How to tell if a person will be a good guest

[Casey5]

I am new to hosting and someone wants to rent our house.  What can I do to check to see if they will be a responsibel guest?

Casey

[Kathy-and-Bernie0]

I would engage the potential guest in some conversation on the Airbnb message board and try to get a feel for what kind of a person he/she is. Especially if the potential guest has not posted any information about themselves and has no reviews from other hosts. Something like asking "I see that you have not written any information about yourself, and I like to know a little about guests, so could you please tell me a bit about yourself?"

[Donna15]

Hi, @Casey5. Your home looks wonderful.

Further to the previous suggestions, I'd add:

- Ask if they could possibly provide verification

- Ask the purpose of their trip - maybe whether they have a particular interest in the area - or if they've visited before - precisely how many guests will be in the group - whether the group includes children, pets, and so on. 

I'd suggest you set a Security Deposit so that you can claim against any possible damages.

I'd recommend dropping the Extra Guest No Charge box, because it could be misinterpreted to refer to extra guests after the first 8. You can get rid of the box by going to your settings, entering a large figure (e.g. $700), and hitting Save. When the page refreshes, the box will be gone. 

I'd also recommend that in the House Rules you emphasise that no further guests after the maximum of 8 are allowed. Also, if you do not want to host children and pets, you should state this in the House Rules.

[Peggy7]

I would second that you ask plenty of questions about the guest and his/her reason for traveling to your area. 

If the guest asks a bunch of questions or asks for a reduced rate or special offer I usually stay away from those folks. Experience tells me that that type of guest is usually a problem once they arrive.

House Rules: Check out other listing in your area and go to their house rules. Pick the ones or parts that you like and me them yours.