STOP THE FORCED INSTANT BOOKINGS!

[Dee9]

iF YOU AGREE WITH ME THEN LIKE THIS POST. THE MORE LIKES IT GETS THEN IT WILL GET MOVED TO THE NEXT STEP, AND HOPEFULLY BE LOOKED AT BY SOMEONE WHO CARES WHAT WE THINK!

[Debs0]

i am not forced..in fact, I opted out of instant book, I'm sure you can too

[Dede0]

@Debs0 Actually, for several weeks now, about 25% of new listings are forced to use Instant Book and can't opt out. It's become the most common question in most of the forums.

[Debs0]

oh, sorry to hear that. Hopefully not in my area, I'd have to opt out of airbnb

[Dee9]

Some of us arent forced (yet) but new people are.

I emailed Airbnb Customer Service asking if it was going to become mandatory for all and I never really got a straight answer. He skirted around the issue and just kept telling me all the "positives" of Instant Book.

[Cathy65]

A recent profile of Chesky and this new self-important technocrat he has hired/palled up with, says they plan to force instant book down all our throats. Please make it clear that we will not tolerate this,  my fellow hosts!

[Dede0]

We've started experimenting with Instant Book to fill the last few gaps in our calendar, but we turn it off before we open an entire month (3-4 months in advance), then turn it back on when that month is 80% booked. If it becomes mandatory for all hosts, all the time, we'll delete our AirBnB listing and go elsewhere.

[JoAnne28]

I opted in for instant booking, however, I am new and may not understand the reasoning behing not using it?  I have a 500 damange amount on my account and cleaning fee.  How horribly wrong has it gone with you guys in the past?

[Ros0]

I am a newish host and luckily seemed to get in before the Instant Book mandatory thing. I have had to decline the last four enquiries for various reasons - if Instant Book had been on, I could have had some guy who wanted me to come pick him up from the hospital where he was having surgery!

I cannot see how Instant Book is even remotely in the spirit of AirBnB ... 

I will be resisting it for as long as possible.

[Dee9]

You should really tell this story to airbnb to make sure it gets heard. PLEASE!

[Helen56]

I'll never use instant book, and will leave if it's forced on to me.  So much for host - guest rapport.

[Zappa0]

What's wrong with instant book?

First off, Airbnb has an auto set so that guests dont't have to adjust the number of people. I am constantly getting requests for 1 guest, but I catch it with the back and forth. I'd miss this with instantl book. If you charge extra for guests, expect them to entire 1 guest and have more than one show up with instant book.

For me..it is finding a good match with guests. Not everyone is renting an apartment. I rent sailboats that guests sleep on. They must kayak to get to them. There are some real safety issues and concerns I have to discuss with them. Can they swim? Do they know how to kayak? My listing is practically the Amazing Race and most guests don't read with INstant /

I have noticed that Airbnb just changed guest requirements if you don't use instant book. We used to be able to set them. Not anymore. Forget about safety- all they need is an email verification. Profile photo? ID? Nope. Only with Instant book.

[Ann10]

Wow! My comment about how to protect yourself was removed. Well, I don't use instant book. I used it once and I got a nutcase.