Repeated requests to pay cash

[Ros0]

I am still a fairly new host but the last couple of enquiries have very early on included a request just to take cash - both of which I refused saying it was against the rules and ultimately in the end decided to decline the room altogether.

On these two occasions I continued the conversation before eventually declining the room - but interested to see how other hosts deal with this - do you politely explain that cash payments are against B&B rules and see if they continue the dialogue or would you just decline them straight away if they ask?

[Helen3]

Hi Ros

For me people asking to pay cash raise a red flag because they are trying to get around going through BnB (probably to save money).

There is of course no way of doing this through BnB and hosts won't be protected through BnB guarantee and if anything goes wrong BnB won't be able to help.

If I feel everything else is okay with the guest ie they have verification, full profile and are forthcoming about their plans etc and the guest is new to BnB, I will explain to them that I used BnB as it gives protection to both the host and the guest and give them the option to continue with the booking.

However if I end up declining the booking I would probably flag the guest to BnB.

[Ros0]

Thanks Helen - I have since gone back through my profile and altered it to have proper check in times, the need for verification and have turned Instant Booking off as I prefer to host (for now anyway) while I am at home and not when I am away at a tournament.

Hopefully I am due a few nicer bookings!