Help! No "pre-approve" button for an enquiry for available dates

[Jaqi0]

The system just forced me to decline two separate enquiries (possibly from the same potential guest using two different profiles, since they were both from China, both asking questions in the same way and both for 3 guests for the same dates). The software isn't giving me a pre-approve button for either and says the dates are not available. The dates are available, but I don't remember whether I had already pre-approved the first enquiry when the second came through. On the calendar the dates show as available with a verification pending for the second applicant.

I have declined the first applicant since their enquiry was three days old, hoping that that would clear the problem and give me a pre-approve button for the second enquiry, but so far it hasn't. I don't want to be disadvantaged by being forced to decline a booking I have no reason to decline, or by marring my response rate by refusing to decline a booking when given no other option.

What can I do?

[Clare0]

@Jaqi0 Are you sure they were Reservation Inquiries?  Or was the guest asking questions in a Reservation Request.  Guests often do that when they really just want to ask questions. 

If they sent you a reservation request, the dates are blocked until you Accept or Decline the request.  Go to Your Reservations to  verify what the guest really sent you.  If it was a Reservation Request, that would explain why you don't have a Pre-Approval option as it is not available for Reservation Requests.  

To make matters even more confusing, I've noticed that emails I've received from Airbnb about a Reservation Request says to respond to the guest's Inquiry.  By checking Your Reservations, you will see what it really is. 

Hope this helps!