Don't make it mandatory for new hosts to use Instant Book

[Helen3]

I think BnB shouldn't make it mandatory for some new hosts to use Instant Book. This has led to new hosts having to take on unsuitable, guests or being penalised because they don't understand the system and cancel guests who aren't a good match. It has also led to concern from existing hosts that it will be made mandatory for all hosts.

It isn't a good introduction for new hosts to being on BnB. There are numerous complaints on the other forums and social media.

I have contacted BnB via social media and the other forums to try and understand why it is doing this and get a response on behalf of new and existing hosts. However BnB refuses to answer and just says it will pass my comments on (to who?) or that new hosts can use house rules to filter.

It never answers the simple question - why have you introduced manadatory Instant Booking for new hosts and will you allow hosts who are uncomfortable with this to turn it off?

As we know no house rules can cover all bases and it is often when communicating with a guest that you understand whether they are a good match.

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Response from Airbnb

Instant Book is not mandatory for any host - although we encourage hosts to give Instant Book a shot.

If you do decide to turn on Instant Book, there are safeguards in place to help make sure that you’re only accepting bookings from suitable guests. You can choose to only accept Instant Book from guests who have been recommended by other hosts, you can require Instant Book to accept guests who have government-issued ID, and all Instant Book guests must agree to your House Rules. Plus, you can cancel Instant Book reservations immediately without penalty of any kind, if you feel uncomfortable with our guest or with someone who breaks your house rules.

Many hosts find that they get up to two times the reservations when they turn on Instant Book.

You can find more information here.

[Sue---Ian0]

@Jude0 Couldn't agree more. An excellent post succinctly put. "Airbnb is a wonderful innovation, one that is quickly adding value to my life, value that goes far beyond the financial compensation I have received. But is the foundation of basic sound business practices in place to support the amazing growth that continues to occur?" & in reference to Instant Book being mandatory for ANY host at all - that simply eliminates what really matters - worthwhile & very necessary communication.

[Jenny85]

I have just started a new comment thread on this topic as I am one of the prospective new hosts who has been affected by this 'experiment'. As a result, I have unlisted my holiday rental property (which I have successfully rented out for the last 10 years through other sites) and it will not reappear on Airbnb until or unless the company reverses the policy - for all the reasons that have been so well articulated above. 

[Martin119]

This instant booking feature is especially overwhelming for new hosts who may not fully understand cancellation policy and need time to learn the ropes on the platform. Although I thought of it as a good idea at first, I was lucky to be able to turn it off after my first week hosting.

Hosts that allow guests to stay for a single night should also consider the economic backlash that may hit them when your calender gets punctured by these one nighters with no control left to you. In that sense I would only recommend it to hosts that rent for defined periods of time, e.g. Saturday to Saturday.

[Jiw0]

Hi Martin,

> Hosts that allow guests to stay for a single night should also consider

> the economic backlash that may hit them when your calender gets

> punctured by these one nighters with no control left to you.

That's actually not the case, or not anymore anyway.  You can now specify different minimum stays for different times. 

In your Calendar settings you have "Availability Settings" near the top right.  There you can set different minimum stays for various timeframes.

It's not perfect in that it doesn't seem to explain this to guests clearly, often when I have a minimum of 3 days set I still get inquiries from guests asking if they can please stay for 3 days as my listing says  a minimum of 4.  I have to then explain that I've made an exception for their days and they can go ahead and book.

So I'm now doing it the other way around, and set a lower minimum stay as my main setting (3, or 2, or even 1 if that works for you) and then for time perdiods longer into teh future you define a special requirement of -for example- 4 days. 

The result is that if I have 2 days open this week then guests can still book it, but they can't book Christmas next year for just 2 days. 😉

[Elsa32]

I can't stand "instant book". In California, where AirBnB is so controversial that it is quickly becoming a dirty word - I have to ask my guests not to say the word outside in case neighbors hear it - I think that making listings LESS hotel-like is a good strategy. I don't know any AirBnB hosts who actually LIVE in their listings who use Instant Book, because most people wouldn't just let any stranger stay in their private home - which is the whole beauty of AirBnB in the first place - you can check people out and make a judgement on whether or not you want to invite them into your private space, have them interact with your neighbors, etc. Instant Book allows any old random person in. This is where problems start happening. I think it should be down the list of options, not a default! I would never use this feature unless I ran a dank motel. Even if I ran a middle range hotel, I wouldn't use it. Too risky.

[Jude7]

Couldn't agree with you more, @Elsa32! A dear friend, a Superhost, has a beautiful property he's been renting successfully through Airbnb for years. This month he decided to turn on Instant Book, believing the hype that it would get him more bookings.  He immediately got two bookings, and each turned out to be his first negative hosting experiences, after many, many wonderful experiences of guests using his beautiful property for the purpose intended. 

One group had a wild party, leaving vomit for the housekeeper to find in a towel left on the floor.  The other group was carrying on outdoors until the early morning, annoying neighbors, even though this is a rural property with neighbors acres away.

Needless to say, Instant Book is now off. 

@Elsa is absolutely correct. As the hotel industry and municipalities worldwide are finding fault with the Airbnb model, everything must be done to confirm that we are NOT running hotels, but rather, offering personal community experiences. Instant Book precludes the personal, and provides very little difference from a hotel experience booked through another travel site.

I'm surprised that the Airbnb legal team fighting to maintain Airbnb's place in the world of lodging hasn't thought of this very important distinction.

Jude

[Jenny85]

Completely agree, Jude and Elsa. As I explained in a previous post on this thread, I am one of the potential new hosts who have been landed with a template that makes it impossible to turn off Instant Book. Once I realised this I immediately delisted my property.

As I said to several of the advisors I spoke to at the call centre who all tried to persuade me of the alleged advantages, to me just having the 'lightning bolt' symbol on my property sends out completely the wrong message. I am not running a hotel, nor do I want to attract guests who will treat my property as such.

Like you, I am also surprised that Airbnb's legal team have not advised that they are on very dodgy ground by imposing this. I think concerns include discriminating against some hosts and not others, and being seen to be encouraging the growth of unlicensed hotels.

[Jude7]

Just curious, @Jenny85 - when you called about having no choice about Instant Book, were you given an option to take it off?  Or is your property still delisted?

The introduction to this particular forum says that the topics that get the most votes will be escalated to a review process by the Airbnb development teams.  I'm wondering if this topic has made the list?  

It sure seems like this thread it getting a lot of attention. 

BTW - I have been thinking of adding a second property onto my Airbnb account.  One of the things stopping me from doing so is the threat of being forced to use Instant Book.

Jude

[Jenny85]

Hi @Jude7, No, I called several times - getting increasingly frustrated. One helpful rep even tried to take it off for me but found the same problem as me: the option to do so has been disabled by the software. Another said if I built a new listing (for the same property) I would be OK as the 'experiment' was over. I built a new one but the same problem.

Another rep said it's my profile that has been selected for mandatory instant book and suggested creating a new one in my husband's name in the hope his wasn't selected. Yet another rep I spoke to - in the hope of getting someone who could escalate this - was positively hostile and said it had been done to prevent discrimination and wasn't a policy Airbnb would be reversing. I find this deeply insulting; are they suggesting that they have an algorithm that has identified some people as potential racists and homophobes?

So basically you may be OK at the moment as you created your profile before this started. But, if the last rep is right, it sounds like Airbnb could be preparing to roll this out across the board.

[Jude7]

I think the concerns of many of us, @Jenny85, is exactly what you stated - that this is Airbnb's attempt at side-stepping the discrimination issue.  I myself am proud not to label my brothers and sisters according to race, religion, nationality, sexual orientation, (or any other label based on preconceived blanket assumptions), but I am passionate about discriminating on the bases of stupidity, drunkeness, lack of respect, failure to communicate, irresponsibility, and unfortunately, those traits cross all attributes meant to define us.

as a private homeowner willing to share my space, I certainly reserve the right to choose who I allow into my home. Once again, a big difference between me an a hotel, the other hot issue on Airbnb's legal plate.

jude

[Jenny85]

Brilliantly expressed, @Jude7. A quick glance at my FB page would tell anyone that I'm proud to count people from a wide range of faiths, ethnic origin, nationality and sexual orientation amongst my friends and co-workers but I completely reserve the right to discriminate on the other grounds you mention when welcoming people into my home.

The discrimination issue is clearly a smokescreen. If Airbnb were seriously concerned about it they would have no option but to make Instant Book mandatory across the board immediately. I believe that they have run an 'experiment' to see how many new hosts will accept it. Some, like me, have obviously refused to but the fact that the latest rep I spoke to referred to it as a 'policy' rather than an 'experiment', suggests enough have accepted (however reluctantly) for the company to be planning the next stage.

If I were an existing host I would be very concerned. They won't listen to a few potential hosts like myself but perhaps they will if you all make sufficient noise.

[Jude7]

Here's my noise, @Jenny85 - 

Dear Airbnb,

Although I have been completely enchanted by being able to uphold the true nature of Airbnb, which has been to invite strangers into my home, and to have us all leave better because of the experience, I would have no choice but to withdraw my listing immediately if Instant Book became mandatory. 

To deprive me of the right to choose with whom I share my home is a safety issue, and one that totally negates the premise upon which Airbnb was built.  I am not a hotel.  I am a shared space experience, one that has been responsible for many satisfying relationships between myself and my guests.

I hope that this "experiment" will fade away into that place where poorly executed ideas are lain to rest, and that I can once again look forward to meeting the next guests who are coming to stay.

Sincerely,

Jude

[Dee9]

If I cant optout of Instant Book I will have to optout of Airbnb

[Cathy65]

Airbnb honchos: you have become very rich off us. Now listen: we will not tolerate this. We will leave in droves.