A Guest booked my room without telling the truth

[Vinna0]

Hi, I am a host. I have some difficulties with customer booking now. Here is the story. One guest booked my room, it is indicated just one guest, however, there are actually totally 4 guests. My room is only suitable for max 2 guests which has already indicated in my listing. The guest booked my room without telling the truth. I told him my room is not suitable for so many people and asked him to cancel, but he does not want to cancel from his side since he does not want to lose the service fee. Please advise how should I do for this kind of problem. Thanks a lot.

[Gerry-And-Rashid0]

Contact Airbnb- Twitter is usually fastest route. Search for Airbnb Help. Get them to cancel the booking.

[Xeni0]

Hi Gary and Rashid,

Would appreciate your insight on my issue below:

I`m a new host, and received this message late last afternoon from a possible guest / fraudster.

"I would like to book your place from this Friday December 16 until 18 Sunday 2 nights here says 8800 huf would you make it flat 8000? I live in Budapest, can i pay you in person to avoid fees?"

My original concerns were:

- If someone lives in the city of my listing, why would he rent out a flat?

- Especially with an urgency like this (within 1,5 days before "arrival")

- There`s no info / introduction about the person

- Why does he want to breach the policy in paying in cash?

- He`s been on the site for over a year, and no single review of his behaviour, etc

(By the way i`ve flagged this msg for Airbnb, but had no reply or anything, and i`d either need to pre-approve or to decline his inquery - just got a "Last reminder from Airbnb".)

What do you suggest me to do, especially that, when i wanted to get to know the "possible guest" and his visit a bit more, he got offended.

The conversation followed like this:

me:

-  "Kindly pls note, that there are other inqueries as well. Could you pls let me know a bit more about your visit? Cheers"

him:

- "I see. My fiend is visiting me for xmas and Budapest."

(This got me puzzled for a sec, as Christmas is a week after the supposed check-out date. But anyway...)

me:

- "I see. So if i get you right, you're planning to renting apartments on a 2nights bases till Christmas?"

him:

- "That's right For 2 nights"

me: (as the inquery was for 1 PERSON FOR TWO NIGHTS, and he was referring to himself in the initial msg)

- "So who would be staying in the apartment?"

him:

- "What's up with all these private questions anyway It's none of your business! Who I stay with and reason of visit Like a visa counselor Never mind I don't want your flat from now on Will leave my feedback based on this!"

my last msg to him last eve was this:

- "general questions, that noone has issues abt. Your inquery was for 1 person for 2 nights. Also you wanted to breach the site's requirements Now you're saying that it would be for more than 1 person."

Never got a reply or anything from him, BUT i`m getting the Airbnb notifications to pre-approve / decline the inquery. How can i decline without being penaltised?

Kindly please share your advises, experiences.

Greatly appreciated, and

Wishing you a nice day

[Coln0]

@Xeni0 you won't be punished for not accept/decline the guest, provided you have responded at least once.

[Xeni0]

Thank you, Coln

Wishing you a great day

[Helen3]

Hello

Just decline the booking. It will ask you why - I can't remember the option but you can click 'other' and say the guest wanted to pay cash and wouldn't provide information about themselves.

It's clear from the conversation he has decided not to book with you anyway.

You are right to flag this guests profile.

[Xeni0]

Thank you.

Do you happen to know, if the potential "guest" receives the comment / reason for decline, or just the fact that it got declined by the Host, and it is only Airbnb who does "see/receives" the reason behind the decision.

[James1]

Send him a "special offer" for a ridiculous price. He won't accept it because the instant he does his credit card will be charged. 

[Xeni0]

like hitting an extra digit more.  "Accidentally"?

[Marit-Anne0]

@Xeni0

An extra digit would be the way to go 🙂