Information needed please

[Kate2019]

I'm fairly new to Airbnb and am wondering if someone can help me out with answering my questions.

I've had people book and some of them I've had to approve their stay and others were already approved and I was notified by Airbnb that they were coming to stay. Is it something under settings that I need to adjust and if so, can you tell me where this is? Do I want to approve each guest?  Which is best and why? 

So far after each guest, something is missing. It has been something like a bath towel, hand towel, kitchen towel, wash cloth, coffee mug, etc. Is this just the cost of doing business? How do you handle this or do you not address it? 

Last week we had a guest stay and they clearly had a pet with them. We are a no pet guest house. How do you handle this? 

Today after our guests left, it was very clear they had been smoking pot. We are a no smoking guest house and especially are not happy about the smell of marijuana. How do you handle this? 

Sorry for all the questions. Thanks in advance and I'll look forward to reading your responses. I appreciate your help as I learn to navigate Airbnb! I can't believe how much I've learned about people in such a short amount of time!

[Emiel1]

@Kate2019 

Instant Book provides you with guests wihtout your approval:

https://www.airbnb.com/help/article/1510/how-to-use-instant-book

Missing (small) items are the costs of doing this kind of business

Guest should not violate your policies like no pets, no smoking.

I  always remind guests to read all information in the listing and houserules before they book.

But i am not (and never was) on Instant Book.

[Kate2019]

@Emiel1 ,  Thank you! I turned off Instant Book for now.  I appreciate your note. 

[Colleen253]

@Kate2019 Read the link Emiel provided, and while you're in the help pages, do some further reading to learn all the basics. Your hosting education is important to your success and in reducing costly and painful mistakes.

Turn off instant book until you get your feet under you. Take the opportunity that trip requests provide to  question guests thoroughly about who is staying, how many, the purpose of their stay, etc. The answers, and the quality of the communication, will inform a great deal about prospective guests. Don't be afraid to decline, and be midful of red flags. Search this forum with the key words 'red flag' to learn what to watch for. Preventing undesirable guests who will ignore your house rules from getting in the door is the key. Much easier than dealing with smoking and pets after the fact. 

You should address unregistered guests and occupancy limits in your house rules. I advise you to remove the line about 'events'. Any mention of party or event allowed can get your listing suspended.

https://www.airbnb.ca/help/article/2704/party-and-events-policy

[Kate2019]

@Colleen253 ,  Thank you for the information. I really appreciate it. I turned Instant Book off for now. 

[Sarah977]

@Kate2019  Now that you have IB turned off, when you get a request, you first click on the circle with a letter in it to see the guest's profile. You read their past reviews. If they have none, and have just joined and have no profile write up, that tells you they are new and may not understand how Airbnb works, what the expectations are re booking soneone's home, etc, and you may have to communicate more extensively with them than you would with an experienced guest with lots of great reviews.

After you look at their profile, you communicate with them. Try to establish some kind of rapport to get a sense of them. You have 24 hours to either accept or declinne a request, so you don't have to rush to do that.

Yes, a few little things going missing happens, but every guest walking off with things isn't normal.

And put up an actual profile photo. That grey silouette isn't appropriate. If you present yourself as some anonymous entity, rather than someone who is the homeowner who cares about the place, guests are likely to view you as such and be less respectful.

[Helen3]

Oh dear @Kate2019  it sounds like you haven't read up on how Airbnb works before letting your listing go live. 

I've never had anything go missing in six years of hosting @Kate2019 

You need to vet guests to ensure they are a good fit for your property. Make sure you only accept guests with photo ID, you can take check their reviews on their profile.

Get your guests to confirm they have read your house rules around no smoking, no guests on the property who are not on the booking and no smoking. Confirm breaking of these house rules are grounds for eviction.

Install CCTV outside if you host remotely.

Why don't you have a photo uploaded to your profile. Photos instill trust of both host and guests.