New Host - How do I reply to a Question in a booking request?

[Matt4381]

Listed my property yesterday, still setting up calendar, extra details, etc.

Booking Request has a question in it - indeed Airbnb policy Encourages guests & hosts to ask/answer questions (COVID-19 in particular), but I only get two options:  Accept or Decline.

No 'Reply' button?

[Matt4381]

To clarify: a potential guest has already sent me a Reservation Request ... but it has a question in it.

It also provided a contact telephone number - but Airbnb thoughtfully removed that  😞 

[Matt4381]

OK - so I had to click on the Warning Message first, and confirm it was 'ok' before I replied.
The interface isn't as intuitive as you might think Airbnb!

[Mike-And-Jane0]

@Matt4381 it is very strange for a booking request to include a question given that acceptance of the request will mean the guest is committed to book. Are you sure it wasn't a booking inquiry?

[Matt4381]

Thanks ... it did seem very strange - and a bad introduction to Hosting, even though I've been using Airbnb on and off over 6 or 7 years.

It showed up in the Inbox, and the title in the conversation list on the left (1 of 1) was 'Trip Requested'.

The prospective Guest had sent two messages in the conversation - the second asking me not to Accept the request before we'd spoken.  I gather she wanted the dates 'pencilled in' so no-one else could request a conflicting stay prior to me dealing with her request - but doesn't want to be slugged a fee by Airbnb if I accept before the question is dealt with.

Having cleared the Airbnb "this might be suspicious" type warning, I was able to respond, explaining the above to her and putting the ball back in her court so to speak.

Thanks for taking the time to message me Mike and/or Jane 🙂

I hope that life in the UK settles down a little for you all soon.

We're looking forward to our next QF1 flight as soon as leaving the biggest (and for now seemingly safest) island in the world is less of a gamble.

[Mike-And-Jane0]

@Matt4381 be careful as you only have 24 hours to accept or decline a request before your stats will get dinged. You need to tell the guest to withdraw the request or reject it. The guest is mis-using the system

[Matt4381]

Understood.   I sent the following (and will follow-up with a 'Withdraw or I'll Accept' message in the next hour):

"Unfortunately, I suspect Airbnb's AI has interpreted your message as an attempt to bypass them and/or negotiate an off-platform arrangement.
Over to you ..."

Thanks,

Matt.

[Sarah977]

@Matt4381  "It also provided a contact telephone number - but Airbnb thoughtfully removed that  😞 

Phone numbers and other personal contact information will  be blocked until after a booking is confirmed. Once it's paid for and confirmed, Airbnb provides the phone numbers to both guest and host automatically.

Be aware that guests who try to get you to communicate outside the system are usually trying to get you to make a private deal to avoid Airbnb service fees.