Guest has bad reviews

[Willy-and-Laci0]

Hello,

I am a new Host and I have set up per the Airbnb recommendations for hosts who have been verified can instantly book. I just had someone book instantly and their reviews are horrible Basically beware of this guest. What can I do? I see I'd loose my superhost if I cancel. 

Thanks!

[Lawrene0]

Give Airbnb a call, @Willy-and-Laci0, and ask to have the booking cancelled penalty-free. Point to the bad reviews as your reason for discomfort with the guest.

[Alexandra316]

@Lawrene0 Great minds think alike! Our responses crossed paths :-).

[Alexandra316]

@Willy-and-Laci0 Call Airbnb and explain that you are uncomfortable with this instant booking due to the guest's reviews, and ask them to cancel on your behalf. You are allowed to cancel instant book reservations penalty free under certain circumstances: see https://www.airbnb.ca/help/article/2022/how-do-penalty-free-cancellations-work-for-instant-book-host... for all the details.

You can call Airbnb at 1-855-424-7262 or message them on Twitter @airbnbhelp. I

[Cathie19]

I agree with the other hosts. Call Airbnb but do not cancel yourself. Also go in to your instant book settings and add some instant book proviso changes: the guest must have a good review. Must answer some basic questions, be government ID verified.

Go to your site descriptor and specify that guests must agree to your house rules. (Anything specific that this guest has done wrong?) if you can include/ cover that in your rules somehow, do so.

Then send the guest a message that thanks them for instant booking, but they must agree to your specific house rules. Send the rules if you must. All correspondence to the guest through the Airbnb message board for documentation. 

Essentially, you are very uncomfortable with the idea of this guest being in your space. 

Get Airbnb to cancel as the guest has not behaved in a manner suited to the Airbnb forum and should not be recommended, as stated in past host reviews. Another method would be to force the guest to not want to come, by being vigilant, enforcing house rules and staying firm.....

You may need to add some more rules to cover yourself..... for the next person of ill repute, as well. Better to have them listed, then they can’t claim they didn’t exist.

[Victoria567]

@Willi0 & Laci

You are Instant Book.

Phone up your local air bnb asap,explain you do not feel safe with this booking due to poor reviews and you don’t want to risk repeat behaviour.

Ask air bnb to cancel the booking without financial or other penalty to your listing.

Get Air bnb to communicate directly with the guests.

You must not communicate directly with the guests, so leave it all to air bnb

[Willy-and-Laci0]

Thank you everyone for all your feedback. I called Airbnb and they helped me cancel. They told me you get three cancelations a year with instant booking that you wont be penalized. I have to say I live in a small small rural town and this time of year is very slow. After I canceled the reservation, which was for a week (wed-wed) in Nov/Dec, I received a request to book from a person who was from the same state and booking the exact same dates. Think it's the same party?

[Cam-And-Shannon0]

Yes, most likely the same person.

[Letti0]

@Willy-and-Laci0  Yes they are just using another account. Call AirBnB and explain that they request to book again from another account and you do not feel you should have the decline against your record when you had canceled them once already. Have AirBnB block both guests. I have had this happen a few times and AirBnB worked with me as it was clear it was the same group. I just don't get people like this you canceled on them, so you clearly have an issue with them booking yet they still won't give up. Ridiculous.