Punishment for Declining Requests

[Allison111]

Hi All,

I'm actually very frustrated with Airbnb and their attitude towards Hosts.

Everything seems to be geared towards the Guests and all about their needs.

I mean without hosts you have no guests we are both in this together.

So the latest email threat I received from Airbnb is regarding me decling 3 requests.

1. Ok so first of all Airbnb are not the only platform available, we use multiple platforms to advertise on.

It's hard to keep all the various calendars in all the platforms up to date at times. It's almost like a full time job in itself some days.

Airbnb seem to be think they are the only ones out there.

2. A lot of the times when we receive a request we are asleep. depending on the time zone of course but I also have a Full Time Job, I am not sitting in front of my Mac waiting for a request to come in etc. We do have lives to live. With the extremely odd exception I always respond either way to all guests. The whole 24hour limit is at times stupid becuase if a guest leaves a vague request or response etc. and I need to request further information from the guest and they don't respond it all falls back on the host. Me. I either take a chance or decline, in which case I'm losing out financially or punished because the guest walks all over us or is ignorant and Airbnb don't get the bigger picture.

3. We get multiple requests for the same dates or similar overlapping dates, it's never just black and white with requests. So if I get a request for 1 night and an hour later get a request for 2 weeks I'm 100% sure I'm taking the booking for 2 weeks so I then have to decline the other guest. What happens? I'm punished for making money with Airbnb.

4. Because we use multiple platforms it takes time to login and respond to all guests whether they send a request or an inquiry it all takes time. Trying to see which guests suits us best, time of check in as some guets only come late at night. We have a family with 3 young kids so we have to take a lot of things into account when guests request to stay with us, some come for a night of drinking with friends and need a placee to crash others here to study and work etc. it's all different so at times I have to prioritise my bookings based on my family etc and what suits us as a family. So I may decline and what happens? Punished again.

Can anyone out there please let me know if there is any way we can try get through to the thickos at Airbnb? obviously by reading the forums here I am not alone.

With the Government in Ireland and around the World making it more difficult to use Airbnb as a form of extra income etc, you would think Airbnb would be bending over for both Hosts and Guests instead of just guests.

All replies welcome.

Thanks.

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[Marzena4]

@Allison111 The alternative to accepting requests is Instant Booking. Managing real time reservations can be a challenge, but it's doable. I am on booking.com and Airbnb, and I have only once cancelled a reservation on each - at the very beginning and due to overbookings caused by some glitches. I second other hosts that this commitment is not for everyone. I am far from love for Airbnb, though. IMHO requests should get done in max 12 hours.

[Fred13]

@Allison111I will try to be of help. I can think of a few things that may help you.

#1 - I was also on a many platforms (Airbnb, VRBO and Direct, Trip Advisor, Bookings and others). Think of dropping some, like those that bring little or are a hassle to deal with.

#2- I keep a personal 'Master Guest Reservation Book', so ~instantly~ can see what is avaible and is not, thus speeds my answers. I gave up on trying to keep calendars in sync. A single mistake turned out to be too much of a mess.

#3- Answer quickly but ~briefly~. Your information is already on your site with all agencies. If an inquirer sends you a list of questions that resemble the length of 'War & Peace', STILL answer succintly. You don't have all day. An answer is better than none.

#4- I have become very explicit for who my place is for or isn't, has allowed to take a chance; since I limit guests to 4-5 days, it wouldn't be the end of the world if my guess is wrong, even dead wrong.

#5- Think of raising your minimum stay, to lessens the 'one-day trippers' which are a lot of work, and hurt your shot at longer stays. 

#6- Accept the fact Airbnb IS presently leaning toward guests, not host, but that will change. Life. There is a reason why they are so succesfull, and the amount of guests they bring many of us is indeed VERY fortunate.  In fact, these ARE the best of time, when Airbnb goes public they will do less than they are doing now, much less.

My case: I went to 'slots' of 4-5 days, (a minimum of 4 or 5 days) the ~same~ slots show in every calendar (Airbnb, VRBO and Direct). A slot is taken, goes  immediately in the Master Reservation Book and I visit the calendars in VRBO and my Direct web site, to block out those dates.

Good luck.

[Marzena4]

@Fred13 What do you mean by "Master Guest Reservation Book"? Paid software or else? Please shed some light. 

[Fred13]

There are many hard-copy, appointment calendars that serve well to be able to see one's bookings 'at a glance', instead of having to check 3-5 places always requiring a computer. 'At-A-Glance' makes many products along this line.

[Letti0]

At A Glance is what I use for both my Venue and Rentals, I do wish they would release future years sooner though. Weddings book out sometimes 2 1/2 or more years in advance. As a former computer programmer I don't trust computers ;D always best to have a hard copy. 

[Lisa658]

@Allison111

Try putting the reason for the decline as - guests want to book different dates that are not available - or some option close to that from the drop down box - where it is clearly not your fault.  They do not provide a wide enough range of options to say "Wanted to take a 2 week booking instead of 2 nights".  When it askes if you want the calendar updated put - no.  This should solve the issue of the warnings.  If your reasons are consistently things that are within your control, it seems you may be flagged.  It is all an automated system, you just have to learn to work within the system.

Lisa

[Fred13]

Keep in mind, it is estimated Airbnb processes 80,000 - 100,000 (accepted) bookings a day, and that doesn't count unaccepted requests. It probably has 1,000 people (a total guess) handling ALL customer service issues; probably 50% is wasted answering questions for people that didn't bother to read, the other 50% probably dealing with the usual 'battles'. In all likelihood, that message came from a software program, not a real person.

[Joel211]

Yes but even if you explain to the guest at length why you are declining you still get penalised by Airbnb. If I’m away working for three weeks at Glastonbury and then Wimbledon I can’t physically host, sat, three short bookings. And if you decline a guest because they have bad reviews it’s the same.  You get penalised so why have a review system if acting on it then penalised you. It’s a disgrace frankly and because I’ve declined 8 guests for practical reasons and 3 because I didn’t want dodgy guests in a £700,000 house with thousands of pounds worth of contents then I now appears much lower down the listings. The result is I’m much worse off this year. And if I raise this point with Airbnb do I ever get a decent answer? Of course not. Regards. Joel 

[Gerry-And-Rashid0]

@Allison111

Allison  -  sorry to sound harsh but if your business has grown to the point where you can't coordinate calendars then something needs to change. Perhaps divide the year into quarters and give one quarter to each platform (for example). It is a full time job when you are managing 3 properties and trying to live a life as well!

You are not punished for a few hours delay in replying to a guest - and don;t forget most are shopping aroiund anyway. So no guarantee that you will get the booking,

While the AIrBnB and other platforms are less than ideal - you own the business and need to find a more convenient way to manage your busienss. Perhaps a co-host would work

[Susan1185]

My daughter is the 'main person' in our family who has an 'app' on her mobile.  However, she was unavailable yest. & my sister & I were trying to book a lovely apartment in central London mid Dec. (NOTHING whatsoever to do with Christmas - but it's a 'special' birthday of mine!) 

I politely asked 1 host if it may be possible to have sofabed moved into main bedroom, where there is a double bed.  Replied to me politely 'sorry don't think this is possible'.  I duly thanked her & assured her that we wouldn't be trying to move furniture on her beautiful floor' - we are not vandals; we would happily look elsewhere, wished her the best!  Anyway, a few hours later following our polite messages I got 'request declined'!  (won't be using hers in the future, then!)

Sorry, but I object to this wording & what she/AirBnB may be implying!  I also wished to ask a delightful gentleman at the flat which my sister has booked (looks lovely) a couple of questions about heating etc.  I wasn't facilitated to ask until I entered dates ; hence simply entered dates for previous weekend.  Again, later on, I got 'request declined'! I messaged him telling my sis. had booked for correct weekend mid Dec. & he was most welcoming! Yet dates for that previous weekend appear 'available!   I don't have much on my profile and not 'verified' as such!   Have not provided photo ID as on passport, etc.      Could this perhaps be a reason?  

Also, to my abject horror - I looked at one of those booking options where 1 family members pays, then request the other 2 to pay up. Looked good! I looked at the payment options including Paypal.  I decided NOT to do this, as simply insufficient funds at present.  I only have Paypal linked directly with ebay; any other site where I choose this method I get a 'confirmation/check amount' page from Paypal prior to proceeding.  This did NOT occur!  Then in my 'junk folder' I found I HAD 'paId via Paypal' when I hadn't even 'clicked' on it!  Maybe this is an unusual issue with Paypal - I will check with them but all appears fine!

Fortunately, was within the 48 hours' cancellation period, as property not quite what the other 2 in family wanted.      My sister & I have now become exhausted with the whole procedure and may book via other methods in future.

[Mariann4]

@Susan1185

We as host have to act upon any contact made by guests. If not we are punished because our response rate will go down and Airbnb does not want that. So your contacts with these hosts had to either be "accepted" or "declined". The host can't sit still and not click one of those options. Them answering you is not sufficient for Airbnb.

Mariann 🙂

[Ange2]

" I don't have much on my profile and not 'verified' as such!   Have not provided photo ID as on passport, etc.      Could this perhaps be a reason? "  

@Susan1185  Yes it could be, many hosts do not take guests with few verifications due to scammers, bad experiences with guests and worse.

'Decline' is Airbnb's auto generated wording, not the hosts, but I agree Airbnb could word it better.  The  'decline' problem stems from the fact that Airbnb penalizes the host if they do not reply within a set time limit,  and that can be a problem especially with different time zones, if questions need to be answered, and there is no way of verifying the guest is who they say they are.

[Susan1185]

Dear Ange & Mariann - thank you so much for taking the time to explain.  Yes, it cld. be 'worded' better, admittedly. So sorry to learn that some hosts can be targeted by 'scammers'.  That's terrible.  You are, after all, running your businesses.........and I have certainly had some delightful hosts/accommodation within the last few years.   I wish you all reading this every success..............and thanks again.

[Carole316]

Thank you for this, as I am facing a similar situation.  I have received notices that I need to correct the fact that I have too many "declines."  Here's part of the problem.  Guests do not seem to read the Host listing thoroughly and/or seem to miss the "rules and regulations" for our home.  I get countless requests to book our home for a family with kids and our home is an "adults only" space, so I have to decline the request and I get dinged.  Not fair at all!  I work very hard at getting to know my guests before we finish the decline/accept process.  I am very particular about my guests and who can come into my home (where I live by the way).  I have a 5 star/100% rating and always receive nothing but praise for our home.  I love Air BnB and have been very comfortable with the process during the course of my 4 years with them.  But as of now, I am hardly getting any requests to book and am thinking I have been moved to the bottom of the list that the potential guest sees.  Two years ago and last year, I was getting requests constantly and now I get very few.  What's up with that?

[Debra2]

Hi,

I also have periods of no bookings and when you go across to travel...quite often my site..at least one will not be on it.

Lucky I have other sites which refer to Airbnb booking platform as I'm on Instant book.....I have lots of people looking.

I value the security in knowing who is cmg to stay...you can generally google most people in this media age.

I also have adults only and have had 3 kid situations with no knowledge of kids before arrival.

Awkward when they let them loose at night and this keeps you awake or upsets other guest who knows the rules of 'no kids'....one time the other was a smoker...rule breaker...had to strip whole room and deep clean...same time as a baby onsite...both compained about the other breaking rules but not observing their own?

Life is never dull with Airbnb.

We are not hotels that can simply move them to another apartment or ask them to leave without being penalised.