Basic Requirements & Review of Guest Re Sensitive Situation

[Mo56]

Hi everyone,

This post involves 2 issues. Basic requirements and a sensitive review situation. 

I've been on Airbnb for a year and, up until last weekend, have had great guests. Instant Booking is available for my guests with reviews. Where there are no reviews, I request additional personal information. Airbnb seems to have become more like HomeAway (my HomeAway listings are inactive bec I didn't like the way they conduct business). This year many reservation requests are coming from people with few verifications and no reviews. It's a difficult situation for me because my 2 guest rooms (listings) are in my home. Airbnb has notified me that I've fallen below their basic requirement for accepting reservations on one of my listings. I have an 84% acceptance rate, which is below their target of 88%. This is due mainly to people not responding to my request for more info or, in a couple of instances, my not being comfortable with the guest. 

I got a last-minute reservation request this weekend with no reviews. It took awhile, but his reply included practically a life-long history (even medical). That in itself was a red flag, but he has a MBA, has worked all over the world, owns a business. Said he was coming to the area for a class reunion. Turned out he is manic, which he told me about in detail upon his arrival. He arrived at 5:30 on Friday and drove off that night at about 10:00. Didn't return until 4:30 Saturday afternoon. Said he had gone out to eat chicken wings and have a few drinks. After leaving the bar and while driving back to my house, he pulled off the road. Next thing he knew, it was 7:00 a.m. and 2 policemen were waking him. He was arrested for drunk driving and held in the local jail. He went to bed when he got back to my place, didn't go to the reunion. This morning he left early. 

Last year my reservation requests were primarily from guests with reviews. This year the caliber of guests seems to have changed. Wondering how others are handling the screening process. Also looking for advice re how to handle the above guest review situation. It's sensitive because it's about mental illness. 

Thanks for any advice and thoughts. 

mo

[Christine615]

Alot of people struggle with mental illness. He was polite and honest about it. Why ding him for that? 

Save bad reviews for truly awful guests that are rude or damage your space. Have some empathy for this guy.

[Mo56]

Thanks, Christine. Believe me, I do have empathy for him. Good to get different perspectives here. 

[Ephraim0]

@Christine615Christine, you are absolutely correct, it is ignorant to stigmatize or have bias towards people with mental health issues or any health issue

.   but there is also a responsibility for guests to try their best to manage any mental or other significant health condition and flare ups before arriving at a host who is certainly ill-equipped  or qualified to provide care in an acute medical emergency. It is all of us as guests who have a general responsibility not to travel during an episode if it may impact a host, their home, family, town or the guests themselves.

 Alcoholics do not get excused from drinking and driving even though it’s recognized and treated as an illness.  Because ultimately we all have our challenges, we are responsible for them within reason and none of them allow us to jeopardize others - when they can be avoided. The exception of course  being physician supervised and approved medical travel.

“ I’m traveling to you in order to receive medical care, by specialists  at Mount Sinai hospital - where I say yes you are certainly welcome - and please let me know how I can assist to make your stay easier. Responsibility is squarely on us as hosts and guests as individuals.

The best place during a manic episode is to be supervised by family, and or under the care of a physician or in extreme cases in a health care facility. Very Personal medical details prior to his stay were likely a result of his manic episode in this case. Very possibly he is a good person and was unconsciously warning his host. Much of the population experiences mania, Schizophrenia and other mental health challenges/gifts - more than most people realize- very often (although a generalization but statistically correct) they are highly intelligent, highly educated, highly  productive and highly creative individuals and often famous or  extremely successful  in their various fields. So as far as I concerned there’s nothing to judge,  It’s nothing that should be stigmatized, or ashamed of it’s an illness  like heart disease, asthma, diabetes  - and often like asthma, heart disease and diabetes  these health issues can be well managed with proper treatment and medical care. 

But in this case there were warning signs, and a host has every right to be careful that a potential  guests who is arriving will be feeling and acting rationally and responsibly. I would turn down someone who mentioned a history of heart disease and also mentioned they are experiencing tremendous chest pain and numbness on their left side - and are traveling to me for a NYC vacation. If they were arriving for medical care in that case I would be happy to assist in any way.

when guests provide me too much personal information regardless of the information it is-  if it unessessary for me to know - it raises alarm bells for me.

For example:

“hi my name is Billy, I have been experiencing severe breathing difficulties due to asthma, also I’ve fainted twice today due to low blood oxygen levels - my wife just threw me out and I lost my job... I’m feeling a little depressed - I’d love to stay by you May 6 - 11th and get my head straight”

in that case (although extreme to make a point) I can’t see many people clicking preapprove. More likely I’d reply:

”thanks billy, I’m very sorry to hear about your recent difficulties. At this time I’m a little uncomfortable hosting you, since I’m very concerned about your health, and I’m not sure a strange town and home is the most prudent place for you considering all the difficulties your considering at the moment. I’m certainly not equipped to address medical emergencies  should anything heaven forbid happen and you require immediate emergency medical attention- and that scares me. 

I wish you a speedy recovery, because getting sick sucks and we all get sick sooner or later. 

ephraim”

but yes, I would never mention his medical info in a review, however I’d be worried for other hosts their family’s and the guests future safety so I’d leave a discreetly written negative review. 

 Sorry for the rant - overtired I think.

[Ros-and-Chris0]

In response to your first point, I have noticed this issue this year. I have had a number of inappropriate requests to my site,  namely people only wanting to book one night but hold parties for 30-100 people at my home.  No big deal, I simply say it’s not appropriate for us, but because of declining 3 people, and on the first occasion messaging for more than 24 hours before declining,  my response rates have taken a bashing.  It used to be that your response rate was calculated on how soon you replied to a booking request, as long as you had responded you were ok. Now you have to confirm or decline in 24, even though you may be waiting for a guest to respond to you.  

I have also noticed a lot of unverified members, and I had begun to relax my stipulation for verification before booking but having just been stung by a filthy and inconsiderate group I shall return to this policy. It takes time for people to respond and upload their verification, cutting into the 24 hours and many people simply don’t understand the ‘decline but make a special offer’ system that Airbnb offer as the solution. 

It was all so simple st the beginning! 

[Mo56]

Thanks for your response. Yes, I've been getting those requests that don't fit with my offerings. Last year was more enjoyable, a better experience from a hosting perspective. That includes customer service, which was impressive. I've seen a number of disgruntled statements here. Not sure how ABB gets their feedback, other than bottom-line. I've decided to ignore some of it and focus on the vision I see for my property. Onward and upward.