New Hosts not being given option to turn off Instant Book

[Erin62]

Has ayone who wasn't given the option to turn off Instant Book on their listing had this issue resolved?  I wrote to Customer Service, and they confirmed that indeed it can't be turned off on my listing, while skillfully neglecting to mention that most users CAN turn it off.  They simply wrote,

"When you sign up for Airbnb and activate your listing, guests will be able to book your space without needing to request approval.  This feature can't be turned off..."

I replied asking for clarification and received a completely unhelpful response stating that,

"The Instant Book feature was enabled on the listing when it was created.  At the time the listing was created, this information was outlined."

This is a ridiculous response since literally every other option, from "smart pricing" to the booking window, can be changed by the host at any time.  I responded that my listings will generate the exact same fees for Airbnb as other hosts, and so I should be given access to the same features. 

Please let me know if you are a host who has gotten anywhere with Airbnb on this.  I am only getting canned replies from the corporate playbook.

Thank you!

[Dawn33]

@Erin1, I somehow missed the registration cutoff and can turn off "instant book", but if I were you, I would block my calendar out for the year. Make a note in your listing that you are open and ready to book and ask guests to request certain days/start a convo with you, as we do when we screen potential guests.

This might be a way to circumvent this unfortunate cog in the wheel. This is what I would do with my own listing.

Good luck!

[Allison2]

That would work for anyone who doesn't input dates before searching. For anyone who put in their planed dates, she'd never show up in results 😕

Do you think Airbnb thinks IBS is the way to remove racial bias in accepting bookings? I can't think of any other reason for them to push this so hard when it's clearly not working for hosts. There has to be a better way.

[Helen3]

Hi Allison

Who knows why BnB does this -  as they refuse to provide an explanation. It's more likely to be a money making exercise.

I and many other hosts have asked them to explain why they are doing this, but they won't say.

[Allison2]

I'm going to start shortening Instant-Book Setting to IBS, since it bears such close resemblance to the other IBS - irritable bowel syndrome in inconvenience and annoyance.

I don't know how sucessful anyone has been working with customer service directly, but I have heard of an anecdotal work-around.

Since this is a trial program, not all new listings have IBS by default. Some hosts were able to get an IBS-free listing by creating a new listing, then deleting it if it doesn't have the IBS "off" option. I'm not sure of the ratio of perma-IBS to IBS optional. You may have to go through several cycles of this create/delete cycle until you get one of the non-IBS listings.

It is ridiculous that Airbnb has forced this on hosts. There are too many differences in how people host and many times communication must be done for both guest & host to be happy with the reservation. For new hosts just learning the Airbnb system, it has caused a world of problems.

You can voice your support in removing this program here:

https://community.airbnb.com/t5/Host-Voice/No-INSTANT-BOOK-for-new-hosts-and-more-security-for-when-...

[Josipa2]

Hi, sorry, I don't have an answer for this, but I read your situation and it shocked me. They cannot do it JUST like this, unless it was clearly stated in the begining that this feature will not be possible to undo. I am an Airbnb host for 2 years and yes, this was not a problem before, I still have the option to turn on and off Instant bookings. I hope you win this case. Just say you will close up your account. Then create new one with new e mail. I think they will try to force hosts in the future to use smart pricing and instant booking so everything is automatized and they have less worrys and less support for us, they  are already cutting us from contacting them and they re- direct us to commu nity help / centre wich is not the same thing. 

[Ryan67]

Yes -  I would just delete my account and listing, and try to start a new one, as I've heard this situation is being randomly applied -  BUT I already have two bookings through "Instant Book", and I do not want to lose them.  Luckily for me these guests are totally acceptable, but I am incredibly uneasy about how this will go in the future.

[Susan225]

Personally, I would delete your posting and then repost it as new so that you can choose otherwise. I don't understand why it's not made possible for you to change this feature.