The guest wants to visit the flat in advance, before he makes the reservation

[Luis24]

A guy who says is returning to the city with his wife is looking for a flat to stay several months.  He is member since April 2015 and has two reviews, both of them during July 2015; one of the hosts did not have the opportunity to meet him. He is making two requests: to visit the flat prior to make the reservation and I to tell him how much is going to be the amount for one month in local currency and asks me to write it in letters instead of numbers.  He sent his mobile number to me written in letters and wants me to call him.  Is this type of requests frequent in Airbnb?.  Until now I told him that Airbnb asks to communicate only through the platform until the booking has been made.  Should I allow him to visit the flat without having made the booking?

Thanks so much for your collaboration

[Maria-Lurdes0]

Hi @Luis24

If he has two reviews already, he knows how it works.   He is asking to visit the flat in advance in order to make a private deal with you outside of the airbnb system.  This is evidenced by him circumventing the system to send you private info such as his phone number, and asking you to send him information written in a way to bypass the security.   The reason that he is asking you to write the local currency in letters/words and not numerical values is that a big number appears to the filters to be a phone number, and it's redacted.

It's your business, so you can do what you want, but his communication with you raises red flags for me, and I'd be very careful.  I would not allow him to preview the flat, and I would not allow him to book directly.    If he came to you through the Airbnb system, then you should honor the booking within the system.  If he was referred to you privately from a friend, for example, then I think it's ok for you to book him privately, but of course that means that you have none of the Airbnb protections.    

[Luis24]

 Hi @Maria-Lurdes0

Thank so much for your direct response!.  I am learning a lot from it.

What this potential guest says is that he wants his wife, who does not come from the city, to visit the candidate flats in order to assure that she likes the place chosen.

 I see your point, Maria Lourdes, so I am not going to communicate with him through the mobile, nor I am going to allow him to come to the place.  Now someone else has booked just in the middle of the first month he wants, so If he accepts this conditions he would need to make two bookings and to move out for a couple of days.  What continues being awkward to me is his request about the price in local currency because it is so easy to find, just by choosing the currency wanted in the advert. 

[Alison237]

I am having this wanting to see place with someone who wants to rent second room - they are on pre - book - i paused communication and i am taking my listings of instant book, in doing so i loose the protection that provides - am in no way at ease with this, mentioned to support when called got no suggests (only "nice" words that we understand...other than helpful).    How do i both have protections of instant book and have reliable bookings (did send feed back - didn't have a feed back option in the instant book cancelation).  

[Matthew285]

@Alison237, I don't know if this is what you intended, but your posting is attached as a comment to a discussion thread from over a year ago.

If you want to ask a new question, press the "Start a conversation" button and post your question as a new topic.

[Alison237]

Thank you (no) wanted guidance. 

[Matthew285]

@Alison237, one compromise to have the protections of Instant Book while still getting to do some vetting of guests is to turn on as many the requirements available before someone can do an Instant Booking: verified government ID and recommendation from other hosts, have an extensive and complete set of House Rules they have to agree to, and maybe use the First Message capability.

People who do not meet all the requirements will have to send a Request like normal instead of doing an Instant Booking.

[Quincy]

Hello @Alison237,

Welcome to the Community Center!

I recommend that you have a look at >this<. The link provides some information on what to do if a guest wants to view your home before booking. I also found some other experiences shared by other hosts here in the Community Center that are worth checking out.  

I hope this helps!

[Ada38]

It is not correct to circumvent the Airbnb system with small tricks, this request was made to me, I explained that this is not possible, I have guaranteed that the photos are very realistic and I advised to read the reviews of my guests