How can I avoid a penalty for an unjustified request

[OhmandWalter0]

In my rules are kids not aloud. Someone try to book against this rules. I have to decline. But Airbnb punishes me with lowering the % of accepted reservations in the new Performance Tag. If I'm not 100% in Performance, that will minimize my ranking. That's not fair! How can I avoid this penalty?

[Robin4]

@OhmandWalter0 

Unfortunately you can't!

Airbnb are on a drive to have every host accept every guest regardless of suitability and desirability.

Filtering tools have been watered down to the extent that it is now almost impossible to decline a guest without some form of penalty.

Now having said that Ohm, you do not state anywhere in your listing description for either of your listings that your properties are not suitable for children. There is no mention of children anywhere in your descriptions of each property! 

You can't suddenly pull out the 'no children' card when the guest has booked! You need to be upfront and state prominently in your listing description that you do not accept children....otherwise Airbnb are not going to side with you!

Cheers......Rob

[Giedre-and-Andre0]

@RobinThe standard frase "...Not safe or suitable for children (0-12)..." is under house rules.

But on other hand they allow guests to book up to 5 infants and 1 kid (see my post below).

This tells a guest that the decision would be on him and if he (the guest) wants to ignore the "not suitable warning", he can technically book for 1 adult, 1 kid and 5 infants... There is nothing Airbnb can help if a booking like this will be not honoured by host. To avoid a cancelation like this, the settings needs to be adjusted to: 2 adults,0 kids, 0 infants... self inflicted problem, but easy to solve 😉 

CC @Cathie19 @OhmandWalter0 

[Cathie19]

Hello @OhmandWalter0 . @Robin4 is correct in advising that you make it very obvious that this is not a space for children or infants. 

I can see that in your house rules that you have marked all 4 properties as not suitable for infants and children (unsure if this is a new edit-addition), but seriously, this is NOT enough.

I suggest in the initial descriptors to actually write something like: Due to the ........ ( your words), our homestay space is for adults only. If looking for a safe space for children and infants, regrettably we are not suitably equipped for you....

[OhmandWalter0]

@Cathie19 @Robin4 

Our apartments are marked as not suitable for children and infants since right the beginning 5 years ago!

Your idea of "Due to.." is since less than one month (in Thailand) part of the House Rules. Airbnb ask "Explain why" if you decline children or infants.

But that is not the point.

Our guests realized, that we decline "children". They just would ask, if there is en exeption. We explained them, that this is not possible. 

With decline the guests, I had to write again to Airbnb what is the reason. I explained again, that the request was against the rules. So I had to decline.

All this in facts, Airbnb punished me for declining according there rules! 
If I not decline, I get the risk of direct booking - with all the even worse consequences.
No chance for a fair treatment?

[Emiel1]

@OhmandWalter0 

Please note you can also ask the guest in your answer to withdraw his reservation request (within the time limit), then no decline or accept nessecary. At if it is an inquiry, there is no obligation to decline or pre-approve, just answer within time limit and remove it form dashboard. In both cases no punishments.

[Lisa723]

@OhmandWalter0 @Cathie19 @Robin4 yes, you can certainly avoid this. APPROVE the inquiry with the following message:

"Dear guest, thanks so much for your interest in our property. Unfortunately we cannot make exceptions to our strict no-children rule. Because Airbnb penalizes hosts for declining requests, I am approving your request, but with the strict provision that only adult guests will be allowed to check in. Of course, I understand this does not meet your requirements so I do not expect you to book. I wish you the best of luck finding a more suitable property."

[Ian-And-Anne-Marie0]

@Lisa723 

"Dear guest, thanks so much for your interest in our property. Unfortunately we cannot make exceptions to our strict no-children rule. Because Airbnb penalizes hosts for declining requests, I am approving your request, but with the strict provision that only adult guests will be allowed to check in. Of course, I understand this does not meet your requirements so I do not expect you to book. I wish you the best of luck finding a more suitable property."

and...

For a booking request I would send a similar message, but asking them to withdraw their request, and letting them know that if they didn't I would have to accept the request, with the provision that all rules would be followed, and they would then have 48 hours to cancel if they didn't want to follow them.

Love it!

[Kath9]

 @OhmandWalter0,  I feel your frustration. I also get people requesting to book who are unsuitable for my listing (this applies mainly to people asking if they can bring chldren or more than two people).

@Emiel1has a good suggestion - this is what I normallly do. But @Lisa723, love it! That is great. However, accepting means the booking automatically goes through, meaning the guest will then have to cancel so I would add this to the message. And there is always the danger they will just show up anyway. However, I might keep this strategy up my sleeve for those guests who don't cancel their booking request.

[Lisa723]

@Kath9 @OhmandWalter0 @Emiel1 @Cathie19 @Robin4 Yes, this response would be for an inquiry. For a booking request I would send a similar message, but asking them to withdraw their request, and letting them know that if they didn't I would have to accept the request, with the provision that all rules would be followed, and they would then have 48 hours to cancel if they didn't want to follow them.

It is kind of a game of chicken, but it has always worked for me.

Last week someone requested to arrive by seaplane. I accepted with the provision that they would arrive by land... they did not book. 🙂

[Kath9]

@Lisa723, hahahaha, seaplane! That's a new one! I would have accepted for sure!

OK, yes, I see what you mean. Definitely for enquiries - I used to just preapprove, but now I just message them back and don't bother preapproving or declining. But for requests, yes, I ask them to withdraw the request. But I will definitely be using your suggestion about accepting if they don't do this. Copying and pasting it right now into my saved messages! Thanks!

[Cathie19]

Same here @Kath9 

[Giedre-and-Andre0]

@OhmandWalter0 In my experience if you decline a request by marking

"...I don't feel comfortable..."

it will not count against your acceptance rate.

You easily can support your reason (not comfortable) by pointing out

violation of your specific house rules.

Otherwise I'm with 100% @Lisa723 , just I wouldn't explain too much about bnb policy:

- Let guest know in a first message that the request is in violation of house rules,

and ask to withdraw the request in (remaining) time.

- Point out, if they not withdraw that you will of cause accept the request and that you assume that the reservation will be in line of your house rules, point out that "kids" (as of house rules) will be not allowed on your property.

- If they ignore: Accept the request, again point out that you assume/expect that the reservation will be in line with your house rules... let them know that they can cancel with full refund in next 48H.

[Giedre-and-Andre0]

@OhmandWalter0 OK... I think here is the reason of your problem.

Your listing allows actually to book up to 5 infants 0-2Y...

Check your settings and probably you wouldn't run into this problem anymore...

[Donald128]

So now I understand Air BnB and why there is nothing you can do about undesirable guests. I had a college student book a room late and was preapproved. Needless to say I received multiple complaints and at 2:30 in the morning I had to go and tell them to be quiet. There I find multiple guests, the house a wreck. The student give us a 3 on check in even though we greeted him in both English and his native Chinese. Air BnB tells me “Oh well”. Air BnB will eventually hurt themselves with this changing business model.