Payment policy

[Kim878]

I just had an inqury that seemed odd. The guest only wanted to pay when they arrived by cash or debit card. I decided that it just seemed sketchy after guest decided to switch to a  different date after I explained that it would be too tight of a window for my next guest to be able to check in and then prceeded to ask again about payment upon arrival. The guest was new and I am new as well so I didn't know how to respond. Also the date guest asked about was already filled on the calander anyway. What is the payment policy on this for future knowledge. Thanks,

[Emiel1 · Accepted solution]

@Kim878 

Payment is not allowed by cash etc..It is also not possible, as booking will only be confirmed if payment is made to Airbnb.This guest could be in trouble if reported to Airbnb !

https://www.airbnb.com/help/article/126/what-methods-of-payment-does-airbnb-accept

best regards,

Emiel

[Kim878]

Thank you Emiel!

[Sandra856]

Hi @Kim878 🙂

Never accept payment outside airbnb. It is against the rules and if you get problems you are on your own.

Message the guests that you are sorry but you don't accept payment outside the system.

Best, sandra

[Kim878]

Thank you Sandra, done!

[Sarah977]

@Kim878  I've also had guests do this, not often but a couple times over the years. Not only do I let them know this isn't acceptable, I report them to Airbnb. If they're new, I'm thinking Airbnb will just give them a warning about trying to pay off-site, if they're longer term users, and keep trying this, maybe they'll get their accounts cancelled.

[Brian686]

I had this happen a few weeks ago and refused and told the guest it was against the TOS. When I reported this to CS I was told it was my perception that the guest wanted to pay direct despite it being clear that this was what the guest wanted to do as it was spelt out in a message through the Airbnb message system. No doubt as a host if I had of accepted this I would be delisted and yet again there is no impact for the guests. 

[Sarah977]

@Brian686  This is yet another example of how Airbnb has changed over time. I got one of these a few months after I started hosting 2 and a half years ago. I reported the guest for this- he hadn't actually even said he wanted to pay outside the system, but had asked for my personal email address and phone number on an Inquiry, so it was obvious what he was trying to do. I got a message back from Airbnb thanking me for reporting it and being such a responsible host.

Airbnb used to be all over guests trying to circumvent the system. It would be interesting to know if other hosts have gotten the same kind of reaction you did, or whether you just got a clueless rep from the Phillipines who doesn't understand what his/her instructions to pander to the guests should cover.