[Sarah977]

@J-Renato0  But your response didn't relate to the topic post, which concerned guests having nothing but a phone number. The requirements of Govt. ID and reviews are only applicable to IB bookings. So your answer doesn't clear up any misunderstandings, because you presented your answer as if it was true for all bookings.

And your first word was No. So you were obviously saying that the OP was somehow wrong.

[J-Renato0]

@Sarah977 

One thing is to book. Another thing is to present a documentation.

You can book a hotel and show your documents when you arrive at the hotel for checkin.

Sure. What you have said is only applicable to IB.

If the guest can not book instantly, the host have time and can ask the guest any type of document and information the host wants to have. If the guest does not provide it, the host can decline.

[Sarah977]

@J-Renato0  You seem to have completely misunderstood the topic post. Of course we know we can ask guests to provide more information.

The topic concerns Airbnb allowing new guests to make booking requests with nothing but a phone number, and how that shows incredible disrespect for hosts. It flys in the face of Airbnb's rhetoric about how the platform is built on trust.

[Christine615]

@J-Renato0 **

I’ve been on the platform longer ...well before I started  hosting and the current situation with host and guest screening is worse than it has ever been. 

**[Inappropriate comment removed in line with the Community Center Guidelines]

[J-Renato0]

Christine615

I do not care if you have been longer in this platform.

**[Inappropriate comment removed in line with the Community Center Guidelines]

Anyone in this community have the right to disagree with you.

You said "Airbnb quality has gone down. " Actually you have edited your post and rephased it to "Airbnb quality has gone down quite a bit."

Sorry. I do not agree with you. I joint Airbnb in 2014 and I have seen lots of improvements.

[Ann489]

@J-Renato0  your original response to Christine's post was condescending. Period.  You clearly did not understand her comment with which I happen to agree.   Also, your subsequent replies to Sarah and Christine were just as rude and out of line.  I think it is pretty obvious who is being

"ridiculous" here-as you so nicely put it.

[J-Renato0]

@Ann489  

What you have written, from my point of view is a personal attack against me.

You call me "rude" and wants to put others hosts against me. 

Moreover it is Christine615 that has been insulting me.

Again, I have the right to have my opinion.

[Colleen253]

@J-Renato0 Nowhere did @Ann489 say she was trying to put other hosts against you. 

You entered @Christine615‘s posts simply  to tell her she should think and do differently. You didn’t offer anything constructive in any of your comments, just inflammatory words. The only thing you’ve accomplished is to set off a useless barrage of exchanges which have resulted in unhelpful clutter, and distracting from the discussions. 

Give it a rest. 

[J-Renato0]

@Colleen253 

I have the right to disagree with Chistine615 or anyone.

I do not think Airbnb quality has gone down.  It is not my experience. 

My post it was not addressed to someone specially, It was addressed to anyone who may read the thread, and it includes even the openning poster. It was my advice to anyone:

"If you want reviews, you can have only guest that alread have at least one good review.
There are more options to set as well."

It is  a matter of choices when setting preferences on Airbnb. One can have IB or not IB, with this features, advantages and disadvantages, that goes according with each host preferences.

Thanks for your frank opnion. However you are wrong and misunderstood me.

PS: Since you have addressed also @Ann489 and Chistine615, I think they should read my answer to you as well.

Again, @Colleen253 thanks for your frank opinion, but you misundertood me.

[Colleen253]

@J-Renato0  Yes, everyone is entitled to an opinion. When entering someone’s post in disagreement, if one simply says “sorry I disagree, and this is why/this is my experience”, it’s much preferable to making personal remarks about the OP’s view of things. I agree with others that all your comments in both of Christine’s posts have been condescending. They’ve also been simply combative. Not constructive.

[J-Renato0]

@Colleen253 

Thanks again for your frank opinion. Again I must say you misunderstood me.

Please read the posts of the person you are standing for. You could advice your friend on how to write a constructive post without being agressive  against Airbnb and others. She firstly used the words "rude and jerk" to label me. Who is insulting and being agressive? I never labeled her as jerk.

You know on how to advice her, I never seen you being impolite. Please  help her.

Thanks again for your frankness.

[Mark116]

A huge  number of our guests now have basically 'nothing' on their profile, no location, no bio, and only gave Airbnb a phone or email.  Shockingly, many of these guests are not very good guests, they are poor in communicating and treat the apartment with disrespect.  It's odd, you would think that if someone was for example driving to my house, they would mention it, but that detail has to be drawn out of people even though there are major rules/regs for parking in our area, all listed in multiple places on the listing.

It's too bad that Airbnb spends all its time hectoring hosts instead of prompting guests to fill in the profile, reminding guests to check their messages, and maybe once in a blue blue moon sending guests some details on 'how to be a good guest'.  

[Christine615]

@Mark116 

Amen!