Bad Review (for Guest) by Association

Sarah327
Level 7
England, United Kingdom

Bad Review (for Guest) by Association

Hello Fellow Airbnb Hosts,

 

I wanted to ask for your advice / thoughts...

 

I have just received an instant booking from a woman who has one BAD review associated with her profile. Upon reading, it would appear she was part of a larger group staying in someone's apartment. They arrived with MORE people than booked (8 rather than 6), and after a couple of days of bad behaviour, noise, disruption and upsetting the neighbours, they were asked to LEAVE. 

 

The guest does NOT have a completed profile with a head shot / photo, gives no information about herself or the other two people joining her.

 

I always go with my gut reaction on these things and alarm bells are RINGING!!!

 

Would be great to get your thoughts, as I am always conscious of Airbnb's 'Approve / Decline' stance on bookings and feel it is quite negative in many situations. Forcing me to decline isn't always black and white i.e. a person recently requested to stay in my property but did not drive and we are very, very remote. They clearly had taken no time to read my listing. In this situation, I felt another property would be more suitable for their needs i.e. in a town or near public transport to ensure their stay was enjoyable.

13 Replies 13
Emiel1
Level 10
Leeuwarden, The Netherlands

@Sarah327,

If a request clearly is not a good fit (like the example you mentioned), you can iexplain it AND ask the guest to withdraw the request. Than a decline or approve is not necessary. I you recieved an Instant Booking you feel uncomfortable with, only option is cancellation by you (or by the guest if you have the "free cancelation within 48 hour" facility on your listing).

https://www.airbnb.com/help/article/2022/how-do-penalty-free-cancellations-work-for-instant-book-hos...

Best regards,

Emiel

 

Sarah327
Level 7
England, United Kingdom

That's really helpful @Emiel1. I have never thought to ask a guest to withdraw their request. Airbnb make it impossible for guests to simply ask a question (without imposing an 'approve / decline' answer). I am getting more and more random requests too and have been struggling to navigate my way round them. I have Instant Book turned on but if I decline any request the next one that comes in, even if it's an Instant Book, requires me to approve or decline. As in this instance. They say there's no penalties for me declining guests I do not feel comfortable hosting but clearly there are!

Emiel1
Level 10
Leeuwarden, The Netherlands

@Sarah327,

It is possible for guests to only ask a question by clicking "contact host" on the listing. It will be received by you as an "inquiry" with options "pre-approve or decline". Answerring the question within the time limit is enough, no obligation to choose 1 of the options.  Guests should choose this facility  from the listing when they only want to ask something, but unfortunatelly most of them overlook this feature and are sending "requests". An "inquiry"  is also not blocking calender dates (as request do), and have the advantage for hosts to be able to sent a special offer.

Sarah327
Level 7
England, United Kingdom

Oh okay. It appears I have been approving or declining 'inquiries'. I am therefore receiving emails from Airbnb asking "Can you host....?" when a guest books, with the following explanation given:

 

Why am I seeing this request?
We sometimes require hosts to accept a reservation request even when they have Instant Book turned on. You’re most likely to see this when you haven’t updated your calendar in a while or you’ve recently cancelled a reservation.

 

I then have to 'Accept' or 'Decline' these requests within 24 hours.

 

Due to my mother's ill health last year, I temporarily shut my listing down and did not take guests. I have only recently started back up again and it seems certain things have changed with the platform. These new quirks are causing me problems I have not experience before.

Rachel0
Level 10
London, United Kingdom

@Sarah327 Hi, yes my alarm bells would be ringing as well.  Obviously we don' t know how much of the bad behaviour on the previous stay was hers, but she was involved in it and shares the responsibility.  I would have a word with Airbnb and see if you can get a penalty free cancellation on the grounds that you would not feel comfortable with her as a guest. You could also edit your booking requirements so that you only allow people with positive reviews to make a reservation.  Good luck.

Sarah327
Level 7
England, United Kingdom

Thanks @Rachel0, I most certainly will be speaking with Airbnb first thing tomorrow to get their thoughts / support. In the meantime, I have emailed the guest and asked them to provide a photo, tell me a bit more about themselves and who will be staying. Per Airbnb's 'trust and transparency' policy.

 

She responded quite quickly but denied all knowledge of the bad review. Stating she did not even stay with the party of 8. Her response does not feel wholly honest despite her answering my questions: photo uploaded and advised her sister, close friend (sex unknown) and she would be staying.

Emilia42
Level 10
Orono, ME

HI @Sarah327, I am confused by your post because if the guest booked via instant book there is no option for an accept or decline - they are automatically accepted and confirmed. It you feel uncomfortable with the confirmed reservation you will have to call Airbnb to cancel.

Personally, I have never canceled a reservation but I would probably cancel this one as a lesson to this guest that even if she specifically was not the one causing concern she was responsible for the group since it was booked under her name and she needs to own up to that.

Sarah327
Level 7
England, United Kingdom

Hi @Emilia42 it appears I have mistakenly 'accepted' or 'declined' inquiries. I am therefore being penalised by Airbnb as a result and receiving emails from them asking "Can you host....?" when a guest books - with the following explanation given:

Why am I seeing this request?
We sometimes require hosts to accept a reservation request even when they have Instant Book turned on. You’re most likely to see this when you haven’t updated your calendar in a while or you’ve recently cancelled a reservation.

I then have to 'Accept' or 'Decline' these requests within 24 hours, even if they have Instant Booked.

 

Given the guest's nonchalant response to the bad review on her profile and denials she even stayed at the listing, I think it wise to decline her request / booking.

Paul154
Level 10
Seattle, WA

@Sarah327

If you don't want to cancel them, you can clarify your stance.

"You have 3 guests correct?"

"You understand no other guests are allowed?"

"Because you have a bad review, self-checkin will not be allowed."

"I do live next door and I will be vigilant"

You are welcome to cancel within 24 hours, all payment will be returned.

 

Sarah327
Level 7
England, United Kingdom

That's a great suggestion @Paul154. I will speak to Airbnb in the morning and talk through the issue with them, but then follow up with a similarly worded email to the guest. Ideally I want to put her off if she has no intention of following my house rules, is likely to cause upset to me and my neighbours (in our very small rural hamlet) and/or tries to bring extra guests. 

 

I am so careful and conscious of following Airbnb's rules and ensuring my guests have an enjoyable, relaxing stay in my property, whilst balancing this with my own personal safety and security due to living onsite i.e. next door.

 

Thank you!

Lucia612
Level 2
Turin, IT

Omg @Sarah327 I fear that I would have panicked already. O kinda have a similar situation with a girl coming next March. But since the situations is not so dramatic I won't cancel the reservation.

I think that if you don't really care about becoming a superhost in the next future you could always cancel the reservation.

And maybe change your reservation rules, right?

Sarah327
Level 7
England, United Kingdom

Oh no @Lucia612, I am sorry to hear you're experiencing a similar situation with a guest. I hope my thread provides some help to you too!

 

I find it is always best to go with my gut when it comes to accepting or declining guests. But it also helps to speak to other hosts, more experienced or not, as well as family, friends and Airbnb. I am able to work through the situation and not make too rash a decision, in the limited (24 hr) response time imposed!

 

I have been a Super Host previously, before taking a break from hosting due to my mother's ill health. It is important to me to achieve this again. That said, I am not sure it is in preference to me ensuring my guests have a truely relaxing and restful stay in my property.

 

I will most certainly review my reservation rules, as suggested though, as I want to ensure they remain appropriate for my listing / property.

 

Thank you!

Sarah327
Level 7
England, United Kingdom

Hi Everyone, 

 

Thank you for taking the time to respond to my post and for all your great advice, which Airbnb have completely agreed with following my conversation with them this morning.

 

I have subsequently declined the guest's booking... BUT she has now used a friend to book on her behalf! Foolishly I had a feeling she might do this, as clearly she cannot take no as an answer. 

 

I have gone back to the friend to ask for the names of the people in her party. Her response should be interesting!

 

Another telephone call to Airbnb about this and they have again advised me to cancel the booking.

 

This behaviour is particularly astounding given that Airbnb is founded on 'trust and transparency' and these guests are being anything but.

 

Will keep you updated on the outcome!