Guest booking through someone elses profile

[Zoë20]

Hi. A couple has just booked my place via someone else's profile. It was approved automatically because this person meets the requirements for automatic booking. Has anyone else experienced this? I replied to the girl to explain that it is important for people to have their own profile so that hosts can see who is actually coming to stay. I asked if she could get the couple to write a bit more about themselves, and requested to know their arrival and departure times. If I am around to meet them then I will be more happy about letting them stay. This was last night and I haven't yet heard back. I am considering cancelling the booking. Any advice? Thanks!

[Ana1136]

@Zoë20 this is a third-party booking and it is against Airbnbs policy. If anything happens Airbnb won't help in any way. So it would be best if you called Airbnb and have them cancel the reservation penalty free unless the guests book from their own profile.

[Zoë20]

Thanks, that's a very good point about not being covered by Airbnb!

[Gordon0]

I've taken them for mums/dads/grans of the account holder, but nothing wider than that. Call Airbnb.

[Zoë20]

I think you are right Gordon. That's why I wanted to give them a chance. I have heard from Airbnb that I can cancel without penalty if I don't feel safe with a booking.

[Rachel177]

@Zoë20 call Airbnb & cancel the booking. If you still want to host the guest then tell them to set up their own Airbnb account and then book with you.

[Kelly149]

@Zoë20 not allowed, don't do it!! I barely want to host ABB guests with their own profile, certainly not one-offs.

Call CS, they will undo it

[Jennifer1421 · Accepted solution]

@Zoë20I've had good luck in getting guests to cancel the booking themselves and having the third party create their own profile and then make the booking. As @Ana1136 has pointed out, neither you, nor the guests will have support through Airbnb if you allow a third party booking to stand.

It's also worth noting that even though you are "supposed" to have 3 penalty-free cancellations with Instant Book bookings, many hosts are seeing themselves removed from Instant Book after cancelling with cause for a period of about a month. This is why I do my best to get the original 3rd party to cancel themselves.

I simply let them know that 3rd party booking are in contravention to Airbnb's Terms of Service, Section 14.1(6), and that while I would be overjoyed to host XX, they must book with their own profile, as stated in my listing rules. I then ladvise them to cancel the booking right away before the 48 hour full refund period expires, and to co-ordinate timing with the actual guests so that they don't miss out on the nights they want. Everyone wins - they get all their money back, the real guest has full support through Airbnb and you don't expose yourself to financial loss through no support and/or losing instant book for a period of time.

Fingers crossed, this has worked for me each time the issue has come up - except for once where the third party didn't end up booking. I figured that was fine by me.

[Zoë20]

Thanks for the detailed reply Jennifer! This is certainly good advice for how to resolve the situation another time. Unfortunately, when I tried to communicate my concerns and get more information, I didn't get a quick response and after 36 hours of waiting for a reply I decided to cancel. When I cancelled it said that I would not be penalised as hosts have the right to cancel without penalty if they do not feel comfortable with a booking. I just have to hope this is correct!

[Sally221]

Alas ,you may still have instant book suspended for a random amount of time anyway, and it could also have happened if Airbnb cancelled for you or if the guest had cancelled. Any cancellation by any party can trigger it so double check by trying to book your space as a guest- the disabling might not be visible to you when looking over your listing as a host, best of luck, Sally

[Ann-And-Mad0]

I would cancel as this has happened to me and the guests left me with bed bugs....  no one should be allowed to stay if they have booked under another person profile.

[Ann487]

What I don’t understand is how do we really know if it is a third party booking or someone who allowed a friend to use their verified profile.

I just found out by accident when an inquiring guest told me that all she had to do to use her friend’s verified profile was to change the name on the profile.

I contacted CS and they said a guest can change anything they want on their profile even the name. Wait, what?? That invalidates verification and ought to send up a red flag to abnb but it doesn’t. 

so much for safety for hosts!

[Kelly149]

@Ann487  Yep, the only way you know who is in your space is if you see the ID yourself