Safety

[Noel8]

I am new to hosting, so I am excited! I just received my first client?? Who wishes to book with me but I am a bit paranoid. WHen she messaged me she called me Tod, but clearly my profile says Noel. She is from Russia, but i beleive is booking for her brother and grandmother. Any advice for this newbie??

                           Thanks, 

                                     Noel!

[Elizabeth76]

I wouldnt worry about it. Correct them nicely and Just go with the flow. Even as a host, I still have problems remebering EVERYONES names. It's especially difficult when theres a language barrier. But get used to social hiccups. You are the host, so the main thing is to REMEBER THEIR NAMES. 

Happy Hosting!

Elizabeth

[Annabelle---Torsten0]

@Noel8

Just make sure that the persons who come to your home are the persons who booked.

If not; don't let them in.

Contact the AirBnb support then and follow their instructions.

And keep cool and relaxed. Hosting is not quantum physics 😉

[Marit-Anne0]

Booking for someone else is against airbnb rules normally - I would not accept.

[Donna15]

@Noel8, I agree with @Marit-Anne0. Third-party bookings are not condoned by AirBnB. I would decline the request (if indeed it was a request and not an inquiry), and inform the person that her brother needs to do the booking for himself and the grandmother.

Don't worry if you lose this particular potential guest. There will soon be others. 🙂

Make sure that whoever books your listing at any time has ample verification ID and at least a couple of good reviews from other hosts. And be alert to any inconsistency in the initial request. Her addressing you by a wrong name implies she didn't read your listing carefully if even at all.

I would also suggest you do the following:

- require a Security Deposit;

- change your cancellation policy from flexible to moderate or even strict;

- create a new set of House Rules that are more comprehensive and very firm; guests need to be made explicitly aware of the type of behaviour that you will expect from them.

Meanwhile, be sure to read the thread 'Community Help Guides' that's near the top of the first page in the General Hosting section of this forum. It's full of information that's essential to any - especially new - host.

[Gerry-And-Rashid0]

My only disagreement is about guests with no reviews - about 50% o our guests are new to AirBnB. Turust your instinct and guet feeling on your email conversations. Do not use Instant Book. That way you will feel like you have established a relationship with them before arriving.