Guest selling tickets online to stay in my listing

Guest selling tickets online to stay in my listing

Hello hosting community 

I have a very unusual situation with a guest who also happens to be a host. He apparently runs his own business and has his own website where he sells tickets to what he calls a "peer collective" to bring like minded people together. 

I dont know who falls for that but he never told me his intentions. He just said 6 of his friends would be staying for 4 nights. Things got weirder when he tried to haggle (again) for another night at half price. I had already lower the reservation price to begin with.

 

I simply searched for him on social media and found his website where he is charging $175 per ticket to come stay with him in my listing! I contacted Airbnb and they didnt seem that concerned and told me they would cancel the reservation just this one time without repercussions to my superhost status. 

The problem now is that the guests is messaging me nonstop to get the reservation back. 

 

Did I do the right thing by cancelling?

3 Replies 3

@Rodrigo368 Yes, you absolutely did the right thing by canceling. And the operator you spoke to was in the wrong - you always have the right to terminate a booking when the guest is clearly violating the terms of service.

 

You're not required to respond to any messages other than an initial inquiry or request, but blocking a user from writing to you doesn't appear to be straightforward anymore. Click "Report User" on the thread and see what happens.

 

One other thing.... When you said "I had ready lowered the reservation price to begin with," if you mean that the guest had successfully talked down your listing price, you would've had the red flag right there that he was going to be trouble. 

Thanks @Anonymous 

I will ignore the guest for now but if he continues trying to contact me, I will follow your advice and report him.

 

Yes. It was a mistake I made by removing the cleaning fee for him as a kind gesture on my part but he tried to get even more greedy and that's when I knew for sure something was fishy. 

Melodie-And-John0
Level 10
Munnsville, NY

@Rodrigo368 Wow, that guy has giant danglers!   Its one thing to ask a host prior to booking if the arrangement he is envisioning is acceptable (to which I would say No No No) but to find out after the deal is made is a game changer.  Any contract short or long that begins in a cloud of suspicion likely will end in a pit of despair.  You did the right thing, report him if he keeps bugging you! Stay well, JR