Guests Keep Asking For Longterm Rental Outside Their Dates When I Explicitly and Doubly Say I Don't

Guests Keep Asking For Longterm Rental Outside Their Dates When I Explicitly and Doubly Say I Don't

This is SO FRUSTRATING. As a superhost you have to respond to people's requests but in the last three days alone I've gotten half a dozen requests from guests who don't actually want to stay on the dates they've chosen, they just choose them so they can send me a message that says, "I'M LOOKING FOR A PLACE FOR 1-3 MONTHS. CAN I GET A DISCOUNT FOR THAT LONG?" "I'M MOVING TO NYC IN A FEW MONTHS AND LOOKING FOR A PLACE TO MOVE INTO. ARE YOU OPEN TO A SUBLET?" I wouldn't mind these questions if my calendar had no long term lock, but I have a 10 day maximum rental and the SECOND line of my description for my room says "Do not enquire about rentals longer than 10 days. They will not be entertained." But time and again I get these requests and ask the guests, "Did you read my description?" and invariably they say, "No."

 

 

So now I have to answer over, and over, and over to these requests to keep my superhost response rate and it's annoying! Obviously others have this problem too if one of the decline options is "Guest is asking for dates not the ones they've chosen." I'd like airbnb to have some option for us hosts that says, "Custom alert before guests reserve." where we can type a message before they hit confirm so I can say A THIRD TIME that it isn't something I'd consider, to save both the hosts type and mine and avoid ever having to answer one of these again. 

 

Thoughts other hosts? 

5 Comments
Michele4
Level 9

It's annoying, but I answer them with a canned response, pre-approve them and ignore them otherwise. So it's up to them to cancel the booking.

Jason-Paul0
Level 2

Once my calender is open I will allow them to book and I may consider a discount but it will be split bookings as 10 days per booking, answering them, I will send me a preaprove with the same prices and dates they selected most of the time that should end the conversation..

Emily145
Level 8

Hey Martin, you might save yourself at least a little bit of hassle if you put this in the terms someone has to agree to in order to book your listing. It's a pop-up box that comes up when they press the Book button and they have to acknowledge it to send their request.

 

If you indicate there that your 10 day max is firm with no exceptions and all requests for longer than 10 days will be denied, they're less likely to miss it than when it's just in the listing. (It's honestly ridiculous how few people actually seem to read it.)

 

You can find it under Booking Settings, Edit Guest Requirements, and then scroll all the way to the bottom to find Guest Trip Information.

Martin280
Level 10

Emily, thank you! I'll try that now! 

Martin280
Level 10

Emily that is for instant bookings. People would see that after they reserved but not if they've just made a request (from what I can see). Those are the people, and have one today, I'd like to make sure see something like that.