Airbnb identity verification

[Mike-And-Jane0]

So I've just had an email telling me to verify my identity or I will have my account suspended on Dec 6.

It gave the choice of entering my address but that failed to work for some reason.

The browser website doesn't work to add additional information when you click to verify so I called airbnb.

They told me my address was fine (not surprising as 20+ guests have found us in the last 4  months but now it wants my passport so I've put this in via the app.

Anyone having issues with this? All a bit strange as we've happily operated for months with no complaints

[Branka-and-Silvia0]

@Mike-And-Jane0 

yes, there is another post about the same subject posted today from another host in UK

It seems that's a result of "10 days sprint" announced by Airbnb a few weeks ago and a reaction to "VICE" case.

https://community.withairbnb.com/t5/Main-Discussion-Board/Vice-Magazine-story/gpm-p/1173605

We are still waiting to see if Airbnb intends to also verify all guests as a reaction to "Orinda shooting" case.

https://community.withairbnb.com/t5/Hosting/Mass-Shooting-in-Airbnb-house-in-Orinda-last-night-4-dea...

[Susan17]

@Mike-And-Jane0 

Can I just clarify... even though it failed to work on this occasion, you were given the choice of just entering your address, as a means of verification? Is that correct? Were you asked for any sort of proof, that the address you're providing, is actually your real address? 

[Mike-And-Jane0]

it gave two choices to verify - address or Government ID. I tried the address but for whatever reason it didn't like it and now demands Government ID. Sadly the verification link on the browser doesn't work.

All very strange and the helpline just didn't get that their browser is broken

[Susan17]

@Mike-And-Jane0 

The verification link not working is nothing new - if you search "verify ID" here in the Community Centre, it will bring up countless threads with similar complaints. 

I'm intrigued at hosts being given the option to obtain verification, simply by entering their address though - especially if no proof of address has been requested. Not sure how that could be classed as "verification" of anything at all. 

[Lois-Ann0]

I am in the UK and have received the message requiring me to verify my identity by 6th December.I have the app on my phone but don't use it, preferring to use a desktop computer with a decent monitor (I'm too old to tolerate squinting at a page on a phone screen). It turns out that is a major disadvantage in this day of 'everything must be done on a mobile phone ...)

First the system refused my address. I have lived here for 40 years, ran a guest house from 1980 to 2000 and three self catering holiday apartments from 2000 to the present. So I do know my address. It is the address of my current business, and my husband's Art Gallery. My AirBnB listings are quite clear about my two properties on AirBnb being hosted by a business, complete with business name, address and email address.

Then it required me to upload ID so I scanned and uploaded both sides of my photo-card driving licence. Well, I admit it's a pretty grotty  black-and-white image but the same scan has been accepted as ID by Paypal, my bank and a mortgage company. AirBnb then rejected that and I've been in conversation today with an agent who has advised me to follow all the same steps that I've already done. She also asked me to uninstall the app on my phone and reinstall it. Same result.

At one point, having uploaded the (unsatisfactory) ID, I was required to take a selfie of myself and upload that to be compared with the ID using facial recognition (that totally infallible method of verifying identity). So I took a photo with my phone, downloaded it to the computer and returned to the verification page to upload the photo. At that point the only options I was offered were 'use the app' or 'take a photo with the browser'. Guess what? I don't have a webcam on the office computer so I couldn't do that *rolls eyes*.

I opened the app on my phone and now found that my only option was to delete my ID ... with a threat that my bookings would be cancelled if I did so.

So I'm stuck. The green 'Verification' button on my dashboard no longer leads me to the Verification process pages. I'm still waiting to hear back from the agent who didn't seem to understand why I was having such problems.

I really wish I hadn't bothered joining AirBnb at all. But I just took my first booking for a week in August and the lady sounds lovely so I don't want to let her down. For two pins, if I didn't have that booking, I would have removed my listings from AirBnB and turned my back without a hint of regret.