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?

[Ben551]

@OhmandWalter0  I actually think this issue presents itself more and more often...

There are currently several good ways to indicate that your property is not suitable for children.  I've had to look into this issue rather thoroughly because the hazards at my property are no joke.  It's the New Zealand bush, and our listing is on a cliff edge, not to mention full of stairs and tripping hazards... so we've had to work particularly carefully on this issue to make sure we're doing the right thing.

1. Under House Rules

Under the booking settings area, I have the following options specified:

2. Under Additional Rules

Further down under Booking Settings, I have the following additional rules:

3. Under the Guest Welcome Message

Under the Guest Trip Information area, there is a space to set a welcome message.  This is available to hosts who use Instant Book. Guests are shown this during the booking process and before the click book.  We use this as a last opportunity to remind them that our space isn't ok for children:

4. Instant Book process

Because I use Instant Book, the process itself protects me from guests who try to book with children. 

Twice we have had parents send a manual reservation request, which they had to do because the system did not let them Instant Book with children included in the reservation.  Both times we have been able to decline the request and select the reason "Does not meet House Rules" as the option.  Both times we have received no consequences for doing this, because the Instant Book process flags the booking as having a 'problem' with it.  Our decline is interpreted by the system as 'validating' that flag, therefore has never impacted on our acceptance rating.

One time a guest intentionally worked around the Instant Book system by booking without specifying her infant on the booking.  She told us later she intended to bring an infant and Airbnb CS removed the booking without any penalty, no quibble.

... that about sums up.  Hope this is helpful to some.

[Sarah977]

@Ben551  Your listing may not be suitable for some adults either. You know, the ones who are Youtube stars who take selfies of themselves all over the world and plunge off cliffs to their deaths in the process of getting the most sensational shot. There's been a few of them lately. Darwin awards.

[Ben551]

@Sarah977  lol omg so true...

[Cathie19]

Hey @Sarah977  go gentle on those Darwin awards and @Ben551, being a fan.......or I might feel “victimised”! Lol..

[Cathie19]

@Sarah977, don’t stress @Ben551  out!  Lol... 

Thanks Ben  for sharing your insights and rules. For me, I’m the polar opposite. I actually have  more families book than any other cohort mix. So is the stress always there?  🥺😜🤪😁😁😁😁😁😁

[OhmandWalter0]

@Giedre-and-Andre0 @Ben551 @Sarah977 @Donald128 @Lisa282 @Ian85 @Kath7 @Emiel 

Thank you so much for your advises. I learned by reading your input as well as researching myself the system better.

1. I have (as I did) to decline children and infants under House Rules, and (new) as Airbnb ask now also for a reason, I write: "The apartment with original arts objects are not designed for childrens. Pool. stairs and furnitures are not safe for children."
2. In consequence of this, nobody can make a direct booking with children or infants. In the form they can choose children and infants, but Airbnb makes a notice, that this can't be made by direct booking. Guest have to go to Request or Inquiry. 
3. If I get a Request with children or infants mentioned, I'll do first as Emiel suggest "ask the guest in your answer to withdraw his reservation request (within the time limit), then no decline or accept nessecary" and if this noy works as Lisa advised: "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."
4. If I get an Inquiry, again like Lisa: 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.
5. Important for the inquiry is, that they can't go and make a direct booking. This I was afraid before and this was the reason that I canceled the request.
6. I still don't beleave a cancellation would reliably end without any penality, dos'nt matter what you choose and write. And there is no way to test..

Thanks again for all your time, ideas and knowhow.

Walter

[Ben551]

@OhmandWalter0 glad the thread was helpful for you 🙂 

@Cathie19 hahahaha its ok, @Sarah977  and I appear to be mutual fans of Darwin 🙂