a guest who has booked but is refusing to give her details

[Pauline83]

I have successfully rented my holiday cottage for the last 4 years with my own website & also trip advisor. I have had lovely guests and many of them but someone persuaded me to try airbnb.
I had my first booking today for 3 nights in March but the details I receive from airbnb are very minimal, just a user name & a telephone number. I emailed the guest giving lots of info and welcoming them etc and asked if I could have their name & address for my accounts records. They replied that airbnb don't require them to give their address to me. That may be the case but I am concerned that they don't wish to do so. why would they not want to give me their address?
I feel very uneasy about this, especially in the light of the media stories at the moment where a great many airbnb hosts are finding their properties are being let out to foreign people using them as brothels for a few days and then moving on to another property. That in itself is bad enough but the host can also be charged with allowing the premises to be used as a brothel even though the host is entirely innocent and unaware.

has anyone else had a guest refuse this information? I feel like cancelling the booking

[Cynthia-and-Chris1]

Your guest is correct - Airbnb does not require them to provide the host any additional information.  You accepted the reservation with the information provided on the profile.  If you would only like guests with more verifications, you need to request guests complete their profiles and verifications before accepting their reservations.

If you are intent on receiving guest's address and additional information, you need to CLEARLY put that in your listing so potential guests are aware you may request additional information from them after they book.  If nothing was in your listing about this practice, the guest is not obligated to provide it.

If you are absolutely positive you feel uncomfortable with this reservation, you need to contact Airbnb directly by phone (you can search for the number here in this community) and proceed with cancelling the guest's reservations (which may come with PENALTIES to you, FYI)

Airbnb works much differently than many other listing sites, best you learn the lay of the land before accepting more reservations.

[Alice-and-Jeff0]

Airbnb is a privacy barrier between guest and host.  This is why guests use the service and you are bound as a user to their privacy policy. https://www.airbnb.ca/help/article/453/is-providing-identification-to-airbnb-secure

A guest does not need to provide you with any additional information unless required by law.  You can ask that Airbnb verify the guest and only accept guests with a Verified ID.  

https://www.airbnb.ca/help/article/272/can-i-require-guests-to-be-verified-before-booking

https://www.airbnb.ca/help/article/1237/how-does-providing-identification-on-airbnb-work

Please be aware of the penalties of canceling.  https://www.airbnb.ca/help/article/990/i-m-a-host--what-penalties-apply-if-i-need-to-cancel-a-reserv...  

[Pauline83]

thank you to you & also previous poster who replied and I understand what you are saying but I still wonder why anyone would want to keep their details secret. I would have no problem in supplying my address to someone I was booking with. 
I won't cancel this booking but I cannot work out why there needs to be such secrecy between host & guest. 

[Cynthia-and-Chris1]

Not secrecy - privacy.  Airbn is acting as the intermediary who has the pertinent information for both parties. 

[Pauline83]

it's only their address not their salary details or bank account so I see no reason why anyone would wish to keep that private. 

[Alice-and-Jeff0]

Have you done an internet search of the guest?  You may find their address online.  They just don't want you to know where they live.  Some people are private about those things - especially people who have previously had stalkers, they are doctors/lawyers/barristers,  or are just a bit paranoid.  If you've always been able to get a guest to give it to you before, consider yourself lucky.  

[Pauline83]

thanks, I have been very lucky with all my guests and haven't had one who has refused their contact details. 

[David126]

You have Instant Book on and the limits information you can gather in advance.

One option would be to mention in your listing you require certain basic information from each guest that books and send whatever is your normal requirement when you get an enquiry.

[Pauline83]

thank you. I am trying to find the page where I can change it but to be honest I find the site very confusing. I suppose I am used to the trip advisor one and this one is all new to me

[Natasa5]

Dear Pauline,

check:::

host-your reservations-reservation requirements

or

manage listing - calendar and more - booking

[Pauline83]

thank you, I have now done this.