Is Guest Verified ID less important for Hosts than for Airbnb 'Experiences'?

[Rachael26]

So here is my question of the week.

We know that Airbnb really want us Hosts to use Instant Book - and some of us Hosts are renting a room within our own homes - and I know we all feel strongly about having guests who have a clear profile face pic - as well as verified ID. And some of us ask our guests to do so before booking - but Airbnb do not make it compulsory.

So why is booking an Airbnb 'Experience' so much more important that Airbnb INSIST on a selfie to prove against verified ID?

Here is what Airbnb actually state on bookable Experiences (most of which do not occur in a private dwelling - but out in a public place) - 

"Government ID- You’ll need to take a selfie and match it to the photo on your ID. This is so Airbnb can confirm who’s actually going on the experience. You’ll only have to do this once."

Question: SO WHY WON'T AIRBNB DO THE SAME FOR US HOSTS?

So if I want to book an 'experience' to walk around San Francisco, with a guide, taking photographs for a couple of hours - Airbnb will insist I send a selfie to match my gov ID so 'they know who I am' - but they will allow a guest with a dog pic profile and an initial as a name and just an email and call that 'verified ID', and allow that guest to book to stay overnight in the house that I live in, and bring another guest/s that I will not know even the name of until arrival.

Seems a little out of balance to me.

[Momi0]

@Christine1  You are 100% most welcome.....I'm always happy to help another host.  Thank you for taking the time to even say as much in your post.....that meant a lot.  Somehow I missed seeing/receiving it, but thanks to a thoughtful friend of mine who is another great host and loves to "stalk" the CC, he informed me of your post.   If you ever find yourself needing a relaxing Hawaiian vacation, look me up.....I've already gotten bookings for 2018 but perhaps we can squeeze you in this year. 😉

I can promise you that once you have a Momi Marvelous Mango Margarita from my mango tree.....you won't want to check out.  LOL

[Duane4]

Some really good idea for my house rules. Thank you so much for sharing. I just added several of your suggestions.

[Momi0]

@Duane4  You are very welcome.  Glad I was able to help you.  I would like to help you with a few more things after taking a quick glance at your listing.  

1.  Did you know that your current House Rules say NO to "small events or parties?  Yet, in your descriptive House Rules, you say YES to parties and events but for a small fee.  

2.  IF a guest uses the filter search on a home that allows events or parties, your house won't come up in the search because you have that one Airbnb 6 Main House Rules slid over to say NO.....which is a contradiction to your actual specified rules you wrote out.

3.  I was a bit shocked to read that you actually wrote that you make a promise to treat your guests  "BETTER THEN FAMILY"......seriously?  I wonder what your wife thinks about that? haha.  If I were your wife, you would be sleeping with the guest or in the dog house.  

4.  I treat my guests like they are my family.....which is exactly what they write about in their reviews about me.  Something to think about.  But to each their own right?  🙂

Currently there was no charge to help you again today, but in the future, you might find a bill.  haha.  You're welcome 🙂

[Rachael26]

@Momi0

I prefered your first response (the one that Christine loved as well) - it really was excellent.

[inappropriate content hidden].

But it was good while it lasted.

[Jan209]

I don't think that one decline meanms you lose superhost status...I think you can decline a few and still maintain it..not sure what the percentage is tho....it's written there ...

[Jaxon0]

I didn't decline, I accidentally hit "accept" instead of "decline", on my iphone, and within 3 minutes corrected my mistake by canceling the reservation (it was 3 months out no less), wrote the guests and apologized, and yes, despite having 99 percent 5-star reviews for all my bookings, my Superhost status was canceled for one full year.

[Jan209]

i have had success contacting Airbnb help on Twitter..it's quick too.

[Andrea771]

I just posted my dissatisfaction with this site regarding the "instant book" coertion tatic. I have tried to cancel many times thinking I have done so and now they charged me for cancelling a reservation that I cannot accept. I have also tried to sync calendars and that didn't quite work either. Not a happy customer currently.

[David238]

YES! Rachel.  Right on.  (I'm responding to the initial post)

And to make matters worse, even when Airbnb HAS a "selfie", they obviously do not share it with the host!  What's up with that?  How can the guest have a "verified selfie" and then put a picture of Mickey Mouse as their profile?

Ugh.  Come on peeps.

[Jan209]

my solution to this is...i have my settings re booking that 1. Guest must have verified ID that is passport licence anything that has a photo 2. Must have reviews.

So whne these "mickey Mouse'   or 'mountain' photos or even  one I had  'outline of person with ninja sword'!!!!! come up, no instant bookng will happen.

And I can't even override these settings, even if I wanted to, which is great! 

So I just message back and say that Airbnb requires that before they will accept this requested booking on my behalf, the Guest must have a verified ID with matching photo.      I also place a hold on the dates required, and tell the Guest that I have done that , that it is being held for them for 24 hours, and would be very happy to accept that booking once Airbnb verifies them.

Mostly the GUest goes ahead and does that.

But sometimes it is SO obviously spam or a con of some sort, I simply report them, and block them so they can't message me. 

Jan

[Anthony-Modig0]

Who have you sent this to at airbnb so far?