blocking users from contacting you

[Rachael171]

Hi everyone,

So what is the real story with the Block User feature and why it doesn't show up anymore when you report someone? I've read a bunch of threads on here that say you now have to call Airbnb in order to block someone.

However, I just got off a 40-minute call with an Airbnb customer service rep and even she didn't know how to block a user anymore from her side!!

By the end of the call, she told me that if you report someone as Offensive, then they automatically get blocked from contacting you?

What is going on???

[Russell49]

AirBnB have their heads up their own a$$es as usual.

[Sammy35]

@Rachael171  try both on web and app.  its a glitchy feature.  i just had to report a scammer.  no block option on chrome browser.  went to app reported again.  same.  back to chrome clean cookies cache, there was the block.  i'm not 100% sure if a block can be done from the app anyway...just bear that in mind

[Huma0]

Interesting. I also noticed that feature had disappeared, but @Sammy35 is right in that there are lots of inconsistencies according to device, browser etc, so maybe this is another one.

For example, we are no longer able to see guest photos before booking, right? Wrong. I can't see them on a browser but CAN see them on the App on my phone. You can only see guests' star ratings when they instant book, right? Wrong. I got an enquiry this week from a guest and could see their star ratings even though they hadn't booked, let alone EBooked. 

[Colleen253]

"For example, we are no longer able to see guest photos before booking, right? Wrong. I can't see them on a browser but CAN see them on the App on my phone. You can only see guests' star ratings when they instant book, right? Wrong. I got an enquiry this week from a guest and could see their star ratings even though they hadn't booked, let alone EBooked."

FINALLY. Glitches that work in hosts favor.

@Huma0 

[Huma0]

@Colleen253 

Yes, I was kind of reluctant to mention it in case the powers that be see this and fix the glitches! I noticed that the photos still appear on the App ages ago. I assumed they just hadn't gotten round to phasing it out, but I can still see them. I only noticed the star rating thing on an enquiry I got last week. I need to double check to see if it's there for other enquiries too.

[Rachael171]

@Huma0 

I'm reluctant to think Airbnb reads any of these threads or feedback emails. They can't even be bothered to respond to customer service tickets in less than a week anymore. 

I'm with @Sammy35, I secretly hope abb goes under. They're unethical and all about the money grab. Unfortunately there are articles out there like this: https://www.cnn.com/2020/06/08/business/airbnb-summer-travel-2020-bookings/index.html

...claiming that abb is having a surge in business. Maybe it's surge in business compared to no business at the start of COVID. 

[Huma0]

@Rachael171 

Yes, the article says "The rise in bookings is coming from a low baseline after the global travel industry came to a screeching halt in late winter as Covid-19 spread. Chesky said he expects this year's revenue to be half of what it was last year."

Of course it's gong to be a surge from close to zero!

Maybe things are picking up in the US, but I'm not experiencing it here. My average booking rate is currently showing as 16.1% (always used to be near to 100% year round, not just in high season months like July) and that's because I have my first guest in months. It also says that's up 16.7% on the previous month, which doesn't make much sense. So my occupancy was at -0.6% before? I don't really trust the Airbnb performance figures, but I can assure you there's no surge at this end.

There is a surge of pointless enquiries from guests asking for more discounts, wanting to treat the place like a regular rental, i.e. having boyfriends stay over frequently for free and doing a disappearing act if you ask them any questions. 

One disappeared when I asked her COVID-19 safety related questions, another (and this girl started off by begging me to let her stay) when I said no to extra discounts and that there was a charge for a second person and a third when I asked her about her most recent and very negative review. Of course all of this was tactfully worded by me.

Previously, I got more requests to book than enquiries and people did actually respond, including to defend themselves if a host left a bad review. Now, it's just enquiries and the majority have red flags. I can see why so many hosts are reporting an increase in bad guests. Desperate times may call for desperate measures, but I'm not willing to go there!

[Huma0]

PS @Sammy35 

I am not stalking you, just in case you were wondering. We seem to be the only people still online right now! Need to head to bed though as it's very late in my neck of the woods 🙂

[Sammy35]

no worries, i'm not paranoid lol.  nobody could ever find me on here even if they wanted to lmao.  you're posts are interesting anyways.  FK you're up late tho lololol

yes, i think abb laid off half their staff (and frankly i hope they go under) tons tons tons of glitchy stuff tech now.

i'm watching pricing discounts calendar setting like hawk.

i just saw a user picture for a first message--porno star wants to see my place.  reported blocked maybe was spam.  idk if abb knows this but you can see photos of potential guests on other hosts pages at least from chrome.  that's how i located poor broke soccer liar lol who wants "corporate" housing for an "internship" at the price of a cheap roomate lol jajajajajajajaj

[Huma0]

@Sammy35 

I don't think the photo thing is a recent glitch as I noticed it a long time ago, but this was the first time I spotted the star ratings. 

Good idea RE checking other hosts' pages, although of course that would only apply if the guest has left reviews.

My sleep patterns are all over the place at the moment and the CC can get very addictive when you can't get to sleep!