Will I be penalised for decline a potential guest?

[Kerri8]

Sometimes a potential guest will message and ask for additional information to insure my listing meets their needs. I reply with requested information within one hour. However, if that guest's profile doesn't detail a last name, they have zero host reviews, and/or they've provided vague information regarding their stay, etc. I will often ask for more information such as "What brings you to town?" or "You've listed 6 guests, can you share who is traveling with you?" While waiting for them to reply my time to pre-approve or decline clock is ticking down. I don't want to pre-approve someone I am not comfortable with yet as a guest. Am I penalized for declining them but sending a message to tell them that waiting for additional information from them? How to other hosts handle similar situations?

Thanks for your thoughts!

[Keith0 · Accepted solution]

Great question. Sometimes if the clock is ticking down and the guest hasn't responded to my questions I will decline with a note such as, "Hello Joe Guest, Are you still interested in staying at my place? I am declining for now because I have not received an answer to my question about the breeds of the 12 dogs who are coming with you. But once you have ansered we can open up you inquiry again."

Or something similar. Decline so that you are within the 24 hours but leave the door open a crack. 24 hours is reasonable for both hosts and guests. If they can't answer simple questions about their trip within that time, you may be starting out with difficult communications from the get go.

Keith

[Andrew33]

If what Annette and Curtis are saying below is true (namely that "once you declined a specific guest for a specific booking request, that person cannot send another request for the same time"), then what Keith said in the first comment isn't correct. We can't just decline for now and then reopen the request again once the details have been sorted out.

This is a real problem for those of us who are dealing with a booking request requiring a lot of communication with people in other time zones before approval can be granted. What can we do??

[Annika8]

I agree with Keith. I am generally able to reply right away when a request comes in, though. If you can catch them right away, you have the biggest likelihood of getting both you and your guests ?s straight. If they can't reply within 12 hours, they aren't making it a priority. Don't risk your metrics because someone isn't vested in it. Let them know why, but don't be afraid to tell them, when they're ready for a quick chat about their 6 friends or 12 dogs, send another request.

[Annette33]

 a booking request from a guest can either be accepted or declined. there is no room for pre-approval. so I'm a bit confused when you talk about either pre approving a guest or declining him/her.

But if you mean you have a booking request that you need to either approve or decline, I think declining when you don't hear much, and you don't feel secure, makes sense. I think as long as you then approve or decline within 24 hours, all is well.

But it is my understanding that once you declined a specific guest for a specific booking request, that person cannot send another request for the same time, lets say a few hours later or so when the questions are cleared up.

But if a guest just sends an inquiry, which then you answer to and you are wondering if you should send the pre-approval, waiting for more info from that person, there is no time clock ticking on youthere is then the 24 hour window the guest has to accept your pre-approval or not. nothing will be counted against you in that time frame.

[Mark26]

If you're uncomfortable press the decline button, and check the box that says "I'm uncomfortable with this guest"

[Mimi39]

Once you hit the decline button because you're uncomfortable with a guest (for example, half of their reviews are negative ones), a message box comes up. Do we put the reason why we're declining for Airbnb, or for the guest?

[Carole316]

I think the reason goes to the guest, because it says, tell ???? why you are declining....hummm???? or maybe you are right asking this question.  If you click the reason "uncomfortable with this guest" what happens next and who receives that message, Air BnB or the guest?  Good question Mimi

[Andrew33]

If what Annette and Curtis are saying is true (namely that "once you declined a specific guest for a specific booking request, that person cannot send another request for the same time"), then what Keith said in the first comment isn't correct. We can't just decline for now and then reopen the request again once the details have been sorted out.

This is a real problem for those of us who are dealing with a booking request requiring a lot of communication with people in other time zones before approval can be granted. What can we do??

[Annette33]

PS : I believe that before the booking is confirmed, no host can see the last name of the guest.

[Lilian20]

I agree with @Annette33 :

- there's no clock ticking since you already sent a reply

- can't see full name (nor phone number) before a booking is validated (but still should see comments if any)

[Andrew33]

It seems as though for inquiries, all you need to do is respond with a message. But for booking requests you have to either accept or decline to stop the 24-hr countdown timer.

[Koen1]

It would seem that AirBnB is going back on an important founding principle – the right of hosts to choose which guests they will invite into their homes and which not.
Let me explain.
We live in India in a small village outside Mumbai.
It is common practice here to try and circumvent AirBnB rules by asking the host to call and by writing the mobile number in such a way that AirBnB cannot blank it out in the way it normally does.
We routinely respond to such requests – as can be seen from our replies - by explaining that it breaches AirBnB rules and that we prefer to work within those rules.
This often results in the person who made the enquiry no longer responding.
I was routinely declining such irregular enquiries to prevent them clogging up my inbox.
Then I got a stern warning from AirBnB that I was declining too often and it could affect my listing.
Our home is among the highest rated properties in the area with glowing reviews.
Despite this we saw that it no longer was the first one shown, as it was before.
We also get repeated prompts from AirBnB to accept bookings without prior approval.
Now a popup asks potential guests whether they would prefer to see only properties which offer bookings without prior approval by the host – meaning that fewer potential guests even get to see our property…
We feel that this goes back on a principle which AirBnB originally committed to when we signed up, by saying hosts would always be able to screen guests.
It would seem appropriate for AirBnB to look into reasons for hosts declining potential guests, as currently declines which are perfectly reasonable, seem to affect the host’s rating negatively.
Unfortunately there would appear to be no way to communicate with AirBnB - at least in India – hence this request for views from the community.
Are there others who share our concerns ?
Is AirBnB listening to those worries ?

[Susan1028]

Im new to AirBnB hosting.

I've chosen to have all booking made by inquiring first.  So glad I did.

I just got my first inquiry from someone who ignored the house rules of no children under age 12.

Not wanting to decline and be penalized by Air BnB, especially on my first booking, I replied promptly and offered her a compromise---that I would approve if she agreed to my terms (that she replies and agrees in advance that the property is not set up for small children, that I assume no liability, that she is responsible for a nominal cleaning fee if there are spills/stains left on furniture, rugs, bed, etc (I do not charge one otherwise), etc, ...reasonable points.

I was very clear she needed to agree so I could approve the booking, have been very polite, welcoming, professional and willing to acommodate as long as she acknowledges the concerns.

The clock is ticking and I've received no reply, and of course, its for the July 4th holiday, and I appear unavailable until she responds.

I'm not sure whether to decline her or book her with another message stating that it is only under the stipulated circumstances, and that if she does not agree, she will need to cancel.

I really want to start out positively and am not sure what to do.

[Carole316]

Hi Susan,  I have a lovely home which I am very picky about, and my listing says it's an "adults only" space, but you wouldn't believe how many people with kids, request to book.  Makes me totally insane.  Seems that many guests don't even bother to read through the listing or acknowledge the House Rules before they request.  It's a huge problem because I feel I have the right to accept or deny anyone I choose into my home!  IT'S MY HOME!  I have to decline a lot of guests because of this and it's not my fault that people don't read the listing.  Anyway, I hope you resolved your issue and are off to a good start with Air BnB.  It has been a wonderful experience for me until now (as my acceptance rating percentage has declined a great deal this year).