What is the purpose of the Trust and Safety team?

[Sarah977]

Here's the latest from Airbnb: https://www.airbnb.com/help/article/2799/airbnbs-offplatform-policy 

We are not allowed to ask guests to provide us with ID, we are not allowed to do background checks, among other "not alloweds".

Yet according to this: https://www.airbnb.com/help/article/1308/does-airbnb-perform-background-checks-on-members  Airbnb doesn't even require guests to provide them with full names or date of birth.

Here is the pertinent wording: "If we have enough information (usually at least the user’s first and last name, plus date of birth) to identify a guest or host who lives in the United States, we check certain databases of public state and county criminal records, as well as state and national sex offender registries for criminal convictions and sex offender registrations. If we have enough information (usually at least the user’s first and last name plus date of birth) to identify a guest or host who lives outside the United States, we may, to the extent permitted by applicable laws and to the extent available, obtain the local version of background or registered sex offender checks."

So if you were under the impression that even though you may not know a guest's last name, Airbnb surely does, think again. 

And how likely is it that guests who have a criminal record or a warrant out for their arrest would give this information that Airbnb doesn't actually require?

No police department in the world would consider it safe for hosts to admit a stranger into their home without at least knowing the person's real name. Yet Airbnb is willing to put hosts in this unsafe position. 

[Katrina79]

@Lisa723 @Sarah977 It’s happened to me in the past that I’ve googled a person’s name after they booked and found news stories about their criminal activity. I’ve used this reason to cancel penalty free as it is the reason I don’t feel comfortable hosting the guest. Will this now penalize the host for running a background check and possibly give Airbnb a reason to de-activate my account? Is this a measure to prevent hosts from cancelling and/or cancelling penalty free? 

[Mike-And-Jane0]

@Helen350 Technically we are required, in England and Wales, to know the full names of all who stay with us.

I had rather assumed that Airbnb held that information but fear I may be wrong

[Helen350]

@Mike-And-Jane0 And addresses? - I guess under track & trace, us being able to message guests would not suffice cos the system needs an address, not being able to us Airbnb messaging....?

- I had a guest once who was pleasant, but complained bitterly about the occasion when a London host wouldn't let her in without i.d.... She was outraged that he would ask for her passport.... Which has made me fearful of asking such questions.

Not wishing to be a pain, but does the law re knowing guest's names only apply to business registered places, or does it also apply to the simplest, spare room operations too, like my place?

Obviously the need to know who's who for track & trace is over & above the previous situation...

[Helen350]

.... & if a guest uses a false name on Airbnb, will they tell us their real name? Is it rude to ask for passport/driver's licence? Or something we could be reported to Airbnb for? Some Brits have neither, or don't travel with them ....

[Mark116]

@Helen350  I do think guests will find it rude to ask for passport or driver's license, which is what makes it so unfortunate that airbnb continues to scale back the information they take from guests.  We do have it in the rules that if you don't have a profile photo/full name that we will check your ID upon arrival, but this only happened in practice 2 times, and neither time did we end up doing it, 1 of those guests was delightful, and one was terrible and destructive.

[Mike-And-Jane0]

@Helen350 The legislation is here: www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/1972/1689/made

The requirements are different for 'aliens' but addresses are not needed as far as I can see.

Its a GDPR nightmare so I shall continue to hope that Airbnb have the information on file!

[Ian-And-Anne-Marie0]

@Helen350 

In the UK check out 'BandBassociation dot Org' for their registration pdf as well as their note on the "Immigration and Hotel Records Order 1972" set out by the government. This requires guests details to be provided at check-in.

No hotel will allow a guest to stay without the provision of proof of identity and home address.

[Kelly149]

@Mike-And-Jane0 Wrong, very wrong. 

and even if they do know, they won’t necessarily share that info with you

[Christine615]

@Mike-And-Jane0  @Helen350   I tell all my guests I need to know the name of everyone staying. If they don’t respond, I don’t allow them to book, or say I have to cancel. It’s in my rules. No longer surprised people don’t read them.

[Branka-and-Silvia0]

In Croatia we have to register all our guests. They have to show us their ID-s at arrival ...but, if we allow self-check in or If one part of the group arrives later then another then we usually ask them to send us a photo of their ID-s upfront so we don't have to come back again and disturb them. Nobody ever complained. Now ABB is telling us that's prohibited. Great! This will make our life and their check-in so much easier 🙄 👍

[Inna22]

What if I tell the guests I will check their IDs at arrival and they ask if they can send it in advance? Am I to refuse that or because they guests asked, not me, it’s ok?

[Yiwei3]

I just had someone book with "verified" identity, and I said I will check ID at check in.  Found out that the people I checked IDs on gave the key to someone else.  Other people are staying there now.  I locked them out but no one is leaving.  I'm so pissed at how loosely Airbnb is treating safety. I can't even get anyone on the phone.  What else are they going to do?