3 Suspended Listings for Superhost. Please improve your policies and website algorithms.

3 Suspended Listings for Superhost. Please improve your policies and website algorithms.

Dear Airbnb,

I am a Superhost, have excellent reviews, and today my 3 listings were suspended because I declined 6 reservations in a row (please note, the penalty takes effect for 6 declined reservations for ONE listing, I have 3). I would like to explain below why I believe suspending my listings was not the right thing to do, and suggest some improvements for the airbnb site. Thank you for taking time to read this.

As I have already mentioned, I am a Superhost, have an excellent response score (usually I respond immediately), 90% 5 star reviews, and about 90-95% occupancy rate (most bookings do not come through Airbnb though, but through local sites). Total for my bookings through Airbnb for 2017 was more than $16,000.

I declined reservations for short stays, as our minimum stay is 2 weeks (the majority of our guests stay with us for 3-12 weeks). In my description, in the very first paragraph, I clearly state that our minimum stay is 2 weeks. I understand that since our minimum stay is 2 weeks, Airbnb prefers me to change my settings to reflect that.  Unfortunately I can't have my settings set to two weeks, as I often have gaps between longer bookings, and I feel these gaps with a few days stays. If I switch to shorter stays, the occupancy rate will drop from 90-95% to 50%. Short term rentals is my primary income, so I check calendars of other local hosts at least twice a month to see trends. I see that in our area with short stays they are at about 50% occupancy rate overall, vs about 90-95% for me.

Despite a clearly stated warning that our minimum stay is 2 weeks, I still receive many requests, which I Very politely decline, often providing an advice when needed. Please keep in mind, that some of these requests are not even for the dates available! The only way for people to get in touch is through making reservation. So sometimes they make reservation to ask me about other dates and properties.

I understand that you try to standardize the bookings and the style of communication between the host and the guests, but each Airbnb host is unique. If a host has excellent ratings and shows a steady income, he probably knows what he is doing, right? 🙂 Based on the above, I would like to suggest some improvements for the Airbnb site.

1. In case the properties were blocked without the sufficient reason, Airbnb help team should be able to unblock them manually. Right now I was told twice there is no way to do that. Really? There is no way for the human to override computer? Doesn't seem like a good decision to me...

2. Before the computer blocks properties, it would be helpful to have somebody have a look at the proposed block if the host has excellent ratings (seems like a common sense and easy to do).

3. Could you please update your algorithm for suspending properties to include the number of properties into account? Please do not punish people for having more than one property on the site 🙂

4. When the reservation is declined, could you please make the blocking of calendar optional? It is an extra inconvinience to unblock it, and we all want as little inconvinience as possible. 

5. Can you make it possible for the potential guests to ask the host a question without submitting request for reservation?

6. Could you please implement the Dog Cleaning Fee and Taxes like VRBO site has? They actually have a list of fees you can add, including your own. So convinient...

Thank you so much. I hope the support team will be able to implement at least some of my suggestions. By the way, I am on VRBO and Expedia as well, and Airbnb is by far my favorite. Keep up the good work! (and let hosts make you even better through their suggestions 🙂 )

Best,

Olga

5 Comments
Ramona40
Level 2
I agree that as a host we should not receive a decline when people are requesting dates that are either marked not available (I do Spring/Summer Rentals only) or are shorter than the minimum one week requirement clearly stated on the first line of my description. Currently, the only way for people to get in touch is through making reservation.
Jean286
Level 2

Hi @Olga44,

 

I think everything starts with that question: " 5. Can you make it possible for the potential guests to ask the host a question without submitting request for reservation?"

The guest can use the inquiry option by contacting the host but unfortunately a lot of guest use the reservation request instead, which brings the penalty to the host if declined.

It would be nice to have a decline option with a box selection to avoid penalties (i.e. a box for Dates Unavailable or Minimum stay not matched, etc...).

Welcome0
Level 10

I should have rejected a guest who I suspected would be nothing but trouble. This guest complained in a review about an uncomfortable bed. When she booked my place for her and her daughters and grandkids, she mentioned her ailments. The red flag - she was overweight,  out of shape with back problems and knee problems. And she warned me, that she must sleep alone due to her excessive snoring. She was huffing and puffing as she climbed to the 2nd floor. 

You should go with your gut feeling! Once a complainer, always a complainer. 

I'm a Super Host with no previous complaints about our matresses. She claimed most of our beds are air mattresses. Totally false! I used one. 

Suddenly, I have a complaint in my reviews sticking out like a sore thumb! On top of it, one of her daughters was an active smoker outside of the house. House Rule #1 - No Smoking! That meant, I had to fumigate the apartment. My hallway stank every time she entered the house. Also, I have a comforter which needs to be dry cleaned. Found sticky candy under my scatter rugs and furniture. Those heavy set kids were munching none stop everytime I saw them. House Rules- No food or drinks in bedrooms! Yea, right! She signed an agreement to my 13 House Rules. 

Kate251
Level 2

I agree with not being penalised for declining bookings.  Clearly we would have a good reason.  In my case I've declined several enquires since the beginning of the year from senior high school students planning to come to my town for the annual schoolies week after graduation. These teens are famous for trashing hotel rooms and holiday apartments.  They squeeze extras in and drink non stop for a week.  I simply do not want to risk this and upsetting my neighbors so i am declining and respectfully explaining why. I also have 3 properties and they are requesting for all of them so it looks like I'm declining constantly. 

Ann10
Level 10

I kept hearing about being penalized for declining bookings. When did this start? I was told you just don't move up. If you accept or pre-approve you move up. If you do nothing, you move down. Is this incorrect? Has it changed? I have looked all over the site and I can't find anything that says anything different than what I was told. Can someone pls give me a link to the new rules? Thank you!

PS-VRBO is my favorite because they treat you like a valued human being. Wimdu also did right by me when the guest clearly was wrong. I had to take drastic action to get airbnb to do the right thing and still I had to compromise.