Guest booking for someone else.

[Richard158]

We received a booking and, despite sending several pre-arrival messages to the guest, we received no reply. Then, on the morning of arrival, we received a call from the guest's sister telling us that her sister had booked it for her as a surprise 'small honeymoon'. The visitor (ie the real guest, not the person who booked) didn't have any information about our place other than the address. We were nervous about this but, as it was all at such short notice and she was about to set off on the long drive here, we let the visit go ahead.

We were not all that happy with the visit, as they treated the place more like a hotel than a B&B and broke some of our house rules. Now it comes to feedback time, can anyone advise what feedback we should give, given that it will go on the Airbnb registered persons profile, and not the actual person/s who visited us? The Airbnb registered person has no previous feedback.

[Karin38]

I would give a review stating that she booked for someone else, didn't respond to your texts and the guest didn't treat you place well and broke several house rules.

[Graham-And-Michelle0]

Yep. The truth always works well. 

[Susie0]

I would report the booking person too given that there's no reason why they shouldn't have given you a heads up, and asked permission, to create the surprise.

[Diane84]

I do not like receiving requests for other people. In the end if it doesnt go well the person that actually stayed there has no reason to care about a review.  It makes communication difficult and just doesnt seem that it should be allowed. The person that verifies when booking is not even there and who knows who is staying. I try to avoid these types of bookings when I can I usually refuse them.

[Jim-and-Marcia0]

Also, inform Airbnb staff about what happened. In the review process there is a place to do that. They should do a followup because booking for someone else is against Airbnb rules.

[Linda108]

@Richard0  You have received great feedback from all these hosts but you should know that third party booking is not allowed under the Air BNB policies.  The exception is for the registered business traveler who has a registered third party booking person, usually a sec'y.  

[Richard158]

Thank you all for your helpful advice, which we will certainly take. We only realised it was a third party booking at the last moment when it was too late to cancel. But we will definitely not accept any third party booking in future. Thanks again.

[Julie289]

Hi everyone 

just for you to know :

when this type of situation happen you can cancel at the arrival by calling airbnb right away withoup any penality .

it will be a cancelation from the guest for no respect of the rules .

[Julie282]

but... how do you know it's not the person who booked? In this last instance it was obviously because the guest told the host. But what about otherwise?

[Letti0]

@Julie282  I have a rental agreement they must sign and return to me with Government ID and the name of everyone. I can turn them away if the information is not accurate no problem. 

[Andre43]

Will they get a refund?

[Letti0]

@Andre43 Yes they will. It's up to you to decide if the booking money is worth it. 

[Sleep-Sweets0]

Hi There,

It was so great to be able to read the feedback on this situation!  I am fairly new to AirBnB and I have had two situations involving people booking for others. 

In both instances the guests were definately not happy that I would not go along with the situation where they book our listing for their friend or relative.

One of the guests resolved the matter by having her cousin book for herself.  The other guest just expanded the reservation for two people and agreed he would be there with his friend as I refused issuing the key to the other person.  I would only issue a key to the guest who made the reservation. 

The guest then called (after check in time) to say he was too busy with the event he was planning to pick up the key and requested a delivery.  When we attempted to deliver the key he said (at about 9:30 pm) that he didn't need the place anymore and refused to take the key or pay the delivery fee.

The guest called a week later to say that he wanted to discuss a refund for the costs since he never stayed at our location but would pay the key delivery fees (which I had already paid).  I told him that I would not issue a refund since he surely had read the AirBnB cancellation policy.  We have the most flexible of the policies which allows cancellation within 24 hours of check in time without penalty. 

The guest was adamant that booking for others is a regular practice and that I was the problem for following AirBnB policy. 

We finally agreed to disagree and he indicated he would esculate this to AirBnB.  It has been a few days and I have not heard anything.  Should I initiate the complaint/Issue to AirBnB?  How should I handle the review?

Thanks,

Zjai

from SleepSweets DC

[Penelope10]

I would rather said this review is intended for her guests as she hasn't been there. That next time she should provide detail explanations and make sure to always ask them the questions is will there be any other guest and will it be that is coming. she should least still get the chance to still airbnb when she does come herself.