Airbnb Preventing "Entire Home" bookings by those with no reviews

[Geoffrey125]

This was the message I got from Airbnb support:

"In order to better protect our hosts from unauthorized parties, Airbnb recently implemented restrictions that prevent guests who have few or poor host reviews from making last-minute, local bookings of entire homes. We’re not currently able to make exemptions for this."

Is it just me or is this absolutely ridiculous? I would expect a policy like this to be something hosts can opt in/out of.

Would love some feedback.

Thanks!

-Geoff

[Geoffrey125]

Id like to also add that this was applied to a "secondary unit" and "guesthouse" the tech told me:

"Yes, as long as the property type is Entire Home and changing the property type does not also help. We can't provide any accurate details Geoffrey about the message that these guest are getting, but once again this is part of the safety precautions that Airbnb is doing for both users."

[Dave52]

@Geoffrey125   

How does airbnb define-

"last-minute"  Same day, 1 day before, 1 week before?

"local bookings" same city, within 25 miles?  Also, many guests don't update their profile for where they currently live.

[Debra300]

@Geoffrey125 

I am curious if the following will work. Contact the host and tell them what's happening to prevent you from booking their space.  Ask them to send you a special offer in response to your inquiry.  If you receive the offer, you should be able to accept.

[Debra300]

@Geoffrey125,

Sorry, I thought you were the guest.  Anyway, I am still curious if the workaround would be successful.

[Geoffrey125]

Airbnb said there was no workaround. However... i did switch my listing to "private room" told the guest to book, then switched it back to "entire house" it worked 🙂 Still an inconvenience and my concern is that it may discourage others from booking in the future. made me wonder how many stays i have potentially lost from this....

[Mark116]

@Geoffrey125  I actually think its a good idea.  Last minute bookings are, in my experience, not the best guests to start with, if you add in they are locals, and if they are only booking for a single night, another red flag.  I think that Airbnb also factors in the age of the guest..so last minute, young guest, no good reviews, local, short stay.  Why would you want to host such a person even if you could?

[Geoffrey125]

Hey @Mark116 my problem is that automatically blocking guests and preventing business is an extreme knee jerk reaction. Why not give me (the host and owner) the ability to control who i want to book? given 

my house is not necessarily at risk of parties due to:

- watchful/helpful neighbors

-security cameras

-not a party destination

I'd prefer the ability to allow whomever i feel with comfortable to book. Airbnb shouldn't block this with no override in my opinion

[Mark116]

@Geoffrey125   Sure, an override isn't a bad idea, but Airbnb is not capable of administering their most broad and general policies in an even handed rational manner, so asking them to start making exceptions to their new anti party policy is probably not going to be successful.  

[Dave52]

@Geoffrey125 I've never heard of this.  So what is a "last minute" booking? 1 day prior? What is a local booking?  Same city?  There must be parameters, right?  I don't see how a last minute booking should be a red flag.  After all, people plan parties weeks in advance.  The more advanced the planning, the larger the party (ie birthdays, bachelor parties, etc).  And all it takes is one person at the party from outside the area to make the booking and it's not a "local booking".  The whole thing sounds absurd in terms of preventing parties, this won't do it.

[Sarah977]

@Dave52  No, the types of parties that this algorithm was designed to prevent aren't the type of parties that are planned weeks in advance. They are the kind of parties that get booked last minute and within an hour, through Whatsapp and texting, 300 people know about the party tonight at XX. They don't require any planning because all they are is booze-up, drug-ups. 

They aren't sending out engraved invitations, waiting for RSVPs, making place cards and centerpieces, decorating, ordering flower arrangements, or hiring caterers and a photographer. 

[Dave52]

@Sarah977 OK good to know.  So I guess it won't apply to bookings with 1 day or more advance notice.

[Ute42]

.

@Mark116 

You ask Goeffrey: "Why would you want to host such a (party) - person even if you could?"

Maybe that's because he himself likes parties?

This is his profile picture: Joeffrey in full swing.

[Geoffrey125]

@Ute42  try to keep this thread productive please. I'm just trying to get other opinions. save your personal judgments for facebook or something.

[Ute42]

.

@Geoffrey125 

Ok., here's my opinion. The party situation has been an ongoing problem on the airbnb platform for years. Now, for the first time, they are starting to fight it and I think they are doing the right thing.