Red Flags

[Deborah8]

What are experienced hosts instantly put off by when considering a booking ? 

what questions do you always ask before a booking goes ahead ?

what questions do you wish you had asked ? 

how do you react when your gut feeling about the guest,  on arrival , isnt a good one ? Refunds arent possible straight away because no moneys have been released . 

[Dave-and-Deb0]

Hi @Deborah8,

You should take some time and join another forum that is run by another Deborah where there are lots of posts that answer these questions.

One post I would recommend checking out in regards to "Red Flags" is http://globalhosting.freeforums.net/thread/455/red-flags-hosts

I believe there are also several posts on questions to ask guests.

If a guest arrives that you are uncomfortable with, you would need to call Airbnb right away and voice your concerns.  They have people who handle these types of scenarios and in some cases will find an alternative place for your guest to stay.

I hope this helps and happy hosting!

Dave

[Deborah8]

Thank you all for replying . I have read the other forums & its almost put me off , I have recently had a bad experience with a single girl who left refusing to return my keys ,  i didnt ask her to go but was relieved once she had left & then realized how much of a negative impact she`d been having on my home . I`ve since changed the locks because she left saying she`d be back to either collect a refund for outstanding days , or to use the Space she OWNED . She caused a fair bit of damage to my home & my sense of well -being . She tried her very best to intimadate me , even threatening to call the police ! After several occasions of leaving the front door ajar , she actually left the key in the lock overnight. I could not tolerate the security of my house to be compromised this way so i politely asked her to return the key , saying I`d answer the door instead , She flew into a rage , packed and as far as Im concerned STOLE my key . 

[Lizzie]

Hello @Deborah8,

Lovely to meet you.

Can I ask was this a recent guest you hosted, say is it within the last 30 days? I would recommend you contact Airbnb and open this case either through the Resolution Center as soon as you can, and provide them directly with more information or by contacting the Support Team.

I hope this is helpful. 🙂

[Julia0]

Deborah,

It seems that you have no house rules for your listing - perhaps you should think about what is and is not acceptable to you. This guest also has left no review for their stay - ? AS far as Instant Book is concerned, most experienced hosts might suggest you get some hosting experience before allowing instant book. You can message back and forth with a potential guest and get a "feel" for them before accepting them into your home. With instant book, you just don't really know who will stay with you until they show up at your door!

[Raquel13]

Don't get too aggravated, just change your locks and contact airbnb to ensure this person is not allowed to book other stays. Another suggestion would be not to book any long stays; limit it to up to 6-7 days...

[Clare0]

Was going to post the same link as @Dave-and-Deb0! Never mind!

[Ed-and-Hugh0]

Asking a lot of questions, especially those that are answered in the description is a red flag. Any indication of drama is another. For example: We had a request from someone who wanted to stay with us because she didn't want to be living in her car on her birthday. Another guest wanted to rent the room one night a week for the next few months. He lived locally, and had a "situation" that could only be discussed over the phone.