Can we block guests from coming again?

Donald28
Level 10
Lithia Springs, GA

Can we block guests from coming again?

Honestly, there's some guests that I wouldn't want to stay in my airbnb again. They always say... "we'll be back when we are in the area". BUt, some people just aren't a good fit. Especially, the ones who leave bad feedback and less than 5 stars. Why would they want to come back and why would we as hosts want them back to leave us another less than great review? 

 

Airbnb really pushes hosts to use instant book but that feature leaves hosts with zero ability to prescreen guests. 

 

Is there a way to block people from instant booking? If there isn't, there should be. 

97 Replies 97

@Pete69 I have accepted requests from a wife who booked for her husband and vice versa, and daughter booked for her father. It actually turned out all good. After instant booking was confirmed in this case, I just sent message to the account holder to get the guests information.

 

If they do not provide you with the information you need, you could cancel the instant booking without penalty.

Elizabeth1152
Level 2
Chatham, NY

Thanks so much for this thread!  Airbnb - if you are listening PLEASE put in a block feature.  I just tried calling Airbnb Superhost hotline and they told me to follow these instructions but they don't work!  Every so often I have a guest that I don't want to host again.  While they didn't break any house rules, perhaps they were unfriendly, put the AC/Heat very high or very low, or left my place messier than normal.  I would like to simply not have the option of them booking again.  I don't want to get rid of instant book - 99% of my guests are awesome and I don't want to loose business!  I think there is a glitch in the platform because these instructions don't work.

https://www.airbnb.com/help/article/2020/how-do-i-report-a-message-or-block-someone-on-airbnb

Josh9
Level 2
New Orleans, LA

Same here! I think they must have removed the block option (tried it 6/20/19). Or maybe (hoping) they just block the person automatically.

Air-Hospitality1
Level 1
Charlotte, NC

block feature simply no longer an option...

why?

This feature is no longer available although some of the CS personnel don’t seem to know this.  Airbnb keeps eroding the control hosts have over their listing.  Probably related to an IPO.  

Hi @Linda-and-Didier0 

acutally it is- but hidden. 

You need to do this via google chrome and on a desktop- to have access to the full site.

once there, if you look at the shared message feed with said guest and touch on the flag. This would prompt you to select an option- you can even select inappropriate behaviour but explain for example, guest was nice but communication was difficult and though I hope they continue doing Airbnb I do not wish to host them again... 

the final stage would ask « would you like to block this guest » , select « yes » and you are done! 

I did this last week and worked perfectly.

thanks and good luck to you,

Yadira 🙂

Wow Yadira, many thanks!

Yadira22
Level 10
London, United Kingdom

@Air-Hospitality1 Blocking is still available- read comment above! Thanks 🙂

Yadira22
Level 10
London, United Kingdom

@Laurence656 Fyi^ thanks 🙂

@Yadira22  Chrome, Mac-version, no flag. I only see "report this user" which doesn't do the same thing.  😞 

Any chance you would post a screen shot?

Yadira22
Level 10
London, United Kingdom

Hi @Susan151 

you need to go to the message thread for said guest and to the top left hand (I believe) there is a small outlined flag- you press down on that and it should prompt you through the process. 

if not send me a private message and I can look to show you etc. 🙂

@Yadira22 Seriously, there is no flag on the current Chrome for Mac anywhere on the message thread. Perhaps you are using a windows machine? I won't bother you anymore with this.

this is an interesting thread. i agree that hosts should be able to block a former guest that wasn't good and respectful.  i'm a superhost and i enjoy meeting people across generations and from different countries. i've had some exceptional guests who i stay in touch with. my goal has always been to offer an affordable and nice play to stay and it helps with the rent. 

 

in my years hosting it's inevitable you'll have a bad guest, because not all humans are inherently good. my most recent guest had been such an trip i wrote an essay about it. 

 

she initially booked with me in january after i had a month long cancellation. her first night she started moving things around and cleaning.  the next morning, i spoke up that that was inappropriate, she gaslighted me.  she never admitted she did anything wrong or apologized. 

 

eventually she moved on and a month later, she reached out directly to book again. housing is a struggle here and i wanted to help. i set a few guidelines. she extended her stay week-to-week. she was still compelled to move things as she preferred, but reluctantly would ask first. she would make intrusive comments related to my phone conversations she heard and anecdotes i shared.  the gaslighting continued whenever i set a boundary. 

 

eventually, things came to a head. i was a watching a documentary and i heard her mumble. ' that's such bull**bleep**.' when i said that that was not cool, she gaslit me again and called me " trash, uneducated, unsophisticated, ignorant and insecure' 

 

after that, i put a hard stop on her stay after her last week. i had a full blown passive-aggressive gaslighter as a guest. her sweet, ladylike demeanor was all a con. i  don't wish harm on anyone and will wish her well in my review, but that's about it. i wish i could warn others not to book her, but we all have to experience things ourselves. 

 

maybe airbnb should roll out a psych assessment tool for potential guests?

 

 

 

 

John1574
Level 10
Providence, RI

Thank you @Yadira22 

 

I just used this tool to block someone. 

 

Great info.

 

I would have never found it without your post.

 

I don't know why it work on Chrome and not on Wiin 10.