let's take this off-platform

[Nash-Cottages-LLC0]

Below is an actual inquiry from a multiple, 5-star rated guest we just received. For context, 'vandy' is Vanderbilt University in Nashville, TN. And, it's not just her. The inquiry was for two people—red flag number 1. The inquiry was for 3 days. 

Inquiry:

"hi! i’m so interested in this house. i went to vandy and am going back to visit my teachers and students for the long weekend. is there any additional discount you can offer? or is there a way to do this off airbnb so we avoid the fees?"

I'll give this person credit for having the guts, er gall, to ask on Airbnb's platform to book to avoid Airbnb fees. <insert head shake here>. In our response, we gave her credit for graduating though we're not sure she did.

Response:

<name>, Thank you for your inquiry. Congrats on graduating Vandy. So nice that you will be in town to visit with former professors and current students. Unfortunately, we won't be able to accommodate your request to book our place off the Airbnb platform. Doing so would violate our agreement with them and would be cause for our dismissal from the platform. It's a risk that we will not take.

Regarding your question about the discount, the price is set based on an algorithm that Airbnb uses and seems fair based on current market conditions.

We wish you good luck in finding a place that is a better fit for you and your guest.

***

Off to have a🍹now. 

[Sarah977]

@Nash-Cottages-LLC0  Amazing how much smarter than hosts some guests think they are.

[Colleen253]

@Nash-Cottages-LLC0 Hope you reported her too.

[Andrea-and-Glenn0]

Agreed with @Colleen253   We report these type of guests who try and skirt the rules while at the same time are bargain hunting. Eloquently turning them down like you did @Nash-Cottages-LLC0 is the way to go. 

[Nash-Cottages-LLC0]

Thanks for the suggestion as we had not thought about reporting them as we handled it. Off to do that now. 

[Sarah977]

Really makes you wonder how she got all those 5 star ratings. There's also always the possibility that a guest's account  gets hacked, or they let a friend use it.

[Elaine701]

We get these often. I've declned 2 just in the past 24 hours. But they rarely have any reviews or history.  

Uggghh.. I suppose if I decline just 1 more in the next 24 hrs, I'll get the dreaded "suspension for too many declines" threat. 🙄

[Summer64]

@Elaine701 Is it 3 declines in a day? I've declined some but never got a suspension message.

[Elaine701]

@Summer64 

I don't know. I know other hosts receive those threats, and some are actually suspended. I'm not sure if it's policy, or some random act of stupidity on their part. 

Because airbnb doesn't really vet guests to any reasonable extent, I feel it's my right as a host to decline anyone I suspect is a risk to the property or the business. 

But ok... I'd just like to finish gettting the summer fully booked with respectable guests before anything like that happens. 

[Christine615]

I think we forget a lot of hosts with 5 star reviews are actually absentee investors with cleaning services and no real contact with their guests. I learned the hard way that those type of hosts are my worst guests. Entitled, sloppy, and looking for the same deals they wouldn't agree to if I asked as a guest at their place.

The minute someone asks for a discount or to pay off platform I decline.

[Kelly149]

@Nash-Cottages-LLC0 ugh... these "I went somewhere special, therefore, be very impressed and grateful that I'd deign to stay with you" types are always best avoided. We once had a guest whose profile was sure to say that he attended XXXX (college with very low, these days, acceptance rate) and lived in xxxxx (big fancy city) and he proceeded to be offended that renting for 4 didn't mean that he could be the party spot for the crew of 15 they were actually traveling with, "uh, this is an ABB, of course I"m inviting extra people over!" and he also was quite shocked and offended that my town of 1.6 million people had traffic at 4pm on a Friday, and really, why did I have checkin right at a time when there would be traffic?!? As if there was a time of the day in which there wouldn't be traffic... Which really led me to question what kind of education did this fellow receive for his quarter million dollars tuition at said fancy school, if he really went to school there.

I got some new protocols after that guest and thought of some new vetting questions, too. Anyone who thinks they should name-drop anything, while they're asking to stay with me, does the exact opposite to my opinion of them from what they're expecting.

[Sarah977]

@Kelly149  I've seen host profiles like that, too. Trying to impress everyone wth all their life's accomplishments. One guy even said something along the lines of him being probably the smartest person you'll ever meet. Can you imagine how open a host like that would be to any legitimate complaint or suggestion?