Guest Check-In

Ian-And-Anne-Marie0
Level 10
Kendal, United Kingdom

Guest Check-In

Can somebody (AIRBNB, I cannot tag Admin) provide clarification on this? (might only be applicable to UK but beneficial worldwide).

 

Visit Britain states:

https://www.visitbritain.org/business-advice/registration-and-data-protection

 

under the Immigration (Hotel Records) Order 1972, all serviced and self-catering accommodation premises must keep a record of all guests over the age of 16.

 

To comply with the Immigration (Hotel Records) Order 1972 you need to collect the following information from guests on their arrival:

  • full name
  • nationality.
  • Note: you are not legally required to take a guest's home address or contact number.

 

AirBnb provides Guest verification of sorts. In our case this might only be one guest out of a group of eight. Those seven are complete strangers.

 

AirBnb provide the facility to invite guests to join the reservation. They use the words "If you want to see names of all adult guests before check-in, ask GUEST to invite them to join this reservation."

 

Why is it the Host's responsibility to ask the GUEST who the additional guests are when the facility exists for AirBnb to do this? 

 

And in the absence of this information being provided, how do AirBnb suggest this information is collected?

12 Replies 12
Ian-And-Anne-Marie0
Level 10
Kendal, United Kingdom

I raised an official enquiry into this through AirBnb Customer Services.

 

I understand that as a Superhost I'm entitled to faster response in any enquiries... still no reply in 30 hours so I'm still awaiting a reply.

 

 

Ian-And-Anne-Marie0
Level 10
Kendal, United Kingdom

Still waiting on a reply.

 

I have raised a query with Airbnb support reference:** which I have had open in an active window for over 40 minutes awaiting a reply for "as soon as a specialist becomes available".  

 

Since this is a matter of law in the UK a definitive answer is required to help all hosts in the UK.

@Ian-And-Anne-Marie0 

I don't think you'll get anywhere, its the hosts responsibility, as all contracts are directly between the host and the guest (its nothing to do with airbnb)

The post below was started 3yrs ago.

https://community.withairbnb.com/t5/Help/Host-asking-for-passport-copies/td-p/120535

Hi Jeff, @Jeff158 

 

Thanks for replying. It was you who provided the link I posted above from Visit Britain that shows guest information is a legal obligation.

 

That information needs to be collected for each guest over 16 and AirBnb do provide the facility but not many guests use it. The extent of the information is limited and not detailed.

 

It would make entire sense for AirBnb to insist on guest data as they already need to comply with Data Protection and its an easy enough thing to do using their existing facility, if they don't and the host is required to do this then they too need to comply with data protection. 

 

The data needs collecting - as you pointed out... It's law.

 

Obtaining the correct procedural way of doing this with AirBnb's approval is key and shouldn't be divisive, rather - its obligatory.

 

I read through your linked thread. All hosts there seem to adhere to the local laws and the idea of scanning a passprt or photographing it if one exists seems like a viable solution if it applies, thats why they exist. UK hosts only need to do this with foreign visitors.

 

Like I said, more use of the AirBnb facility to register guests would be the easiest option. So maybe this should be pointed out in the booking process stating if it isn't then some sort of Identification on arrival will be neccessary?

 

 

Ian-And-Anne-Marie0
Level 10
Kendal, United Kingdom

I enquired again, this time using 'chat'.

 

I waited for a reply... "Routing Case"... "AirBnb will reply as soon as a specialist becomes available"... "This support case is closed"...

 

WHAT? WHY? 

 

 

Helen3
Level 10
Bristol, United Kingdom

Sorry I don't really see what the issue is @Ian-And-Anne-Marie0 ?

 

If you want to collect this information mention it in your house rules and if a guest doesn't provide it, message them and ask them for it.

Hi @Helen3 ,

 

My issue initially was that I wanted to insure against the type of things hosts complain about on these forums, those being; Damages, Breaking House Rules, Unauthorised guests, Difficulty in obtaining payments for unauthorised guests/damages etc... and then this thing about legal requirements for registering guests over 16 in the UK popped up. Being a legal requirement made it neccesary to give it more attention.

My enquiry started here: 

https://community.withairbnb.com/t5/Hosting/Security-deposits-at-check-in/m-p/978788#M245166

 

You're right though. Put the requirement in the House Rules, then message the guest before check-in to ensure that the other guests' details are there.  However, failing that, then what?

 

I wonder how many hosts actually action something like this or is it just blind trust? 

 

After being involved with tenancy agreements in the past - things like - an (unknown)  guest injures themselves then that action having legal consequencies on the host to whether they were legally registered at the accomodation or not could have serious ramifications.

 

Busy sorting out House Rules so this will form part of the changes.

I think you minimise the risk of these issues in whole listings by:-

 

1. careful vetting of your guests and plans for their stay

2. having cctv at your property entrances

3.not letting unathourised guests stay until payment is made

4. having a local co-host if you don't live locally so someone can be there in person quickly if there are problems

5. setting up a deposit on airbnb

6. not taking last minute bookings so there is time for payment to do through.

 

@Ian-And-Anne-Marie0 If guests don't provide the information I request as part of my IB booking conditions, and don't responsd to reminders, I contact Airbnb and ask them to chase for it.

 

Bottom line if they don't provide it Airbnb can cancel the listing.

 

 

@Helen3 

 

I dont know whether this would be relevant, but our accomodation is very different. Under most circumstances you would know exactly who was arriving since it would be the person who booked plus perhaps their family member/spouse.

 

Our circumstances are that one guest might book bringing seven other unknown guests. I appreciate that guests don't want to have to identify themselves on arrival, but then, I don't feel happy handing over keys to a house to an unknown guest who might be 3 times removed from the booked guest and as far as I know is totally unaware to whatever is written in the house rules.

No I don't think it's  relevant.

 

Hosts who offer space in their home can still ask for the names of all guests who are staying @Ian-And-Anne-Marie0 

 

I make it a condition of them booking that they provide this information.

 

It is arguably more important for us to know who is staying, as it is our home, which they will be sharing.

 

You have a lovely place there - I would certainly look at having an additional cost for additional guests - at the moment it is the same price for six to book as it it for one.

Ian-And-Anne-Marie0
Level 10
Kendal, United Kingdom

@Helen3 

 

Thanks.

 

We offer the whole Garden Rooms as a single unit - sleeps up to 8, same price 1-8. We don't charge less for one, if one person wants the whole place they can pay the equivalent of eight. We do have a minimum 3 night stay though. (Maybe you're suggesting we increase our prices by 600-800% ?)  🙂

 

We don't allow more than eight but we have a charge of £100 per night for extra guests. This is a deterrent. If they want to sneak somebody in and take the risk of us finding out (as we live next door), they've been warned. Our insurance only covers up to 8.

 

I haven't added the deposit details to my listing yet but I will do. I mis-understood that AirBnb would take the booking deposit in advance at the time of booking - they don't. This means the booking deposit isn't a financial obstacle to booking as it's 'something in the future' so I'll point that out in the booking details.

 

I'll add the requirement that all guests need to be registered as you suggest. (Your point 3). This does refer to unauthorised guests however it is more that in my case its unidentified or unverified guests. It is so easy to only have one verified guest and 7 unidentified guests! Thats what I'm aiming to avoid in the easiest way possible.

 

One such problem with unidentified guests is that a complete stranger can turn up, ask for keys and we have no idea who they are, then they can scuttle off out of sight next door. Perhaps this scenario needs addressing as part of the whole check-in process. Hence the whole check-in - House Rules - Verified/unverified - Identified thing. Its just such a mess.

 

Normally a booking agent and their booking system should take care of this as part of their commission but you live to find out it doesn't.

 

Previously, we've had a guest book through AirBnb and a family relation contact us through TripAd to say she will be collecting keys early! Really? Who are you? So much for communicating House Rules etc... Wrong platform even.

Ian-And-Anne-Marie0
Level 10
Kendal, United Kingdom

@Helen3 @Jeff158 

 

Thanks for your input on this, and yes I agree asking the guest to provide information in this regard should be easy. I'm not sure how easy this is because I have never needed to do it as a guest but I want to be clear in how the guest does this. I have a support request active on this but it is getting nowhere. (The last suggestion being "The GUEST cannot invite another guest" !!? ).

 

I simply want to know where to direct a booking GUEST to in order to populate the AirBnb Guest list.

 

It is likely that I will ask a GUEST to do this and they will say "How do I do that ?".

 

It is possible to populate the guest list as other groups we've hosted have had multiple guest verifications.

 

Thanks for any help you can provide.

 

Here is a page grab of the AirBnb App page with the relevant request:

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