How Does Instant Book Work? Concerned because a convicted felon instant booked my listing

[Melanie58]

Hello.  I have had my listing on Airbnb for 15 minutes.  During that time I turned on Instant Book because it said that the guests were verified by Airbnb.  My first guest quickly snapped up a three days stay.  I noticed it was a local person, which I thought was odd.  I googled this person, then searched their criminal history, and long story short, it is a local felon with a very lengthy record.  I did not feel comfortable having this person stay with my family, so I quickly cancelled the reservation.  

However, I now wonder if since they booked with "instant book" if they already received my address and other information about my home.  Do you know how much information is instantly shared with someone who books via instant book?

[Harvey0 · Accepted solution]

That doesn't sound good. When someone uses Instant Book they immediately receive an itinerary which includes your address and phone number.

Maybe you should turn off Instant Book for the future...

[Melanie58]

Absolutely!  I did that immediately, luckily I was still working on the listing when it all happened.  The information you provided, how much information someone receives when they instant book, is what I wanted to know.  I was naive about who would be using airbnb I guess, so the convenience factor appealed to me initally.  Now I know it is not a feature I want to use.  But I also feel the need to be more careful because this person has my information.  I guess I assumed somehow that a convicted felon with no reviews would not meet the minimum requirements from airbnb?  I did mark the option that said

"Guests who meet Airbnb’s requirements, and also have:

-Provided a government-issued ID

-Recommendation from other hosts

"

This person did not have any recommendations, so that kind of surprised me.

[Gerry-And-Rashid0]

AirBnB do not do background checks on guest or hosts. At most with verification they are saying: this person is who they say they are. Hence you were able to look this person up and do a quick background check.

Recommendations from other hosts are useful but not always proof of good character or behaviour. 

As you have found out IB is a risky tool. 

[Kristin93]

Exactly. So risky, and as such I would never use it—yet Airbnb is now penalizing all hosts who don't have it activated. =(

[Marj0]

I just realized my listing which always showed up first for searches in my popular summer area is not showing up at all.  I am deeply disturbed about this.  I cannot use IB because I live alone as a single lady.  I just wont put myself in this kind of precarious situation.  What disturbs me the most is when Airbnb first started I was the second property owner to list my home.  This is how long I have been making money for airbnb.  To be treated this way as a loyal host is discouraging at best.

I am the host that on 2 occasions have reversed my cancellation policy and allowed airbnb to refund the guests the full amount of the monies the guest spent on their reservations.  This cost me hundreds of dollars.  I did this for the greater good.  

I think I am going to pull my listing now from this site.  I feel I am being punished bc I am protecting myself.

It is unaceptable to me when big businesses forget about those that helped them get big. 

Marj

[Dunny0]

Hi Harvey,

We're over here in Nara.

How's Instant Book for you?

And how's the reservation rate since last April - 

since the 'sakura' season?

Ours has almost disappeared - and we were fully booked the last 3 Christmases and New Years -

now zilch, nothing, nada, even with reduced rates and a cheaper yen! And plenty of tourists

and visitors on the trains. Go figure.

BTW How's life in Nagoya? Been here 30+ years.

Cheers,

Duncan

[Francesca18]

think its because everyone is doing it now...and the competition is very high. superhost is the way to go. also airbnb are perhaps not promoting it enough to travellers generally. It might catch up with it self the more people do it the less business. 

[Karen109]

I just went in to look for a place to stay (I am a host) and noticed that the result that first come up are instant book only properties.  If you want to see non instant book properties you have to click on that!!!  I had no idea. 

[Kristin93]

Hate hate hate this idea. This is a brand new thing they implemented in May and now all of us hosts who don't feel comfortable with IB are being penalized heavily.

[Carol-Ann0]

No one is perfect and if guests are looking for perfect they should also be perfect guests. I am a host that treats my guests with kindness every time and gets a 4.5 to 5 star and that I am happy with. I have a beautiful little cottage so clean and lovely and 

I am happy with it and so are most of my guests. Stop trying to be perfect no one is. Carol Ann

[Kristin93]

I've been a Superhost ever since they've implemented that accolade and yet I'm being penalized like all other non-IB listings by not being shown in searches anymore. Ugh. So angry.

[Carol-Ann0]

Hi there from Canada, we had no bookings either this winter, I wonder if airbnb is still popular.

Have a wonderful year and hope to make it over to Japan in the future it is on my Bucket list 

of places to visit.

Thank you Carol Ann **

Lakeview Guest Vacation Cottage. Canada.

[Dunny0]

@Carol-Ann0

Come!

If you plan well, you can drive around just west of Fuji, and find as much soft fruit

(cherries, peaches, grapes) as around St Catherines and the Niagara-on-the-lake area.

We've spent the last 3 years just tooling around the countryside on short trips,

and it's been more fun than jetting overseas. You can stumble across active volcanoes,

hot spring almost-ghost towns, gorgeous vistas of forests and alps, more. 

Stay in the cities, live a salaried life, though, it's concrete and steel. Pretty safe, plenty of good things.

Police state of course, but accentuate the positive,and it's fine. Any budget works. Don't need to be rich.

Taipei is also good. Helps to have a purpose, business, trade show, something.

Look us up if you come.

Dunny

[Andrea9]

@Melanie58

What a horror!

Contact Airbnb to explain the situation to them and ask to have the reservation cancelled.