Booked guest refuses to provide names claiming I would discriminate

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Inna22
Level 10
Chicago, IL

Booked guest refuses to provide names claiming I would discriminate

This is very convoluted. A guest booked, I’ve gone over house rules particularly because he mentioned it was going to be his birthday. Explained no outside guests allowed which is all over my listing. He then sent me a list of those coming that had 30 names. I explained that in Chicago gatherings of more than 10 is not allowed, which is again in my listing twice. Not to mention my listing doesn’t allow 30.

 

We went over it in circles about eight more times with him trying to prove he can have as many people as he wants and me trying to prove that he cannot have more than 10. Eventually he said he would comply but would not give me the names because I am a racist and I would discriminate based on the names.

 

This makes very little sense: first of all, I meeting to check their IDs anyway. If I was planning on discriminating, he’s just delaying that by 24 hours. Second, he is already booked. This is a private space, I’m not going to be around to discriminate. I’m not sure what to do with this one. I’m certainly not comfortable hosting him. I don’t think he’s now going to have 10 people when he already invited 30. At the same time, if he promised he won’t, am I now discriminating by canceling him?

I am also slightly nervous to be meeting with him tomorrow for check in. What if he shows up with more people? Not let them in? I don’t want to be starting a confrontation in front of the house.

 

Why can’t people just follow the rules!

1 Best Answer

Cancel cancel cancel. It’s going to be an illegal party and likely your place will be trashed and you won’t have info to report to police. Also get security cameras ASAP.

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25 Replies 25
Pat271
Level 10
Greenville, SC

If this was Instant Book, I would cancel the reservation.  I would not want to host someone who called me a racist.

 

If it was not Instant Book, and the guest had all of the above conversations with you on the Airbnb app, I would call Airbnb, point them to the messages, and request Airbnb to cancel.  This guest just seems to be trouble all around, and hopefully Airbnb would see that and try to arrange other accommodations for this guest and his friends.

Mike323
Level 9
Middletown, PA

No brainer, abort mission by any means necessary, highly probable this will not end well if you move forward with the booking. 

Lynell0
Level 3
Murtoa, Australia

@Inna22  I don't get it! He is happy to give you a list of 30 names to start with, but wont give you names of 10 people because your racist?  This screams RED FLAGS.  This is your house, and your rules. By all means go through Airbnb to cancel, but I wouldn't care if Airbnb didn't agree with you. Cancel the booking anyway.  We all know Airbnb wont be there to pick up the broken pieces.   Wishing you the best of luck 

Well that's gotta be the typo of the day!

Kath9
Level 10
Albany, Australia

@Inna22, I can't believe you're even thinking about this. Cancel immediately. This is nothing to do with racism and everything to do with the fact that he is: 1) breaching your house rules if he's telling you 30 are coming; 2) breaching city/state rules by having a gathering of larger than 10; 3) arguing with you about it; 4) accusing you of being racist; 5) probably going to have a party of (at least) 30 anyway.

Yadira22
Level 10
London, United Kingdom

Abort, contact Airbnb and confirm that you do not feel comfortable hosting this individual for the reasons above and he is planning to break your rules. 

 

Also a small thing I saw the other day which helps provide further security when facing such circumstances, in the listings section

 

Go into listing- Listing Details -> Location -> Select general location -> under "visibility for booked guests" mark "Share details after the free cancellation period"

 

Marking this box means guests won’t see your address, last name, or phone number while they’re able to cancel for free. After the free cancellation window, all information will be sent out. 

 

Just an FYI!

Sarah977
Level 10
Sayulita, Mexico

@Inna22  This has so may giant red flags flying over it that I find it hard to believe you're even asking, experienced host that you are. Maybe it's that you need all the bookings you can get right now, but I wouldn't touch this one with a 10 foot pole. In fact as soon as he started arguing, I'd have told him the conversation was over and gotten Airbnb to cancel the booking ASAP.

Inna22
Level 10
Chicago, IL

Yes, normally this would have not been a conversation. My only concern was to be sure that I was not giving ammunition to people like him to use a race card. I guess my home should not be a place to take a stand

@Inna22 There's no race card to play. The first thing he did was declare that he was going to be throwing a party and inviting unauthorized guests well in excess of your stated occupancy limit, his statement of which you have on record. It's not convoluted. Leave out the other stuff that need not apply here, and it's actually quite simple. (just like some 'people' are simple and can't understand or follow rules)

@Inna22  This reservation is trouble as you already can see

 

Sarah977
Level 10
Sayulita, Mexico

@Inna22  It's really disgusting that someone would play the race card because he can't have a rager party in contravention of the COVID directives. It makes a total mockery of the racial discrimination issues people are fighting for right now. Might be a good approach if he tries to get Airbnb on his "racism" side. Tell them you're shocked that he would trivialize the important issues BLM is addressing just so he could throw a COVID party. 

@Inna22   The so-called "race card" is far from the only card in the deck for people seeking to take advantage of Airbnb's sensitivity to discrimination claims. Actually the far more common one seems to be guests claiming Discrimination against disabilities when hosts with no-pets policies try to prevent them from bringing their emotional support elephant or whatever.

 

The minute a guest indicates that they intend to throw a party or is not acting in good faith, there's no longer any benefit to continuing the discussion, as with each message the odds increase that you'll say something that will harm you.  Remember the Miranda warning here:  Anything you say can be used against youOnce it's clear that you won't be honoring the booking, the best thing you can do is get customer service on the phone, and grab a good book because you'll be on hold for a long time. 

 

This situation can also serve as a warning to hosts who air their opinions on racially charged issues here:  this forum is visible to anyone online, including scammers who might seek to entrap you with your own words. Even if you conduct yourself perfectly well in your communication with the guest, if they're able to use your commentary in Community as evidence of a bias covered in the discrimination policy, you're at risk of being penalized.

 

Suzanne302
Level 10
Wilmington, NC

@Inna22  Just here to add my vote to CANCEL this guy immediately! No way this will end well if the reservation is allowed to proceed.

Clara116
Level 10
Pensacola, FL

@Inna22 what's happened ? Like Sarah said.... U asking this of us as experienced as u are....and even giving this one a second thought really surprised me. With all the RED flying signals and flags.... unless u are desperate for money,  odds are you will not have a smooth stay with this guest in ur  property. We are all uncomfortable with this guest....can u use that to cancel? Cause I'm just trying to figure out why give an inch on this one....it's gonna be a party, their way and not a pretty outcome I would just guess. Just my thoughts Inna.  Peace