Hosts - Instant Book is now MANDATORY

[Samuel19]

Hi guys

Well after about a week of battling with the system and trying to figure out how to turn off instant book (no button appeared anywhere on my interface) and a bunch of phonecalls to Airbnb, I've finally received this email...

Hello Samuel,

My name is Michael with the Airbnb Trip Experience Team, and I wanted to reach out to you today regarding your reservations due to Instant Booking.

When you sign up for Airbnb and activate your listing, guests will be able to book your space without needing to request approval. This feature can’t be turned off, but you have the option to require all guests to meet additional requirements before they’re able to instantly book your space. This gives you more control over who can stay in your listing.

Here are a few ways to control who gets to book instantly:

1. Set your reservation preferences
You can use reservation preferences to control when and for how long guests can book your space. You can also block days before and between reservations to give you time to prepare. Read more about how to set your reservation preferences here:https://www.airbnb.com/help/article/1210/

2. Set guest requirements.
All guests will have to provide Airbnb with certain information to book. You can also decide whether you’d like all your guests to meet additional requirements. Read more about guest requirements here: https://www.airbnb.com/help/article/1170/

3. Set House Rules.
In addition to meeting guest requirements, you can set House Rules that guests must agree to before booking. You’ll be able to cancel penalty-free if a guest breaks your House Rules. Read more about setting House Rules here:https://www.airbnb.com/help/article/472/

I hope this helps! Please don't hesitate to let me know if there's anything else I can help you with.

Regards,

Michael C
www.airbnb.com/help

I find this completely unacceptable and as a result will be withdrawing from this platform altogether. I want to speak to the guests and vet them first before I decide who I let into my apartments, and a bunch of settings and ticks Airbnb have added (agree house rules, verify ID) does not help whatsoever.

It has also caused me an inconvinience TWICE as the Airbnb calendar doesn't sync very well with my other calendar, as a result the apartment was double booked, and when I cancelled the reservations I was charged penalties (something the "case managers" are still looking into).

Has anyone else had this experience?

Cheers

Has anybody else 

[Liz171]

What a horrible experience for you. You have my sincere sympathy, it sounds like a complete violation of your space, it's unacceptable behaviour.  I feel there should be more AirBnB support for any host who has a situation of any sort. It seems that the only way hosts can complain is via this forum, which is most unsatisfactory. We need instant support because of the financial repercussions like keeping back the bond if necessary. As I've said before, it is impossible to talk to anyone from the management of AirBnB, if only they would listen to our pleas for help, that's what a decent ethical company would do, but when financial gain is the only idol in their world, I despair of that ever happening.

[Mary378]

Thank you I thought I was going mad with not being able to turn off the button- I too do not want the instant book button switched on!!!

[Paul1255]

@Mary378 you should have the option to switch off instant book in booking settings>how guests can book>all guests must send a reservation request

[Ian-And-Anne-Marie0]

This is a 2016 posting.

The only thing I see in the original post which is pertenant today is this:

you can set House Rules that guests must agree to before booking. You’ll be able to cancel penalty-free if a guest breaks your House Rules.

House Rules are important.

[Christina763]

Yes, but my House Rules state clearly Females Only. AND I have it written twice in my general description. I have twice in the last few weeks had to call Customer Support because men booked. I let the guest know immediately (luckily I was home where i could reply on my computer) and they said they overlooked that. Guests don't read the whole listing!!!  But airbnb would not refund their money until I called CS - and now I got a letter from CS . saying they resolved this twice but if it happens again I will be penalized if I 'cancel.'  One CS agent told me that this is a glitch that airbnb is trying to resolve. Don't know if this is true, or a corporate pacification line. All this is taking my time and attention. Does anyone know if they are really changing this policy soon?

[Christina763]

I have this option on my site still. But I have twice tried to change from Instant Book to All guests must send a reservation request. When I click the button, the page just goes white. The next day when I check my listing, it hasn't changed. It's still on Instant Book.

[Zappa0]

I rent sailboats that people have to kayak across ocean water to get too. So, Yeah, instant book is not an option for me.

 If this goes through, I too will be withdrawing. 

[Calvin28]

This instant booking causes many problems for my villa. How can I get off instant booking process. I've heard it is mandatory but have had same day turnarounds and no time to prepare or clean. I prefer the old process of 24 hour approval.  

[Alon1]

@Calvin28 

To turn off IB:

Go to your Dashboard - LISTINGS 

Click on BOOKING SETTINGS

1st line:  

How guests can book

Choose how guests will book your home.

2 options: click on the second option:  'All guests must send a reservation request'

[Sarah977]

@Calvin28  It isn't mandatory and while it appears that it was short-lived experiment to make it so according to posts here dating back several years, it isn't mandatory now. But it is snuck in there as the default setting when someone posts a new listing. As @Alon1 so clearly explained, just change it.

[Zappa0]

I can't do that. I rent boats you have to kayak to. I have enough problems even after hashing it out with people boat what it entails. If this becomes a thing, I'm out.