New host, question about reserving without paying.

[Mp5]

Hi everyone! I’ve been hosting for a little over a month now and have not wanted to throatpunch anyone until now. 

I accept last minute bookings. Someone booked today at 2pm, I got notification that the reservation was “awaiting payment” and the date would be held for 24 hours. This person delayed, asked me questions, asked more questions...then at 9pm after I flat out said, pay now or it’s not happening, they said we aren’t coming! Meanwhile nobody else could book! Is there some type of setting where a booking with less than 24 hours must require payment? This person screwed me out of the opportunity to make money. The room is still being held, and I cannot cancel because I am aiming for superhost status. How can I avoid this happening again? How is it possible someone can hold my place for 24 hours without paying? This is wrong and I am a little ticked off! Thanks for your advice....

[Sarah977]

@Mp5  Give it another few months, you'll be wanting to throat punch a bunch more 🙂 This sort of thing has been reported here several times, which is why many hosts won't accept same-day bookings. Some hosts have even had guests stay, their booking confirmed by Airbnb, only to have Airbnb tell them after the guest checks out that there was a failure to collect payment.

But there are plenty of hosts who do accept same day and it works for them. Hopefully some will weigh in here. Myself, I require 3 days advance notice. 

[Mp5]

Thanks for your response! Yea, so far it has not been bad... I don't mind accepting last minute bookings as my space is completely separate from the house and we are right off of a major interstate and could get travelers looking for a place to crash. However, I did not think about the payment situation, and I may begin to rethink this.

Last night I asked the nicely to cancel after holding up my room for 6 hours. 20 minutes later someone booked it...

Another question... The whole verifications thing...How do you handle when someone with only like one verification, just joined Airbnb the same month etc... requests to book? Do you ask them all sorts of questions? If so, what do you ask and what information do you base your decision to host off of? I really do not feel comfortable with the booking I allowed last night, but I have had a couple others that were questionable and I have not been burned so far. Again, because these people are actually not entering my house I dont feel I have to be as picky as others, but still...  I am curious how other hosts handle it without **bleep** off the potential guest.

Thanks for your insight!

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*[Profanity hidden –in line with the Community Center Guidelines]

[Rachel177]

@Mp5 it's a pretty poor set up, one that benefits guests over hosts. And airbnb is set up to favour guests as  they pay a higher service fee than hosts so the company gets more $$ from them.

I've had a few of those types of bookings and it has made me wary of the guest when they do turn up (if you're not organised enough to have a current credit card or enough cash when you book then who knows what you'll do when you're here).

Like @Sarah977 I no longer accept last minute bookings. It cuts down on the stress, dodgy local guests and the possibility that someone is using a stolen credit card & you won't end up getting paid.

[Mp5]

@Rachel177 That makes sense.

If someone requests to book and I decline it, how does that effect me in terms of superhost status, other statuses...?

Thanks,

[Helen3]

I don't accept same day bookings so I am not in your situation @Mp5 .

I don't want to be at risk of a guest staying with me who doesn't pay.

For me Airbnb is not just about making the most possible money, it's also about doing it in a way that fits in with my other committments and makes it an enjoyable experience.

Honestly. in the wider scheme of things, this is not the end of the world, I thought there was an option for you to ask Airbnb to cancel if the payment doesn't come through?

[Jessica-and-Henry0]

@Mp5 

Like all of the other hosts above........I also do not accept same day bookings and require a 3 day notice. 

If you have proof on the ABB messenger you could ask ABB to handle it with no penalty since the guest clearly said they aren't coming and no payment has been made.