Block People

[Wei-and-Ting0]

Not sure where to send feature requests, so sorry if this is the wrong place to post. Anyways, I really think Airbnb should provide a way to block specific users, to stop them from booking (if instant book on) or contacting you. Of course it should work both ways, so guests can block hosts who keep bothering them too.

Hosts shouldn't be able to block confirmed guest in case there are emergencies, also blocked users should ideally be kept in the dark, with their "blockers" simply disapearing from their interface and search results (just in case some people get really offended or something).

Do you think this would be a good feature to have?

[Clinton-Anthony0]

How? Not working.

[Jozef9]

There should be an online list of people like her. I had a similar problem sonce I am on more than one hosting site. A woman booked 60 days in advance and I cancelled her reservation the next day due to a booking from another site. She read me the riot act, saying it was impossible to find another place to stay.

Well, sorry, but AirBnB is real pushy on the instant book feature, if you dont put instant book to "on" they move your listing to the bottom.

But that means people tbink they have a "right" to stay at your listing. I would live to have a website to list pain-in-the-butt guests. In my experience this woman would have been a nightmare.

[Uncle-Teddy-And-Rob0]

I have been plagued by guests who leave bad reviews comparing my listings to the local hotel rooms in favorably. 

The hotels here (Maui) start at $300 to $500 a night. These comparisons just aren't fair.

On top of that, if you're relatively new, even a 4 star rating can turn reservations off.

We operators need a site to list, and lookup, unfair reviewers as well as out and out scammers.

[Kasey-Naví0]

I AGREE 100%.

As a host (having hosted in Germany, USA, UK) I feel like Air BnB is getting to be less of a "meet cool people and save some money" into more like a "cheap hotel" feeling.

Many guests are of course nice people, but unfortunately some aren't considerate. They're cheap, wasteful, rude, thoughtless and probably overestimate their own language skills. Really, I'm ready to forget about this whole thing and just rent out to short term subletters.

[Luigi27]

I agree there are weird people around and it would be an essential tool to be able to block them.

I got a bad recent experience with someone pretending to be from Singapore, in fact he was from Morocco and he started insulting without any resons. I reported the profile and the messages to Airbnb but I never reveived a feedback from them.

[James101]

I had a guest who gave me a good review but then some rather silly comments about there not being enough light in the bathroom and they had left the reverse cycle heater on all night at 30C (still on when they left) and put a portable heater on full and complained there wasn't another one available! People who come from hot countries and it never occurs to them to put on a jumper or extra blanket or buy a pair of winter pajymas. Anyway they've said they'll come back and I don't want them. It probably cost me $20 extra in heating alone. So I want to block them. I don't really care if they realise they have been blocked, they'll get over it.

[Wei-and-Ting0]

Similar to your story, i have this guest who keeps coming back and his behaviour, which was good at the beginning, just keeps deteriorating as he treat our place more and more like his own. I want a polite way out of this by blocking him but my only option right now is probably to cancel to his future bookings (we have instant book on) and send him a difficult message. If that happens I'll lose one of my three penalty-free cancelations and he will lose the service fee, so a lose-lose for everyone. 

[Lindsey14]

oh, youre allowed 3 penalty-free cancellations? 

[Ana-and-David0]

You dont even need one of those, just callAirbnbn and tell them this person make you feel unsafe

[Lilian20]

bad advice from @Wei-and-Ting0 you are not allowed 3 cancellations. I believe it is arbitrary and probably depends on the volume of your account and the strategy of airbnb at local level..

If you cancel your guest booking, your guest will incurr zero cost. 

[Jozef9]

I had people who smoked so many cigarettes outside the front door that the whole place stunk of cigarette smoke. I cancel their reservations each time. After so many difficult people, I raised my price. Guess what? The cheapskates are the troublemakers.

[Steve2743]

I recently read that they've made an update so that if you give a 3 star review (or lower) that guest can no longer instant book (with you. I believe they still can with others). I've only had to give one review that low, but it's definitely a nice feature to have!

[Momi0]

@Steve2743  Thats very true, however, the folks here are also asking what can they do with a former guests that has stayed with them before that perhaps they didn't review previously or gave 3 Stars to because they simply didn't know.  But good that you posted it again along with one other hosts who did too in this same thread back in 2016.  Reminders help others.

Keep in mind, not sure if many hosts know this, but you can select "Thumbs Down" on a bad guests, choose 3 Stars or below and write nothing, no details at all (don't advise that, but its easier for some hosts).....and that 3 Star guests will not be able to use IB with any hosts who has a requirement on thier listing to only receive IB from guests with 5 Star ratings only.  (like me)

This is exactly why every host should be honest about their reviews even if they choose to write nothing.  I have given "thumbs down" before for a few guests who actually broke 50% of my 12 common sense House Rules and 2 Stars for that particular category.  

There are just some guests who have no business using the ABB platform for their stay and are much better suited staying in hotels where they can be messy, rude and disrespectful in their own room. 

I'm happy to give a friendly reminder to my guests about my rules during their stay, however, those who choose to ignore my reminders and continue to break the house rules will get an honest review stating such. And their stay quickly altered to end early.  End of Story.  

[Susan1028]

I avoid instant book because of this.  I greatly prefer to pre screen, and so far, it's been working well.

[Susan251]

I definitely think Airbnb should offer this feature. There is a spectrum when it comes to emotional and mental instability, and just like anywhere else, there are people on Airbnb who fall in the "unstable" and weirdo category. I feel like Airbnb needs to do more to protect its users. While I'm new to Airbnb, my friends and family have used it for travel accommodations and I've heard stories of guests and hosts who say one thing to their faces, such as "You've been a wonderful host/guest! This was the BEST experience, etc." Then, they turn around and write inaccurate comments in the reviews. The fact is, there are sociopaths everywhere, including Airbnb. So, why shouldn't we be able to comment back, AND block them from communicating?