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?

[Kristin93]

Funny how they don't automatically add the Superhost filter to all search results but they do Instant Book, huh?

[Dunny0]

Hi Kristin,

Don't know if this will get through - but the original heartfelt AirBnB is looooong gone. It was always corporate,of course. Care. Yes, in a legalistic way, and we have had success by preparing as one does for a legal brief, with a ton of paperwork. 
AirBnB is more clearly seen now as a part of a different agenda - raising local rental prices and creating no place for local residents to rent. This benefits banks and their loans, benefits real estate agents, is seen as a worthy target for investors before real estate bubbles burst, and more. Basically, creates financial mayhem.
What to do? Sell when the time is right, to some corporation with black market funds, like a firm from Shanghai or Guangzhou.Transition to another  enterprise. Do this smart, you'll win.

Us? We're out, forced out by the market and local new laws. Part of the game. It's okay. It's time.
All the best,
Dunny 

[Francesca18]

you can just as well make a webiste yourself and insure  yourself and get business. you must come up in seo though. 

[Kristin93]

I'm so sorry you've gone through that, Diana. It's awful feeling so devalued after years of building up your street cred as a host. I'm right there with you, and I feel so powerless against the greedy conglomerate that has become Airbnb.

[Francesca18]

Its a very good point. I don't feel entirely comfortable having to accept people though of course airbnb will say you have the right ot turn them away at the door if you don't like the look of them this is true. You just say sorry..y ou  have to find somewhere else I am not comfortable. I am ready to stay this one day if need be but it puts everyone in an awkward situation. far better the old way of having a chit chat and agreeing to host than having them being landed on  you. Mostly however airbnb are the sweetest people long may that last. 

[Lizzie]

Hello @Melanie58, @David-And-Frances0, @Francesca18, @Dunny0, @Kristin93, @Harvey0, @Kristin93, @Marj0, @Karen109, @Carol-Ann0, @Jillie1, @Sarah282, @Carolyn5, @Lachelle0, @Miriam82, @Andrea275, @Carol85, @Yannis2, @Peter177, @Nick62, @Knight0, @Ronda4, @Kitty-and-Creek0, @Laura446, @Lee-And-Bill0, @Helen3, @Marty9, @Diana103, @Renata50, 

For those of you I haven't spoken with before, it is lovely to meet you all.

I know this discussion was started quite some time ago now, but as I have seen some of you have further questions surrounding Instant Book, I just wanted to highlight a recent post we have shared here in the Community Center: Answers to your top Instant Book Questions. 

I hope you find this helpful.

Thanks,

Lizzie

[Kristin93]

Respectfully, I still think this is a total copout on Airbnb's part. The community aspect that prompted me to sign up so many years ago is quickly deteroriating as you add more functions like Instant Book that essentially turn Airbnb into an Expedia or Hotels.com and take away the host-to-guest interactions.

Plain and simple, hosts should not get penalized for opting out of Instant Book. I'm fine with it being an option, but for Airbnb to automatically set it as a default for search results is straight-up BS.

[Marj0]

I wont use IB.  Period. Not for any hosting site.

Making money isnt worth getting hurt.

I am a single lady.  I live alone.

This is my home.  This is my 1 valuable asset.

Why not list on VRBO?  I have had my room booked

almost solidly all summer.  Yep the fees can be higher.

Not bad though if you pay a nominal yearly fee.

Marj

[Alicia242]

Hi Marj can you please private msg me? I am trying to send you one and its not working! I am a superhost 1.5 on airbnb here in Salem MA and I just turned on IB but Ill tell ya after a weird occurence last night( thankfully they no-showed) I dont think its a good thing either! P.s my cousin Tricia was the Scituate Town adminstrator up until the fall of 2017 for 8 yrs Best Alicia

[Francesca18]

100 percent agree. If I don't do instant book = nothiing in the way of bookings. 

If I turn down an instant book I am penalized.

[Kristin93]

It's funny, Francesca, how they pick and choose what Instant Book complaints to respond to. This seems to be a pretty hot topic that's pissed off a whole lot of hosts I know, and yet ... crickets from the Airbnb team.

[Francesca18]

airbnb is a huge machine of people. You can speak to Team Leaders to get them to try to pass things on but I don't think they have much power. There does not seem to be an ultimate MD or Director of Marketing that one could talk to. We could start a lobby with signatures to add to send in that might work? American seems to have more clout that uk or eire offices. There is the help@airbnb.co.uk link of course. 

Another thing I have read is that too many people are offering out whole blocks of accomodation in barcelona and too many tourists (!) really I think Airbnb could decide to cut the wheat from the chaff and only include 3 start to 5 star or superhost people. Allowing new people to come on but stipulating that their property has to get at least 3 stars after 10 bookings to remain on the site. This would keep the quality of the accomodation high in line with a good image for the company rather than offering below standard accomodation..in terms of say cleanliness at least. Also to stop people with multiple self catering accomodation from promoting via the site and just do one self cater place or one home owner.

I expect that will annoy alot of mutliple self catering places but there are other places they could promote. The ethos of crash padder as it was called before airbnb bought it  was home let when it started perhaps keeping that ethos is not a bad idea. 

[Kristin93]

I work in the media and have been to their HQ upon an invitation from their home team. I've also been sponsored by them on events and worked on campaigns with them. All that said, even with that level of inside knowledge and connections, it's now impossible to break through the clutter—like you've said, it's just become too huge a machine and the customer (host in this situation) has been left by the side of the road. There was a great story on Skift about Airbnb's road to IPO, and I really wish they'd actually take the feedback to hear. The fact that there's not a community manager in each market is, in my mind, a huge miss, particularly in cities like Nashville (where I live) where the city is trying to ban the service entirely. You'd think they'd give a little bit more attention to those markets, right? Yeah, no.

[Karen109]

It is just my opinion, but I believe Airbnb has lost it's way, and deviated from the original premise all to make money.  I first used them in 2013 and only 4 years later there is a huge difference in the operation.  Where i live in Sedona, investors are buying up condos and small apartment buildings to turn into Airbnb/VRBO rentals.  The local housing market is in a shambles.  There is a good reason local residents hate Airbnb rentals.  Granted if they didn't morph into what they now are, someone else would have taken over.  Their BNB accommodation model is long abandoned, which is a shame.  Staying in an owner occupied dwelling/rental is so much more down to earth.

[Diana103]

Hi Lizzie,

Thanks for for reaching out to us.  I am a super host and have repeatedly asked that they add the option for super host to be available on my iPhone.  I checked several months ago and was in page 14 of 17!  I have added instabook and so far am not getting much action on my listings.  My gut was to stay away from the instabook option so that I could remain a super host by making sure my home was a perfect fit for my guests.