Vetting prospective guests

[Gray0]

I've trying to find out if I can ask for full name, town and state of residence in order to do a simple background check before accepting a reservation. I've gotten many first name inquiries and one full name inquiry that revealed felony records. 

[Deborah0]

I don't see any reason why you couldn't ask for a guest's full name, and town/city and state (or nation)  of residence.  

[Gray0]

Thanks Deborah. I also read your Red Flags and really appreicate the advice from an experienced veteran.

[Shirley1]

I wish AirBnb had as much concern for hosts security especially when we've received a reservation from somone who just joined and barely put in enough info to complete being accepted. 

Have no choice except to politely let them know I can't accept their reservation without their full name, city/state. 

[Gray0]

I am now taking that same approach, and giving my full name in the request. Unless someone has something to hide, I don't see the harm.

[Shirley1]

I just received an inquiry from first name only guest, city and state. Completely empty profile and they just joined this month. They are asking for the address to doublecheck the location fits in with their plans. 

Have had this question asked a few times over the 3 years and I always am curious if they are completely naive about vacation rental nuances.  I actually had a guest argue with me that I was being ridiculous for not giving her the address. Yikes... some people's kids. 

[Gray0]

Today I received a one sentence inquiry in a foreign language I don't understand. Member photo was vase of flowers. Email and phone verified 2015. Yesteday an inquiry changed their profile name and now it matches the gender of their profile photo. After my first week, my declines to acceptance ratio is 5 to 1. Glad to read this forum for practical host feedback. I will try to verify ID's online before accepting rentals. 

My follow up question to this thread is: should I check their photo ID's when they check-in to verify they are who they say they are?

[Gerald0]

Hi Shirley.  I thought Airbnb did some kind of background or security check on each new guest before they let them join?  Is there also a check on the guests they bring with them?  Thanks.

[Gerry-And-Rashid0]

There is no security check - they are verified to ensure they say who they say they are. Not sure that is foolproof. There is no check on the guests they bring with them. 

My view is that you are willing or unwilling to take this (small) risk. We usually only take people with reviews, or whom we can see on other sites, like Facebook. If you were running a B&B or small hotel you would never do security checks on guests - but inviting people into your home is slightly different I think.

[Gerald0]

Hi Gerry.  How are you able to see potential guests Facebook page?

[Silvana4]

i would not go by facebook only because saavy users create multiple pages. You could end up hosting someone on the verge of a nervous breakdown that kills everyone in your house or that has a criminal background; If they are from the USA you can have them use Mysmartmove for $25 and do an online screening as part of the conditions to rent. https://www.mysmartmove.com/  You have to open an account first. I think AirBB should do that. Ensure that travelers from other countries provide a background check on themselves first and have it on their profile page. Maybe it's in the works. But I am going to use Mysmartmove for American travelers.  But i am not getting anyone to stay in my house personally. I have a seperate guest house seperate from my home so I am not as fearful. 

[Gerald0]

Hi Gray.  Where and how do you recommend doing background checks?  Sometimes people reveal themselves.  I had one guest whose emails were almost incomprehensible.  She claimed the reason was that she was texting and driving.

[Gray0]

Simply Google for starters, if I have a first and last name. Having a state and city helps that. One of these quick Google searches turned up mug shots online. I declined. With city it is also possible to look them up in the County Court records for felonies, assuming that the city they claim is really where they are from. I'm really on the fence about asking for their photo ID on check-in to verify the name on the reservation matches. Most of my booking requests are first name, email verified only, no Airbnb references. If they DO have references, or active social media profile, I am OK with that instead. Someone pointed out that hotels don't check backgrounds, but I'm not a hotel - it's my home.

[Janet515]

These posts have me very concerned. I found out this past week that the neighbor next door is using the bottom floor of their home as an airbnb. Of course, the neighbor herself didn't say a word to us...one of the renters did when she scared the life out of me at 11 pm at night when i took the dog out. Didn't expect to see a stranger sitting 25 feet from my garage door.  The fact that airbnb doesn't vet the folks that use the properties, and that is left to you all, and your due diligence (or not) is very concerning. Love the comment above from the person who said they wouldn't use fb alone since you could rent to someone on the verge of a nervous breakdown who kills everyone in the house, or has a criminal background.  That's exactly how we feel. The whole thing has me sick, not to mention that our private road now has traffic coming and going, at high speeds I might add. And, i have to wonder how this will affect our property value. If we wanted to move next door to a motel, we would have. And, we were here first. smh

[Elisabeth406]

So... this has happened a couple times now for me. I've asked potential guests for their full names and where they're from, and they've given the information to me. When I search and search, I find nothing about them. Not a photo, not a FB page, not a linked in, nothing. (Almost unheard of in this day an age or social media and selfies.) Seeing as I couldn't find anything, good or bad, I accepted them. Both times, turned out not so great, and I wouldn't accept them again. My question is, once you've asked a potential guest for their names and locations, then do the search and find nothing on them, good or bad, how do you then decline them? (Probably given fake information on purpose, so you can't find anything on them.)