refund

[Nalini14]

I had a direct booking query outside Airbnb the last couple of days and ask the guest to book via Airbnb, but this guest was new to Airbnb, she did not manage to verify her account but she did processed payment successfully.

Ultimately, her booking was not confirmed and her refund was on the way back to her bank account.

Not sure as to why the system would allow payment in the first place and I was also wondering about the new digital banks like STARLING bank in the UK that might be able to help guests, hosts and Airbnb to have a superior and faster refundable process, if so a partnership between Airbnb and faster payment services would be welcome.

Love to know your thoughts here.

[Mary996]

Hi @Nalini14 

Thanks for raising this. I think we have to work to draw in newbies (to avoid losing potential guests). Early on in my daughter's efforts we were approached by someone trying to offer to pay us off-site. 

Instead we explained they needed to pay Airbnb so they would be covered for Insurance purposes. This seemed to be a good starting point. We went on to make a 'special offer', which we don't really do now, and explained about setting up a profile and including a photograph. Perhaps that's what they needed? An explanation on the profile. It'd be good if we had some sort of pre-written script to issue in this circumstance. Think I'll maybe offer something!! 

Is the guest definitely lost or can you contact her saying that although she needs to pay through Airbnb you are willing to make her a 'special offer' for the booking?

[Mary996]

And to explain to her how to create a profile? Then she could participate...

[Nalini14]

Not sure if Airbnb has an explanatory video for guests on Airbnb as to how to verify an account successfully or a link I could share with guests in the future?

[Colleen253]

@Nalini14 This explains verification:

https://www.airbnb.ca/help/article/1237/how-does-it-work-when-airbnb-verifies-your-identity

You can require guests to be verified before booking. See here to set this requirement:

https://www.airbnb.ca/help/article/272/can-i-require-guests-to-be-verified-before-booking#:~:text=Ho....

If you have this requirement and a guest is unsuccessful completing the process, they won't be able to send a booking request. 

[Nalini14]

Thank you, Colleen, I actually initially toggled off the ID requirement for this particular booking to help facilitate the process as the guest was new to the Airbnb platform so I think this was an ID check requirement from Airbnb directly.

Not quite getting yet the part where an unverified guest is allowed to process payment for a booking BCS this end result be a refund?

[Colleen253]

@Nalini14  These are the basic requirements for someone to book a place on Airbnb:

• Full name
• Email address
• Confirmed phone number
• Introductory message
• Agreement to house rules
• Payment information

Verification is an optional extra step that hosts can require. Personally, I set the requirement and if a guest has issues with the process and can't book, so be it. It is by no means a safe guard or guarantee of any sort,  but still a somewhat useful added layer in the vetting process. A guest who refuses to complete the process or has problems doing it has a higher likelihood of being a guest I don't want in my house.

[Nalini14]

Thank you, Colleen

Yes, I am with you and completely agrees on having a reliable vetting process.

If the verification is turned ON, not sure as to why the system would allow that guest to continue and to process payment successfully though, Would it be nice that the option for payment is not available until the guest is fully verified?

[Colleen253]

@Nalini14 Yes, I agree Airbnb should not allow a request to come through until all requirements have been fulfilled, such as verification and having payment in order. But they do give the guest 24 hours to complete requirements. They have their reasons for doing this, all to do with netting more bookings no doubt. The majority of guests are successful completing the requirements in the 24 hours. But it is annoying having the dates blocked while wondering and waiting. You can always ask the guest to retract their request and finish the process first, then come back and book when done. Or call Airbnb and ask them to remove it.

[Sarah977]

@Nalini14  Once a guest has submitted a booking request, all the settings you had on your listing apply to that booking request. If you change anything, like your cancellation policy, your room rate, your minimum or maximum stay length, or whatever verifications you require, after you receive the request, those changes only apply to bookings from that time onward.

So if you remove a requirement after the request is submitted, it won't apply for that request- that request will be subject to the requirements in place when it was submitted.

[Nalini14]

Thank you Sarah for this 😀

I am still new to Airbnb, I sign up on the platform in 2017 but we only just bought our new Airbnb property last month and now taking our first bookings.

[Nalini14]

Thank you for your reply, Mary, yes I will be making a special offer.

I think if we ensure that booking cannot be made prior to Airbnb guest account verification would avoid troubles and unnecessary delays for all.