How do I remove the "pre-approve this guest"?

[Alice96]

Hello All,

As a new host I have had two greet guest experience and a third booked!  I am thrilled so far.  Thank you all for being out there to "help without pay"!  As a new host, I really appreciate it.

I have encountered something with AirBnB that I would like to turn off.  Twice I have had this:  Twice potential guests have asked me questions about my room and then they have found accomodations that suited them better.  They no longer want to book with me.  I continue to get frequent emails from AirBnb asking me to pre-approve them.  In the first case, I tried to, but it wouldn't let me pre-approve so I continued to get emails.  I even emailed with the potential guest asking if she could turn off something on her end but there was nothing she could do.

Now I have another potential guest that does not want to book but I continue to get emails from AirBnB.  The only option I saw was to deny approval but I don't want to do that because I want to keep it open for other booking.

Thank you volunteer seasoned hosts for helping advise how I can turn this feature off.  Thank you,

Alice

[Annette33 · Accepted solution]

@Alice96. hello!

I would just ignore the Airbnb emails about pre-approving a guest who already decided not to book with you: Especially for hosts who have instant booking on place, as you do, I think there are lots of little things Airbnb does that actually doesn't benefit the host, only the guest - and there are lots of glitches in the software! So I think this is just a glitch, nothing to worry about.

I also had it a few times that people asked, " are you available..." , calendar clearly indicated that we were, and I affirmed it immediately per message - then never heard from them again. It just happens..

With instant booking on, I think you're lucky that people are asking questions, before arriving/booking, and then possibly having issues because things are not that clear from your listing: I see a fully decked table in your pictures, saying., "enjoy your meal", then also a pic with "breakfast outside", or "enjoy tea or coffee", but in your house rules I read about paying maybe  $1 for coffee. I would clarify that, before people might even think you are inviting them to a festive dinner!

In your house rules you list places of interest near your house: If I may say so, those things don't  belong in the house rules but into your description of your place above - and I would expand your description, fill it out more, like be clear if the living room is to be shared, etc.. the clearer you are, the less emails with questions you will be getting - (and the less potential trouble with guests!)

Instead of charging extra after one person, you might want to consider charging for a pet that people might bring. You have not defined how many pets are welcome, what if one person shows up with three dogs?

Just alerting you to a few things I stumbled over when I looked at your listing - it's all up to you! and Happy Hosting!

[Alice96]

Hello Annette,

Thank you every so much!  What fabulous suggestions!  I went on right away and updated the picture descriptions to be more clear.  You are so very right.  This week, I hope to update the house descriptions.  

However, I could not find a way to add more items in, except through the house rules.  Is the only place to add it in is in the initial description?

I am very grateful to you for your help.  Your insights were very valuable?

What extra charge would you say per pet?  Great thought!  I had never even thought that someone would come with three dogs but I actually know someone that traveled with three huge dogs!  Thank you!

Alice

[Annette33]

@Alice96, look  for "manage my listing", and then pretty much everything can be updated, just keep on clicking on description, etc.....

thanx for the vote of confidence in my suggestions, much appreciated 🙂 

yeah, there is always a first... like a guy with three dogs (who neglected to mentin that in his booking...) , you can always ask in messages before booking/arriving, without being too intrusive, just covering your bases. I don't allow animals, too much trouble looming on the horizon.

[Alice96]

Hello Annette,

Thank you for your continued help.  I do not see a tab that says "manage my listing".  I can click on the listing but maybe I am not finding the right place.  How do I find the "manage my listing" tab?

Thank you!

Alice

[Annette33]

@Alice96, it's probably different if you are on a tablet or desktop. Firefox or Chrome seems to be working well for desktop. Right now on my Ipad (tablet), I see "manage listings" in the drop,down menu from the house graphic, two to the left from my profile pic. or you see "your listing" in the horizontal black bar. once you click on that, scroll down to About this listing , underneath, in red you'll see Edit listing. Of course you'll have to be signed in, otherwise you'll just se eit like every potential guest. good luck, just click around and familiarize yourself...

[Alice96]

Hello Annette,

Thank you very much.  It must be that mine is listed differently.  I am able to edit but I don't see anything that says "manage", just "your listing."  It must be that it is just different than yours.

Thank you!

Alice

[Ess-And-Mike0]

I pre-approve them and since they don't want to book with me (and don't respond) the booking lapses.  All the best. 

[Alice96]

Hello Ess and Mike,

Do you just ignore the emails?  Last time I think I had about 5 follow up emails from AirBnb.

Thank you!

Alice

[Lynne29]

I want to be able to pre approve my guests from my listing they are currently coming through as approved when they book. Where on my listing can i edoit this feature.Lynn.

[Sally350]

I have the same question.  My guests are coming through as approved as soon as they book; I would like to pre-approve...would like to read reviews of potential guests just as they read reviews of me a host prior to booking.  Thank you for responses. Sally

[Letti0]

@Sally350  You have instant booking turned on turn it off. Go to Listing then Booking Setting Go to How Guests can Book and hit Edit. Turn off the instant booking and don't forget to save it. Just ignore any information from AirBnB about turning it off. ;D 

[Sally350]

Thank you for the information, Letitia.  Sally