Your Listing May be Suspended

[Diane137]

Something happened in January that I can't seem to get off my mind. Early January 2022 I received an email from Airbnb saying...

You declined your last 3 reservation requests. Keep in mind that hosts who decline an excessive number of reservation requests may have their listings suspended and removed from search results.

Early January I started getting requests to book. I had to decline 3 in a row because of these valid reasons:

1) person tried to book 5 guests (my listing says I accommodate max 4 guests)

2) person wanted to bring their 2 year old (my listing says that I do not take children under 12)

3) I got nervous about the spread of Covid post-holidays and was not comfortable hosting guests in my shared house

So why can't the 'tech brains' at Airbnb figure out a way to filter out my listing from people who are trying to book outside my parameters? I figured that the email was auto-generated from a BOT and just ignored it. But it still 'burns my britches'!

[Emiel1]

@Diane137 

If there is no good match between what the guests wants and what your listing offers, then ask guest to retract the booking request. No need to decline. If it is an inquiry: no obligation to decline at all,just sent a message.

[Diane137]

@Emiel1 Brilliant idea! I never considered that. Thanks!

[Sarah977]

@Diane137  Guests may not all withdraw the request just because you asked, but it's definitely always worth a try.

And keep in mind when trying to get a guest to do something, to word it in a way that makes it seem like it is to their benefit, because they don't care about your convenience, penalties you may receive, or annoyance.

"Hi XX, Thank you for the request. We cannot accept more guests than our stated maximum of 4. I'd advise you to withdraw this request ASAP, so you will be free to find a listing that can accommodate your group."

[Anonymous]

I think the guest will be more motivated to withdraw the request if they know that accepting it means they get charged, but the additional guests will not be allowed to check in.

Just declining is so much more straightforward, and Airbnb really ought to stop threatening hosts when it's truly the appropriate course of action. 

However, failing to block the calendar when you're not comfortable hosting is not a good excuse. 

[Sharon683]

I have never had a problem with guest canceling if it is not a good match.

[Pat271]

@Diane137  Regarding item 3, if you are not comfortable hosting for some period of time, you should either block the dates or snooze your listing. It’s disappointing when a guest finds something nice to book, only to be declined.

[Elaine701]

You know, I recently had a guest whose demands steadily increased after he booked. Then, his weekend getaway suddenly turned into a party (he admitted to this prior to his, arrival), and the final straw was that he informed me that he was bringing his Labrador. All 9f this written in the Airbnb message system. 

So, I called Airbnb customer circus, and asked if I could cancel penalty free. The CS rep had to look into it and would let me know...

...so I asked if it would be better to ask the guest to cancel. His answer was that this would be a violation of Airbnb rules and my listing could be subject to suspension. Yet Airbnb eventually agreed with me, and cancelled. I don't know if it was penalty free or not. 

Ok, I'm well aware that Airbnb CS reps often don't know Airbnb rules and policies, but is it true that you're not supposed to ask the guest to cancel? I can't seem to find anything about this. 

[Anonymous]

@Elaine701 If the host is on record asking the guest to cancel, or indicating that they won't honor the booking, it is treated as a host cancellation.

But I've been able to get CS to cancel neutrally when the intended group size exceeded the occupancy. 

[Elaine701]

@Anonymous 

Thanks. Needed clarifying. Especially since advising unwanted guests to cancel seems to be a common practice. 

BTW, it still won't stop me if the need arises. I have property to protect. 

[Sharon683]

I had know idea your accound could get remove or suspended after 3 refusals.  That is crazy!  If the guest is not following the requirements then why is it your fault? The next time have the guest cancel the reservation.  Inform them you will return their money.  If you have a flexible cancelation policy then they can easily cancel with no penalty 24 hours prior to their arrival. I just started using the flexible concellation policy and it is working out just fine.  I may return to moderate cancelation in the high season.  A flexible cancelation helps both parties prevent being penalized.  Not everyone will agree with me.  I have tried all 3 cancelation policies.  Most guest want a flexible option. 

Also, I do a thorough screening prior to their arrival regardless if it is instant booking or an inquiry.  Example:  Is this your Airbnb account or did someone book it for you? Is this reservation for more than one guest?, if so please provide the names of the other guest? Do you smoke substances of any kind? One guest posted a profile picture of himself when he was 12 yrs old. I kindly asked him to send me a updated picture of what he looks like in 2022. So screen them as much as possible. If it is a flexible cancelation policy nobody looses.  They can easily cancel without penalty. Again, have the guest cancel  the reservation.  Good luck! 

[Sarah977]

@Sharon683  Actually I would lose with a flexible policy. My location is somewhere that guests tend to book at least a month ahead. It isn't a place where I could get a last minute booking (nor do I want guests who book last minute, as they tend to be problematic) 

And where I live in the tropics, I have to clean the guest space shortly before they arrive. I do most of it the day before, but have to do a final run through an hour before they check-in. Between the dust, the dead bugs, and the gecko poo, it doesn't work to just close the door after cleaning and it would be fine until the guest arrived days later.

So I wouldn't want to spend the hour and a half it takes me to clean the space, only to have a guest jam out at the last minute. I'd have to clean all over again for the next guest.

I've always used moderate and that has worked well for me. Only once has a guest cancelled after the 5 day cut-off and she didn't expect more of a refund than she got under that policy.

And I definitely communicate a lot with guests when they request to book (don't use IB).

[Anonymous]

@Sharon683   I can't really agree with "nobody loses." A flexible cancellation policy would have added up to a loss of thousands of euros to me over the years, cumulatively. Those last minute openings don't just refill themselves, and besides, I would often adjust my primary work schedule around guests' arrival dates, which was basically Calendar Tetris. Even with a Strict policy, the payout from cancelled bookings was just enough to cover the commitment that had already been invested in them. Notably, changing from Moderate to Strict had no impact on the occupancy rate, so it wasn't a question of playing to the market.

[Maia29]

@Diane137  I respond to all inquires just for this reason.

[Sammy-L-0]

It seems to me that AirBnB doesn't care what hosts set. It either gets changed without our permission or we get smacked with penalties when we're clearly within the bounds of the user agreement. I'm setting up now to use VRBO in addition to ABB. If I keep finding Smart Pricing turned on when I don't want it, I may switch entirely.