Your June 2018 Global Host Q&A

[Lizzie]

----------This message was last updated September, 3rd 2018----------

Update: We’ve gathered the questions and summaries of answers that were covered in the live Q&A. There’s lots more detail in the recording you won’t want to miss! To watch the entire answer to a particular question, just click “watch the full answer” after the question and we’ll take you just the right spot in the recording. Thanks for your feedback and for tuning in!

Why did you add new basic amenities requirements?

Our goal in requiring essential amenities was to meet guest expectations, as these are the items guest tell us they look for. But we’ve changed our approach and are now leaving it to hosts to choose whether or not to include essential amenities. For listings that don’t include essential amenities, we’re exploring ways to let guests know what to expect. Watch the full answer

Why did you change the cancellation policy, making it easier for guests to cancel at no cost?

We added a grace period to the Strict cancellation policy to encourage guests to book with confidence, and to make a way for them to resolve booking mistakes right after booking (as long as the trip is at least 14 days away and they cancel within 48 hours of booking). We have measures in place to make sure guests don’t misuse the grace period by booking more than one listing at a time or cancelling more than three times in a year penalty-free.

Your needs are top of mind as well. When you need to cancel due to an unforeseen situation, you’re covered under our Extenuating Circumstances policy to ensure that unexpected maintenance issues, sudden emergencies, and other covered instances do not impact your record or put an additional burden on you to bear the cost of cancellation penalties or guest rebooking. Watch the full answer

Can you request that guests have a profile picture? Can you share more info about guests upfront?

We’re committed to helping both hosts and guests feel comfortable hosting and traveling on Airbnb. And we understand that you may prefer guest profile photos so you can recognize and welcome guests when they arrive, but we’ve also heard stories of guests being denied acceptance based on their race or appearance. We’ve considered the solutions to the community’s needs carefully and are announcing new profile photo tools that we hope will address those needs equitably. Soon, hosts will be able to require guests to provide a photo before arrival. If you require profile photos, the small percentage of guests without them will not be able to request to book your listing until they upload one. If a host requires a photo, guests will be able to choose whether their photo is shown to the host before or after booking. We feel this is a fair way to address both host and guests preferences. Watch the full answer

You're constantly pushing me to lower my price, why? Who are you comparing me to?

Our tools help you set a competitive price and get more bookings when demand is low, which can mean suggestions to lower your price. But we’re launching improvements that better consider your market during periods of high demand. Soon we’re going to equip you with more data, not just pricing suggestions, to help you set your price.

As for comparisons, we look at successfully booked listings in your area with similar numbers of guests and amenities (listings you won’t see if you’re searching dates they’ve booked). We also look at what guests click before and after visiting your listing. Watch the full answer

What's the short-term rental legislation in my region? Where can I find info about it and ensure I'm compliant?

Understanding the legislation around short-term rentals is one of the first steps in becoming a host. Head over to airbnb.com/responsible-hosting for information about what rules apply to hosting in certain areas. It’s our plan to continue to provide all hosts with more detailed information about how local policies impact their ability to hosts, but in the meantime, we encourage hosts to learn the rules that apply to them before they welcome their first guests. Watch the full answer

Can you add an option to add extra fees for offering extra services?

We’re exploring ways for you to offer and manage these fees through the platform. The types of fees you’ve asked for fall into these categories: standard fees charged to every guest (like resort or linen fees, and local taxes) and optional fees charged for specific services guests could add (like breakfast or airport pickup). Stay tuned for updates! Watch the full answer

The review system can feel unfair sometimes. What are you planning to do to improve it?

We’re going to look into how one-off ratings affect your overall rating and impact your status in programs like Superhost. But it’s important for Airbnb to be a neutral platform for both guests and hosts, so we won’t remove reviews unless they violate our Content Policy. We want to give guests the chance to share their feedback— and for you to respond, too. You can always publicly respond to reviews.

Regarding reviews of your location, we understand that your location isn’t something you can change. But it is something that helps guests decide if it’s the right spot for them to book. Guests are asked to rate how convenient they think the location is, and that’s subjective, since preferences vary. This rating doesn’t say anything about the quality of your hosting or your listing and it does not affect your search ranking, overall experience rating, or eligibility for special programs like Superhost or Plus.

Correction: Previously we stated that guests who cancel before check-in, without seeing or visiting the space, shouldn't be able to leave a review, and that if hosts contacted us, we would remove reviews left by these guests. But it’s not always that simple. We only remove reviews which violate our content guidelines. We apologize for any confusion we may have caused in the Host Q&A. We take this seriously, and moving forward, we’re committed to being more clear.

When do you plan to expand Experiences to my city?

Since they began two years ago, Experiences on Airbnb have grown from 500 offerings in 12 cities to 12,000 Experiences in 180 cities, with more regions and countries soon to come. You can apply to host your own Experience at airbnb.com/host/experiences. Watch the full answer

Additional updates!

We couldn’t end the Host Q&A without sharing some exciting things we’ve been working on for you. We’re improving the reservation page so you can print, sort, and filter—and so the page is quicker to load. Your calendar will load faster now too, and we’ve made design changes so it’s larger, easier to identify blocked days, and so you can scroll to future months with ease. Finally, we’re working on photo services and tips to help your listing stand out in search like never before. Watch the full recording

We can’t wait to keep the conversation going here in the Community Center and in the next global Host Q&A.

[Irena35]

When will you finally fix the issue of listings showing up worldwide? I got 0 help and all agents behave as if they never heard of this before and offer over and over same "tips" that do not help. You have a serious bug/glitch and you know it. Anyone working on this? 

[Jürgen-U--Asmaa0]

We understand the review-system as an important chance to improve our hosting. And, of cause, everybody know, that sometimes the feedback of a guest is really beside the reality.  If f.e. there are for all single items like clean, comunication, etc. are not less than 4 stars, but in the total only 3, then Airbnb has the duty to correct this or to change the automatic system so that the total feedback can only be the average out of the single feedbacks.

[Jürgen-U--Asmaa0]

The second item here is the system to suspend an inserate for a certain period. This might be ok, if there is something to fix in the room or whatever. But it is at no time acceptable, if the claim of the guest was, that he "found some ONE hair in the bed" and "ONE hair at the breakfast-table." This claim, which has not been claimed during his stay, was just the given reason to put 2 stars. Dear Airbnb, what is it what we can improve in 5 days?

This sample shows, that the whole system of feedback needs a very carefully treatment . We think, if the claim of a guest is like this, it is not helpful for us and is not correct anyway. It is also not helpful for the next guest, if he find "nice hosts, very gentle" and 4 or 5 stars each item, but only 2 in the total.

[Suzanne80]

I just got back from a trip to Scotland. I've had a very good experience with my airbnb hosts there. I've been a host since July 2010, even though I was a super host, I've not been one since May 2018. We do our best to make our guests feel welcome. 

[Rhonda102]

I am having trouble setting up my Payment Method is there anybody in Oamaru NZ that could help

[Matt457]

Hi there, don’t know if this the right place to lodge a complaint. I stayed at a place recently where the host was overseas and using 2 girls to host in his name. I was surprised when i was given a bad review (never had one before). Can I be reviewed by someone who wasn’t even there? Essentially they were using his name to review me and they’re not technically the host. I have proof in his messages that he was overseas and getting the 2 girls to host in his name. I never even met him. Is this right? I feel hard done by and don’t know how to rectify the situation. 

[Aman13]

@Lizzie - Hello. Hope you're doing well.

I understand I'm rather replying late but this is something that as a Superhost and a property Manager (PM) I'm currently dealing with and would like others at Airbnb and hosts to take notice.

For the hosts who are using a channel manager service, it is compulsory to be on Insant Book. As a PM of Luxury Vacation Homes, this is rather usnettling since I wish to have more control over who books and who doesn't as these homes are high-value properties in really posh locales.

Even though I understand that Airbnb's IB gives you better visibilty, I can't compromise my property on the basis of anyone who can book Instantly. 

I wish to reach out to the tech team handling this and have them take a look and give the control of booking settings to the host under all circumstances since as a platform allowing people to host on their terms, this goes against your and our interests.

Just as a workaround, I had the API implemented and then request the Airbnb Customer Care switch the IB off only to have a few of my listings turn their IB on automatically resulting in them being removed from the API.

I have gotten great response from Airbnb and I'd like to stay and be Superhost for the longest time possible but I need this feature to enjoy hosting on Airbnb.

Hope you understand and I'm up for getting views from other hosts who have received something of the same issue.

Thanks!

Regards.

[Lee294]

I am starting to hear in general that people are going back to hotels because of the fees added on to rental fees. It may be smarter overall to cut back on some of the expansion of corporate Airbnb things, like a magazine, forums, etc., and just make the experience of staying in another place personal AND less expensive. There is no need to follow the typical corporate trajectory and keep expanding. It's not that my price is too high, as the increasing number of emails are warning me, it may be unnecessarily high fees added on. I love the concept and site, but I am worried that renters are realizing it's not worth it compared to a good old fashioned hotel. I may be wrong. 

[Genevieve122]

As a host I think it would be great to have the option of uploading videos of rooms and welcome video for accepted reservations

[Jane-and-Tony0]

I have read your response on the question of the fairness of reviews.  In particular "Regarding reviews of your location, we understand that your location isn’t something you can change. But it is something that helps guests decide if it’s the right spot for them to book. Guests are asked to rate how convenient they think the location is, and that’s subjective, since preferences vary. "

Surely it should be the accuracy and completeness of the location information that a host provides in their listing that helps guests decide if it's the right spot for them to book, not the subjective preferences of a random guest who does not take the time to read the information provided in the listing thoroughly.

By way of example, my listing clearly states that we are located some 33 miles from Boston, MA.  I have people who want to visit Boston book my place, but, after finding that they would have preferred to have stayed closer to Boston give less than 5 stars in their review.

AirBnb sets no expectations for Hosts regarding location, so why do you consider it valid to solicit guest feedback on this?  Why aren't the ratings that guests are asked to provide directly related to the expectations that AirBnb sets out for its Hosts?

[Bob105]

Air bnb is now making it very difficult for superhosts by cultivating the behavior for guests to minutely critique areas.  In the past a guest was happy or not and as a host we were able to work to find a way to improve if there was a consistent area of deficiency.   Now even with a perfect stay, the guest is almost encouraged to raise their expectations and demands to the highest level and offer a "suggestion for improvemnt" that best fits their ideals (not necessarily needed or even doable)!  An example that I have is a perfect hosting experience except a 3 star for value for the cost of cleaning.  If the guest was not happy with the cost of cleaning upon agreement then why should a host receive a "hit" for something that was agreed upon and understood at the time of booking?  Another example could be a perfect stay but the guest prefers 4 facecloths instead of 2 facecloths and the value is again an area that can be negatively impacted.  The stakes are high for hosts.  We're trying to make a living here.  Air bnb is now promoting an enviroment for guests to be unnaturally critical and allowin for an unrealistic level of entitlement among the guest community.  While I appreciate the effort to make Air bnb a better experience for all,  I'm afraid that they have created a hostile enviroment for hosting and it's negatively impacting the hosts (financially and emotionally) at alarming fast rate!  Airbnb is quickly sucking the profits and joy out of hosting.  

[Fay26]

 Totally agree with all that Susan has said and quite frankly am seriously considering pulling outbid Airbnb .

[Travis68]

Host question.  I agreed to rent a house to someone about a month ago.  Next week is there check in so I msg'd them to touch base.  The tenant then gave me the name of a different tenant and their phone #. This seems very irregular.  I would like to cancel this reservation but don't to be penalized. Please advise.

[Mary-and-Ben0]

I just gave this feedback to Airbnb here, https://www.airbnb.com/help/feedback

What I said:

"Airbnb is not matching us with the guests who are looking for what we offer. We've had to cancel 10 guests in a row because they did not read the description of the place and were not aware that we're offering premium lodging for chemically sensitive individuals, and they were not prepared to comply with our needs on their end (fragrance free etc.) On the flip, the guests who do (often direly) need us report they have not found us on airbnb, but through other, difficult-to-use-and-rely-on means, like word-of-mouth and Facebook groups. Up to 20 percent of travelers will choose a fragrance-free, eco- and chemically-conscious lodging as their first choice. This is a huge market segment. I am aware that many people have asked you to bring back your search terms feature as this was very helpful to people looking for chemically-sensitive and eco-conscious lodging. another option would be to add a check box for hosts , 'Chemically sensitive, eco-conscious' or the like which would allow the guest to only view properties that are suitable for them. "

Also, just FYI, we are preparing our home to be an EMF Sanctuary which will offer a low/safe EMF environment for the increasing numbers of us who are terribly EMF sensitive. Please let me know if you want to find out more information about our efforts in this regard. Love to all fellow lovers of Earth --

[Heba3]

When you remove a review that violates policy you should also remove the star rating.  I received a 1 star rating in connection with a retaliatory review.  The review was found to violate policy so the rating should go away right along with it.  Please don't give me that "reflective of the guest's experience nonsense"  bc prior to the damage claim, they wanted to extend the reservation.