Bad experience with a third party booking

[Tina227]

Hi - any thoughts and advice on my issue below would be much appreciated.

I had a booking from a guy called Graeme late on Wednesday evening.  It was for 2 nights (my minimum expectation) starting the following day.  His message was short "I would like to book for 2 nights"  I have instant book so it was done immediately.  I sent my usual friendly introduction which included a request as to his expected arrival time.  No response by lunctime the next day, the day of his arrival.  I used his personal mobile number and sent a request for his arrival time because it was short notice and I had arrangements for the evening.  "I will arrive at 7pm if that's OK with you"  I responded that was fine.  7pm arrived, no guest, 8pm arrived, no guest.  I followed up with another text but no luck.  My evening tickets to the cinema were now wasted.  9pm arrived, 2 guys come to my door.  Neither of them is Graeme but one called Dave is apparently the one expecting to stay.  Graeme booked it for him.  I explained the Airbnb rules and apologised compassionately explaining that for security,  3rd party bookings are not acceptable, the ID and verifications situation etc, Airbnb insurance cover etc would be void.  Dave said it was OK because Graeme had used his (Dave's) ID for the booking.  I explained that I'm afraid that fully broke Airbnb rules and was even more unacceptable than the third party booking!  I had to turn them away with more apologies that they were in that position and pointing them in the direction of a couple of nearby hotels.  As a single woman in a small flat, I feel very confident that turning this stranger away was perfectly acceptable in the circumstances.  I immediately rang Airbnb to explain what had happened and they accepted that my safety was of paramount importance and they said they would cancel the booking.  They explained that I would not be penalised for this but also that there would be no payout either.  I said that this was unfair surely.  First, I was warning them of the misbehaviour of one of their guests and second, it was Airbnb initiating the cancellation, not me.  If I had not rung them, the payment would have been taken and my lost booking would have still come to me.  My cancellation level is set that I do not lose for last minute cancellations and as it was the guests fault, why did he get away with not being charged and I lost my opportunity of a 2 night booking?  First, I am really annoyed about the loss of the booking fee, second I am frustrated that there is no way Airbnb will change it despite the guest misleading me and acting against the rules.  Third, the Airbnb platform clearly does not check verified ID against the name of the Airbnb member.  This opens up a whole bag of worms with security right?

[Sally221 · Accepted solution]

Hi Tina, what a hassle for you!  Do you think that changing the parameters of your IB to 2 days notice would be helpful in weeding out future problematic guests?  You could still  accept later bookings thru the inquiry/accept function if a guest is willing to actually communicate with you.

Alas, there's not much verification that happens thru the platform  so you will have to rely on your own sense of whether the potential guest is reliable or not. If people who abuse the system risked taking a hit in their own pocketbook it might weed out scammers like Graeme/Dave, as it is, the risks both financial & physical are all on you.  I hope your next evening out isn't spoiled by some random idiot, all the best Sally

[Tina227]

Thanks for the suggestion Sally.  I have since messaged Graeme to tactfully ask that he appreciates the position he put me in from a security and financial position, that Airbnb hosts are not faceless hotel bosses but someone's friend or neighbour who enjoy making guests welcome in their homes for relatively small fees.  I suggested he be a little more considerate and respectful of that when he makes any future bookings.  He has not responded!  But I feel better for having said something 🙂  Had a super lovely visitor this week so my faith in the good guest is restored.

[Helen3]

Hi @Tina227  from your fellow Bristol host 🙂

Your place is lovely.

I host in similar circumstances and only accept bookings from guests who answer my IB questions.  If they don't answer I follow up via messaging and then call Airbnb to ask them to chase. 

I think vetting guests before arrival is the best way of weeding out unsuitable bookings. Not foolproof but I haven't had an unsuitable booking in four years of hosting and hundreds of guests (apart from the very first guest - lesson learnt!).

I agree there is no reason Airbnb should have returned the guests money.

You will get an opportunity to leave a review. So please leave an honest one.

[Tina227]

Hi Helen, thanks so much for your advice. Great to hear from another Airbnb'er in Brizzle!  Congratulations on achieving Level 10!  Would you mind letting me know how you organise the questioning, where you set that up and what sort of questions you ask?  I was under the impression already that Airbnb ask specific questions that must be answered but for my first two IB guests so far, neither gave any information about their trips or themselves at all which has put me off remaining within the IB process.  Also, with regard to the review, that is also a problem because the review will not be seen unless the guest also leaves a review.  Going by the attitude so far, that will not be forthcoming.  Besides, the system forces you to put a minimum score of 1 for each of the elements and as the guest did not stay, they are not appropriate questions to answer.

[Helen3]

Hello @Tina227 

I have set them up as part of my IB questions.

1. who will be accompanying you on your trip

2. What brings you to Bristol

3. Why did you chose my home

4. What time are you planning to arrive

Unfortunately Airbnb doesn't make it mandatory for guests to answer. Hence me often having to chase for responses.

And I think you have misunderstood the review system you will see your review regardless of whether they guest leaves you a review it will show up after 14 days from when you are asked to leave a review.

Do have a look at Airbnb Help Centre - it's a useful Q&A around the basics of Airbnb.

[Sally221]

Hi again Tina- a guest review will show up after 14 day or when a host leaves a review, which ever comes up first- the consensus seems to be waiting until the last day to leave one's negative review in the absence of a guest review is the best way to try to avoid the retaliatory  poor review. The mandatory marking of stars does make it inherently unfair on all parties when the potential guest never actually stepped foot in the listing.-you are justified in leaving low stars for communication & following house rules for sure-maybe leave a 3 for tidiness as that's the middle ground? My mom used to tell me to get my bedroom into "Bristol fashion" when I was young-your city was a byword in our family for having everything in order & spanking clean & nothing shoved under the bed! All the best, Sally

[Kezneth0]

Hi Sally,

I just had a similar issue. A man called Juan Carlos from Spain booked my house for 1 guest for 9 days, of which I assumed it was him coming. This person is supposedly to be a superhost in Marbella himself but he has never stayed in an Airbnb. As usually I ask my guests to let me know their ETA the day before checking in so that I can leave the keys in the box outside if I'm not around I gave him the code to get the key. He replied and said it was his daughter who was coming to stay. I then asked to send me the details of the person who is coming of which he didn't. The alleged daughter came and checked herself in. I went to the house to check and get the details of this person but she was not around and I left my telephone number for her to contact me on the table in the house. Everything in the house was in order. She contacted me the following day via whatsup to say she was the daughter and gave a name. To cut the story  short after 3 days  a neighbour called me to come to the house because of the noise. When I got there, there were 9 people in the house which is a 1 bedroom back to back., they were smoking, they practically trashed my house. I called airbnb and I threw all of them out of my house including the alleged daughter at 7pm and told airbnb that I will not refund the days which were not stayed and the agreed with my decision. 

Now I'm expecting a bad review from Mr Carlos because of that but I will challenge the review because he did not stay in my house also I will write an honest review about the booking.I have also put it in my listing that I do not accept third party bookings.

kezneth

[Yadira22]

@Kezneth0 

Next time simply write back whenever this is made apparent to you 

“third party bookings go again Airbnb’s strict terms of use, i respectfully ask to cancel your reservation (request etc) as to avoid any potential charges.”

I am so sorry this happened to you. Chin up- you got this xx

[Helen3]

Oh dear @Kezneth0 

What a horrible experience.  As you know third party bookings are often a red flag and in these sort of circumstances always better to ask Airbnb once you know you have one to cancel or for the person staying to set up their own profile and for the booking to be transfered, rather than risking a booking where you don't know who is staying.

You say the person booking was 'supposedly' a superhost - surely it says on his profile whether he was one or not?

Sounds like it would be useful for you to have CCTV so you can monitor comings and goings at your place.

[Andrea-and-Francis0]

I have had to turn away third party bookings as they aren't allowed on Airbnb unless it's a company booking for one of their employees. You can flag their account by letting Airbnb know!

[Kezneth0]

I did let airbnb know immediately but I don't know whether they will flag his account since he a super host in Spain.