Airbnb doesn't trust hosts....

Jeremy129
Level 6
New South Wales, Australia

Airbnb doesn't trust hosts....

Airbnb is now taking names off the iCal reservations we see. My cleaner and I share the iCal and use their names to identify which guests are checking in an out. Removing them now makes this system we have used for years unworkable! We'll need to manually enter every guests name now.

 

Airbnb have removed the questions we require guests to answer and previously removed their photo and last name. Essentially they are turning us into mini hotels that have no control over who stays. I don't want people letting themselves into my garden anymore as it's now to harder to identify them. For this reason we closed the granny flat airbnb we had running for 5 years in our garden. We still run one Airbnb but I am considering closing that also.

 

 

This is an issue of Trust. Airbnb no longer trusts hosts to do the right thing and yet their business model relies on us. Locally, in my area the state government is taking submissions on short term lettings and Airbnb has asked me to write a submission in their favour. Personally I find this hard to do now. Previously I had written to my local MP saying how great Airbnb was for the local shops and hospitality industry, but now I am not sure I agree with the direction this company is heading. Besides...  they avoid paying income tax in my country. I can take a step back from my personal gain and see this company is acting poorly in the community.

 

If they don't trust me why should I trust them?

27 Replies 27
Branka-and-Silvia0
Level 10
Zagreb, Croatia

@Jeremy129 

 

You forgot to say that we will not be able to see guest's phone number either, just last 4 digits. So does it mean we will not be able to call them via Whatsapp?

 

Some guests don't have wifi and some don't have roaming. ... we often have problems to contact our guests on the day of their arrival and we use all available options: Airbnb messages, text messages,  WhatsApp calls and messages and if nothing works- we call them. Now, we will have even fewer options and it will make our communication harder and sometimes impossible. The biggest joke is - we will be rated for communication and for check in !

 

So now we have to add another line in our first welcome message :  Please let us know your phone number.

Great!

 

 

.

@Branka-and-Silvia0 

 

You said that we will only see the last 4 digits of the guests phonenumber. Does this refer to iCal or does this refer to the airbnb booking software in general. Where have You got this phonenumber-information from?

 

I got my most recent airbnb booking on August 6 and I can see the full phonenumber.

 

 @Ute42  I didn't read carefully, my bad, it's about iCal,  here is the  email I got from Airbnb

 

As part of Airbnb’s ongoing efforts to minimize exposure of guest information, exported iCal events will no longer display reservation details. These changes will take effect on December 1, 2019.
What’s changing?
The iCal calendar sync description for reservations will display only the last 4 digits of the guest phone number, along with a link to the reservation details page. The guest name and reservation code will be removed from the event titles, and the calendar sync will export listing calendar information for future dates only.
The following information will be provided for each reservation exported via iCal moving forward:
  • Summary: Will appear as “Reserved”

  • Description: Will include a “Reservation URL” section with the link to the reservation details page and a “Phone Number (Last 4 Digits)” section with the last 4 digits of the guest’s phone number

What does this mean for hosts?
If you rely on detailed information from the iCal calendar sync descriptions, you may need to make updates or alert your software partners to the changes above so they’re ready when they take effect on December 1, 2019.
These changes won’t impact iCal’s syncing functionality—your calendar will continue to prevent multiple guests from booking the same dates.

On your iCal you will only see the last 4 digits. 

@Branka-and-Silvia0 

It takes effect in December.

 Oops, I just posted the same concern.

 

So here’s the workaround. In the Airbnb app or in the inbox, copy and paste all the reservation information to your synched calendar on your computer or phone in the notes section.

 

This is a safety issue for hosts and co-hosts. I really think Airbnb is losing any semblance of common sense. Who do they think sees the synched calendars? People on other platforms? I’m not on any platform but this one. I synch to my daughter and we’re not always near a WiFi or strong cell data signal. 

 

So just highlight the guest info and copy it. Then paste it in your iCal calendar. It’s an extra step but Ill be darn if Airbnb puts corporate needs over hosts safety.

 

We are NOT a hotel.

 

Maybe hosts need to start an Uber-like strike to make our point.

Adam784
Level 2
Pentewan, United Kingdom

Maybe I'm missing something but I am unable to edit entries in the synced AirBNB iCal entry

Amy-and-Stephen0
Level 2
Colorado Springs, CO

So correct me if I am wrong, but this will affect 2 entities that are very important to our business:

-the cleaner who comes between guests (we are remote hosts) - they will no longer have guest name and contact phone in case if letting themselves in and finding the guest’s stuff still there. We synch the info to them via iCal link

and even more importantly:

-automated messaging software such as smartbnb. No longer can they generate the proper fields into the scheduled messages?

 

what’s the workaround for either of these entities?

Ann72
Level 10
New York, NY

@Jeremy129 I agree that this is untenable.  So far, iCal or the Apple calendar has been the only reliable place to sync the Airbnb calendar.  A calendar imported to Google calendar will only sync if it’s public.  I know there are plenty of hosts out there who have gone the Google calendar route in order to share info with their cleaners, taking the risk that the public calendar will never be discovered by the public.  Why isn’t Airbnb restricting the Google calendar?  An Apple calendar subscription can be private.  I’m stumped by this change.

I "subscribe" to my Airbnb calendar in Google Calendar.  It's not public, only I can see it.  My events have all been changed to "Reserved" as well.  It's super annoying and makes it much harder to keep track of which guest to expect.

Amy-and-Stephen0
Level 2
Colorado Springs, CO

Just wanted to come back and update that the smartbnb folks assured me this won’t affect their operations.

Jennifer976
Level 8
Calgary, Canada

Wait is this why all my reservations have disappeared on the calendar??  Wth?  I have multiple listings and use that function for a quick look of all calendars and when one guest is leaving and the other arriving.  Is it same day or do I have 2 days to clean?

I agree.  I have 15 listings.  Now the iCal will be completely useless.  If they are going to take away functionality they need to replace it with something else/better "great news we have improved the App".  Or better yet strip down the iCal to overcome the privacy challenge but let us enable more to show within the iCal.  A way to protect their butts but flexiblity for those who don't see it as an issue.

Paula-and-Luis0
Level 2
Callala Bay, Australia

When you book a room in a caravan park or motel & upon arrival your asked for your ID as proof of who you are 

 

i find nothing wrong with that & its security 

 

We are required by law to carry with us some form of ID 

we also need ID for insurance purposes 

 

i want to know whom is booking my homes 

whom is staying & reason for staying 

also they must have reviews 

 

i like to get to know the person first before them stepping foot inside my home 

 

its our right to protect our homes 

 

if airbnb are going to start this crap of hiding guests names & numbers once booked

how on earth Am I going to advise the person how to access my home or call them if the internet fails !! 

 

I need to change codes each time & I want to msg my guests with their name out of respect

To give them their entry code