Guests using other people's profiles

[Elaine116]

I've had a couple of bookings recently where the name on the profile isn't the name I'm being given in the messages. I have accepted them before where it was explained that they were booking for work colleagues but I have one at the moment where I have nothing except a first name. Is it acceptable to Airbnb for people to use their profile to book for other people? My inclination is to refuse the booking but wondered what others thought?

[Gordon0]

I've accepted bookings from a bonafide 'business booker' and - if memory serves - once the booking is made you get the details of the actual guest, @Elaine116. Likewise I've accepted bookings for people's parents and they've worked out fine too. 

Is it because it's an enquiry at this point maybe, that you can't see their full name?

[Elaine116]

Hi Gordon. Thanks for responding. Sorry, I didn't give all the information. The profile isn't business verified and it was an instant booking so I have the details but they are of the account holder, not the apparent guest. I've asked what the relationship is to the account holder but so far no response.

Yes I have also accepted bookings for parents/family where the account holder has made the booking but explained it wasn't for them and they've been fine but all I've got for this one is that he'll be arriving at 7pm and a first name. I think I'm probably convincing mysef to cancel!

[Anonymous]

@Elaine116  Third-party bookings aren't allowed, but Airbnb does allow for a single account to represent multiple users (for example, @Mike-And-Jane0 who commented below), and it also allows verified users to have a pseudonym as their profile name.  

If the guest is refusing to answer your questions, that's enough of a reason to consider cancelling. But if your main concern is about the profile's identity being genuine, another option would be to require guests to present an ID at check-in. 

You can also disable Instant Book and screen your guests before accepting. From the guest perspective, a cancellation is a lot worse than a decline.

[Elaine116]

Thanks Andrew. I think I had already convinced myself to cancel and I have turned instant Book off. I turn it off and on fairly often when I change my mind about it but I think given the number of instant bookings I've had recently where the account holder isn't the guest it's best to turn it off.

[Elaine116]

Thanks William. Yes I was aware hence my inclination to cancel. Unsurprisingly, when I asked Airbnb "support" about cancelling they were very reluctant to let me and were trying to actually encourage me not to cancel even though the account holder is breaking their "rules".

[Mike-And-Jane0]

@William810 But we all know Airbnb support is minimal so people should have their own insurance. We often take bookings for parents and it has worked out fine.