Concerns about property and host safety and security

Hamish2
Level 2
Wellington, New Zealand

Concerns about property and host safety and security

Hi there,

 

I have had a guest stay with me the past few days. I always reserach any guests where possible when they apply to stay, so that I know the person coming in is above board and hopefully will respect my spaces.

 

This recent guest, who works in the block chain space however I understand there are some legitimate businesses involved in this sphere, despite the stigma around it (hey we work with AirBnB, we are used to unfair negative stigma!). The guest was supposedly verified by Government ID, so that was wonderful. The guest stayed and I did not get to meet him, despite coming by the apartment to pick something up he had me pick it up when he was not home (he took the front off my lock box when he arrived for check in and took it up to the apartment, leaving it insecure on the street so I needed to get the front back to resecure it).

 

Upon check out, the guests entire name (first name, and family name) were changed to something completely different, and the guests photo is a very similar looking, but different person. I now have genuine concerns that this guest, and perhaps others in the future may be using AirBnB for sinister purposes we as hosts do not want in our homes.

 

I have genuine concerns about the AirBnB verification system, and that it has somehow been circumvented.

 

I am currently in Japan on vacation and prefer not to have to deal directly with AirBnB, after previously my own account was hacked, and French thieves used my ID to burgle at least one property, and book two others. French Police were involved, and AirBnB never once explained or gave an outcome on the case, so although I love being a host they drew the line for me in terms of defining what they wanted me to do for them, and ensuring account security is something they clearly did not want assistance with.

 

Has anyone else experienced issues like the one I have detailed with the guests immediate name change on check out above?

4 Replies 4
Linda-And-Richard0
Level 10
San Antonio, TX

Sounds like the person staying at your place might have been a third party booking.  To avoid such problems, I meet and greet all guests at check-in.  If they don't have their photo on their profile, they must provide a photo ID upon arrival.  If things don't match up, they are not getting into the house.  I live right next door to my listing so I can keep an eye on what happens at my property.  I will never use Instant Book or self check-in.  To me, that is just asking for trouble.

Thank you Linda and Richard for your feedback. As I understood, AirBnB penalises hosts in the displayed search results if they do not use instantbook. I also notice now that hosts can provide lock box details in the system, which are automatically sent to the guest upon instant booking (meaning the host has zero contact with the guest unless there are issues). I wondered if not using these features penalise us as hosts, too. This is only hiersay, I have no proof, only what I have read elsewhere.

 

I do know that as a potential guest, you can search for hosts specifically using instant book, and would not be surprised if you could search for hosts who only use lock box with instructions provided instantly. It is a serious security concern, and I only provide lock box instructions after I have made contact with the guest.

 

Unfortunately, I am in and out of my city. My wife lives in another city and moved there 3 years ago, I had to stay behind because labor is so expensive here and magins so slim on the AirBnBs (despite many low value ratings) that to hire someone to oversee the cleaning and day to day running would see the apartments run at a loss. I check on guests when I can, but many flat out refuse to meet at a time which is convenient for them. AirBnB is seen by many as a hotel service here, but forget the hotel knows who you are on check in, because they scan your passport etc.

 

My concern is, how does one change their first and last names and photo, within a day of checking out of a property and it does not raise a red flag with the safety and security team at AirBnB? I should mention this guest was showing as verified by government ID before and now after the changes. So, unless he has gone into the witness protection program there is something seriously strange about what has been done, and the fact that it can be done.

Helen3
Level 10
Bristol, United Kingdom

The solution is to have a local co-host who manages check in's as part of the support they offer you @Hamish2.

 

You should have a local co-host anyway to manage things on the ground when you are not around in case you have problem guests or there are problems with the property.

 

You can then make it part of your house rules, that guests need to provide ID on arrival.

Hamish2
Level 2
Wellington, New Zealand

Hi Helen,

 

Thank you for reaching out. As I understand it co-hosts take a cut of profits. In the winter, I am down to making $2-3 per night after outgoings. Summer is better, so I average out profits to get through the year with a profit about 8-9% after costs but before tax. Hwever, this does not account for damage by guests, theft of towels and routine replacement and upkeep or compensation for my time at all. And rates in my apartments are mid-market.

 

In New Zealand we have A LOT of senior citizens awash with money, who purchase properties with cash (no mortgage to pay!), dont do their numbers and end up renting out entire apartments/houses for as low as US$55 per night. I could not event afford to supply electrcity, internet and consumables (minus the apartment) for that price.

 

As a host of 4 years, I am seriously considering locking the doors and not renting out at all, until some sort of standards are developed to ensure that not only are we as hosts providing the very best spaces possible, but also that guests coming in are legitimate, genuine and honest. AirBnB should be positioning itself for what it is - an agent of cost effective, premium quality living spaces far superior in quality but similarly priced to local hotels. Only then will hosts profits increase, quality of guests increase, and guests using AirBnB understand that as lucky as we are that they found us, they are lucky that we open our homes and investment properties to them on a high risk short stay basis. AirBnB in NZ is often seen by locals as the "option of last resort" when leases end and before new leases start, or when all hotels are full, or a specific AirBnB is considerably cheaper than local hotels.

 

As one of the very first hosts in NZ, I have seen the early beginnings of excitingly high profits (which luckily I used to improve the apartments) and since  then seen margins rapidly squeezed, where decisions are having to be made as to if the extra few percent additional profit generated as a host are worth the head aches, especially when, such as in this case it is clear that safety and security may not always be as "locked down" as we would like. Sadly having a co-host eat into my flatlining profits isn't something I can afford right now.

 

I shall call AirBnB in the morning and raise a case on this issue, in hope that whatever loophole has been taken advantage of in this case is closed.