New Airbnb member with no reviews, also under the age of 25

[Sangeeta8]

Is it ok to accept or cancel the booking?

Thank you

Sangeeta

[Mike-And-Jane0]

@Sangeeta8 Unless you have good reasons you will be fined and the dates blocked if you cancel the reservation. 

Red flags would be, for me:

Guest is local

Guest books a large place for 1 or 2 nights

Guest books last minute

Guest is evasive as to why they are coming

[Sangeeta2]

I second that. Been running Airbnbs for 15 years and always smell trouble or preempt it. 

[Sangeeta8]

@Mike-And-Jane0, thank you, just my thoughts too.

[Sarah977]

@Sangeeta8  What do you mean by "is it okay to accept or cancel"?

If it was an Instant Booking, you have no ability to "accept"-  an Instant Booking is a confirmed booking which you would have to cancel (you get 3 free instant book cancellations per year, so you could use one of those, stating that you are uncomfortable with the booking). 

Only Requests have the option to "accept".

[Sangeeta8]

Thank you Sarah977, my gut feel was that I should not accept the booking, I do not use Instant Booking.

[Scott57]

I suggest that, to avoid this happening in the future, you set your Instant book to not accept anyone without a positive Airbnb recommendation and government ID verification. Instead of an instant book, it will arrive as a Request at which point you can decline the request. 

[Sangeeta8]

Thank you , Scott57, very useful tip!