Declining an enquiry

[Anne197]

I have received 3 enquiries about staying in my room for a long period of time (up to 2 months )which I have chosen to decline.

The enquiries come through from Airbnb with just the first date shown (eg 10th Sept ), so the request is shown as a 1 night stay only but the conversation from the  guest shows their request to stay eg  "from 10th Sept until the end of October".

As a consequence Airbnb only calculate for a 1 night stay and are unable to calculate the likely payment to be made to the host for the full period of the request.

I am uncomfortable with this and all three enquiries have also shown no information about the guest to help me make a decision.

I prefer to consider stays of up a week, rather than a long continuous period and wondered if I should just continue to decline these requests or consider placing a maximum on the stay period?

Thanks

Anne

[Sandra126]

Put a max on it. If you have this happen often and decline too often your ranking will be lowered. After a number of declines (not sure, lots anyway) you will be temporarily suspended from what I read. Maybe 15 in a row? Don't know.

[Anne197]

Thanks Sandra. I will take your advice and set a maximum stay. I wanted to be as flexible as possible but from the Airbnb replies I have received ,it has made me realise that I do not want a relationship as 'landlord' with these guests that need temporary accommodation before they start work or University courses. It was helpful to raise this issue.

[Gerry-And-Rashid0]

We used to get this late in the year in London, when people are moving here to take up work in Jan. They were looking for accom for  a month, or maybe two. We were not comfortable as to us that is a different relationship than a tourist visiting for 3 or 4 nights. It is a lodger (forget about the legal implications in some places of longer stays) and they will want to share your space, cook every evening, they will be around a weekends, during the day etc.. So we put a limit on the number of nights a guest can stay with us.

[Anne197]

Thanks for your advice. I completely agree with you about the difference in the relationship and it was helpful for you to identify this for me. I will set a limit as you suggest.