@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.