Block People

[Wei-and-Ting0]

Not sure where to send feature requests, so sorry if this is the wrong place to post. Anyways, I really think Airbnb should provide a way to block specific users, to stop them from booking (if instant book on) or contacting you. Of course it should work both ways, so guests can block hosts who keep bothering them too.

Hosts shouldn't be able to block confirmed guest in case there are emergencies, also blocked users should ideally be kept in the dark, with their "blockers" simply disapearing from their interface and search results (just in case some people get really offended or something).

Do you think this would be a good feature to have?

[Dublin-Apartments0]

hi, i have just worked how to block messages comng through from a certain person/guest.

in the chat, on the left hand side there is a hyperlink that says 'report this user'.

after clicking select reason (i.e. spam), after that it gives akss you if youd also like to block this user.

click yes/okay and hey presto!

[Niel3]

That doesn't work anymore, as soon as you click on the spam selection it just throws up a confirmation that you have submitted a report. I just reported someone for spamming when I just wanted to block them. 😞

[Anne363]

I agree. I recently had to accept an instant booking from somebody I had previously blocked. He was just as obnoxious as before and I don’t want him again!

[Leila55]

Exactly I've used the feature before but today it doesn't have that option,.. UPDATED INFO ANYONE???

[Eva301]

I absolutely feel the same way!

[George16]

Yes I'm surprised this isn't available. The ability to say No to someone is a basic human right. Even ebay allows you to block people. 

[Momi0]

@George16  IT IS available.  Its been available for about a month now since Sept 5th,  I believe. I have personally used the NEW feature when I was receiving harassing messages from someone who didn't like that I declined them.  Worked beautifully I must say too.  🙂

I also used it to decline someone when they requested in their booking message to me if they could provide the name of his girlfriend when he finally gets a girlfriend at the time he flies to Hawaii.  OMG - who actually thinks like that!?!?!?  Yikes.  haha. 

Blocking feature is found under each guests name on their profile. For those who haven't foud it yet. 

They can longer write you or book your place.   WIN WIN for hosts! 

[Maria1064]

Nice that Airbnb doesn't care one whit for the hosts, it's all about the guests.  It's OUR house, we should at least be able to block someone after we've had a bad experience with their stay.  I'm tired of guests being nice to your face then leaving less than 5 stars or leaving snarky remarks in private.  We only rent out our rooms because we live in a huge house with an extra master suite downstairs and another bedroom upstairs with it's own full bath.  We don't need the money and we like the interaction with our gests for the most part.  We get lots of professionals and lots of people from other countries which we love because my wife is international.  We're about to pull the plug though thanks to the complete apathy of airbnb towards the hosts.

[Amy38]

@Wei-and-Ting0 @Momi0@Jennifer868

This issue should be posted on the Host Voice forum....it would get more attention.

[Amy38]

And as for guests not reading discriptions....there are several hosts in this thread asking how to block a guest when it has been clearly detailed three (3) times before they inquire.....ditto by page 8.

by the way, thanks for the info @Momi0 and other 3 knowledgable hosts.

[Fiona243]

Re not reading descriptions:

I'm reading these posts looking for how to block a guest so that they can not instant book with me again. I keep seeing the same response on how to block messages from a guest (nice, but not what I'm looking for), and then one poster says that blocking messages also blocks booking, but then another says that only blocks the guest from sending you a reservation request, does not block them from IB. So I'm back where I started: I have to turn off IB and block messages from specific guests I do not want to host again.

I suspect a lot of the people who keep asking are like me: they want to stop unpleasant guests from being able to IB. There does not seem to be a way to do this. Blocking these guests messages is NOT the answer, they can still make a booking if host has IB turned on. Host is then between a rock and a hard place: either host these undesirable guests again, or cancel them and get penalised.

I've had to turn off IB for this reason, I'd rather miss out on bookings than be forced to re-host someone who gave a bad review that was full of misinformation. One such guest, I had given them a nice review as they seemed OK and left the place in reasonable state, even though they were very needy and kept asking for additional things. Guest review said carpets were dirty and need cleaning. The rooms have hardwood floors with no carpets, so this was complete nonsense. I don't want to get into a fight with these people, I just don't want to host them again, especially as they said they would love to stay again (in spite of the invisible carpet being dirty!).

[Minka0]

Agreed. I turned off IB for a time from a bad experience and it felt more like I was being penalized for doing this. Having a block feature would be nice but there is nothing stopping others in their group from making the reservation. In my case, only 2 guests of the 5 were on the reservation, so no way to block them all.

[Lisa391]

I have a situation also.  It is an Air bnb person that is not a host and I've had to call the police on him for criminal harassment.  I've added security cameras and have noted to the police the issues of "breaking and entering" etc.  I'm concerned that this person can come on to my Air bnb and see what is on my Calendar for open availability..  That doesn't feel safe.  I do believe we should be able to block someone if we can prove there is justifiable cause...

[Catharine18]

You should definitely be able to block a user. This past weekend I stayed in an Airbnb. In the bathroom, there was a little ceramic sunflower on the wall that had a hook on it. My hair got caught in it and I accidentally knocked it off. When I let the owner know, he said that it was a part of a set of two and that only having one was "useless" to him. So he tried to charge me for both of them ($100) and I had no intention of paying for both when I only broke one and I also had no idea where he got that price from. So I denied the payment and today I woke up to a message that said that if I did not accept the payment then he was going to charge me $600, also dont know where he got that price. As well as being threatened, he also kept saying how annoying it was that I did not accept to pay the initial $100 (when he did not even have proof of it being that expensive) and that he now has to go through Airbnb. I told him to talk to Airbnb and to stop threatening and messaging me and he is still messaging me saying how annoying this is for him. I really wish there were a way to block him because what he is doing is incredibly unprofessional and just not okay.

[Bella2]

Yes agree. A block button is very needed. It’s a polite and empowered way to maintain a boundary. This is a vital feature especially for women.