Long term stay for guest with no reviews? I'm new...

[Summer127]

I am a brand-new host post-Covid. I didn't expect the many inquiries about long term rentals. I've had a request from a new Airbnb guest, just joined this month. They have no reviews or photo. I'm concerned as I've heard of scams or other long-term problems since Covid hit.

If you would, the following is what I have figured to send to the guest before I approve the booking. What am I missing? Any other suggestions?

"Hello again. Thanks for your interest in our place. It is a wonderful spot. After looking things over, I see you just joined Airbnb. Would you mind updating your profile with a photo ID? Your reservation says 2 quests, so it would be you and ...? Also, for both of our safety, here are the additional rules that would need to be agreed upon in order to make a long-term say happen.

Long term stays: I normally wouldn’t require this, but as there are no reviews on your account, I will require the following:
References with phone numbers:
-Professional reference
-Personal reference
-Place of Employment
-Photo ID in Airbnb profile

In addition to listed house rules, Guests must agree to:
-2 week bookings, paid in full up front. We can reserve 2 weeks at a time. If you need to cancel, the current 2-week booking will be fully charged, but the following bookings will be refunded if cancelled 24 hours before the following booking date occurs.
-Weekly cleanings and restocking on Fridays.
-No other guests except those included on the reservation.
-Photo ID of both guests.

I think that would make the month-long stay a possibility by splitting it into two 2-week bookings. It will also allow you to cancel the 2nd booking without a problem in case you find a long term place sooner. If this is something you can agree to, I think we can get started on the reservation!"

Thanks in advance!

[Emiel1]

@Summer127 

If you are a new host, better not start with "long term stay" reservations.

Long term stays have special rules, you can find them in the HELP files

What you are setting up with the 2 weeks bookings is not OK. Alternatevily you can offer them a 2 weeks stay with option to extend if everything goes wel. (= "change" option in the reservation). Long term stays also have less Airbnb Guest Service costs percentage on them and a special cancellation policy.

If you do not want long term stays, limit "maximum stay" setting in your listing to 27 nights or less.

Best regards,

Emiel

[Jody141]

I’m new as well and have turned down two long term guests. Reasons:

Both were new to Airbnb 

Both had similar stories, moving to area, needing to find long term housing so need a short term place (this scared me because I could get stuck with them)

Both had multiple pets (I take dogs but not cats), multiple vehicles and one had a boat. 
Honestly it just felt off, and like a potential headache. 
cheers. 

[Sarah977]

@Jody141  A scam some guests can pull that you also need to be aware of is that they book for a week or a month to take advantage of a weekly or monthly discount you may have, arrive, stay a couple of days, then cancel, calling Airbnb with some bogus claim of the place being filthy or the stove not working, or the place smells really bad, and Airbnb refunds them all the rest of the time they booked, so they got a 2 day stay for the price of one or less. 

[Jody141]

@Sarah977  Thanks for your response. My intuition was to decline their request so I’m glad I did! 

[Sarah977]

@Summer127  I agree with Emiel that it's a really bad idea for new hosts to take long-term bookings, its actually not a great idea for a lot of experienced hosts, either, who've experienced problems with this.

What are you missing? Well, unfortunately, a clear understanding of how Airbnb works and what you can and can't do when listing with them. 

All the requirements you are asking of your guest are not things you can ask of them when listing on Airbnb, but of course they are the standard things that regular landlords ask of guests when considering renting to them and which you could request if you were booking guests directly through your own personal website.

Guests pay according to the policies of Airbnb, and if they cancel, you are paid according to the cancellation policy you have chosen. You can't just set your own terms of payment and refunds. Also, Airbnb can and does refund guests according to their discretion, so don't be under any illusions about that.

Regarding the guest photo- hosts have no way of knowing if a guest has submitted a profile photo of their face when getting a Inquiry or a Request, because guests' profile photos are hidden from hosts until a booking is confirmed (supposedly to cut down on discrimination, so a prejudiced host couldn't reject someone based on the color of their skin, race, etc.). So you can't make the assumption the guest hasn't done this, you just can't see it.

If you have profile photos checked in your settings for guest requirements and you see the guest hasn't provided one after a booking is confirmed, then you can ask them to upload one. But be aware that when Airbnb asks guests for profile photos, they don't care if they post a photo of a plate of spaghetti, their cat, or a cartoon character. So if you want to see a real photo of the guest, make sure to note that in your listing ad.

Also, you need to be aware that anything you require of guests needs to be mentioned in your listing description- you can't just spring things on them that weren't in your ad. So if you want to be able to ask guests for photo ID when they arrive, to ensure that it's the same person who booked, make sure to state that in your listing info and also reiterate in a message to guests. Airbnb can delist you if a guest complains to them that you sprung requirements on them that weren't mentioned in your ad.

So best you learn the ropes a bit (which this forum is awesome for- read some here every day if you can, not just come here when you have a question or problem- it can alert you to and prepare you for so many issues hosts have to deal with) before looking at taking on a brand new guest asking for a long-term booking, with no reviews and no information.

But I will say that your idea of having a "trial run" booking of a shorter period of time to find out whether it's a "good fit" and whether they will be good guests or not is, in general, a sound one. 

[Huma0]

@Sarah977 

It's probably a glitch, but I can see guest's profile photos on the App, at least initially. 

Anyway, I don't think it matters if you know they have uploaded a photo or not. I just ask them to do this "if they have not done so already" and also ask them to verify their ID with Airbnb. People never complain about this requirement and, if they did, it would be a bit of a red flag.

I had a recent enquiry from a newbie who said she would do it after I accepted the booking. I explained to her that hosts can't see the profile photos until after the booking anyway, so she didn't need to worry about it from a privacy perspective and that also, many hosts have this requirement, so even if she didn't end up booking with me (she didn't in the end as someone else booked the room), it would be a good idea for her to do it.

She was actually very appreciative of the advice and said she was going to do it straight away.

[Helen3]

Great post @Sarah977 . I wish the admins would have a ‘stickie’ at the top of the forum with FAQs for new hosts. 

[Helen350]

@Sarah977 @Summer127 - Just a quickie re the profile photo..... - When the guest HAS submitted one the enquiry comes with a circle with the guest's initial in the middle. If instead you get a head & shoulders silhouette, then you know they did NOT submit a profile pic.... (Of course the 'profile pic' submitted by S, B or H may be the proverbial car, plant, pet, so no guarantee of a mug shot even when the reassuring initial appears!) 

[Sarah977]

@Helen350  Never knew that, thanks. You just figured that out yourself? So far, all my guests have had the letter in the circle and an actual profile photo.

@Huma0  I've offered suggestions to my guests re their profile and they've been appreciative, too. Guests don't know or think about the things that hosts look at when deciding whether to accept a booking, beyond reviews. The request I felt the iffiest about, I wouldn't have at all if he had bothered to update the profile he'd made 3 years previous. His profile said he was a uni student, that he liked a mix of party and quiet times, his photo was of himself and 2 other young guys holding up wine glasses, and he had no reviews. Turned out that he was now the manager of 10 Dominoes pizza outlets, he wasn't a party boy at all (at least not when he stayed with me) and he was the nicest guy, who left his room and bathroom immaculate. I told him the things that made me a bit wary when he booked, that he really should update his profile, and he thanked me, saying he never realized it would make a difference. (And he got his first ever review from me, which was 5* all the way, which will help)

[Huma0]

@Sarah977 

Yep. I do understand Airbnb's reasons for doing this in terms of anti-discrimination and I'm not going to judge a book by its cover. I just like the reassurance of knowing that a guest has uploaded a profile pic even if I can't see it until they book (and also profile info, verified ID etc.). The more info I have about a guest before they come, the happier I am. 

I once had a guest who booked under a name that could be either male or female in a particular country (my country of origin so that's how I know). The photo was of a white, blond haired woman, which I thought was unusual, but okay, fine. I became slightly concerned when he called shortly before arrival and I realised it was a man. Still fine. Maybe he was transgender.  Then this guy shows up who is certainly not the person in the profile photo and I became worried. He seemed lovely though. I casually mentioned it the next day. Turns out it was a photo of his wife. I have no idea why he had that on a profile in his name, but he was an excellent guest and changed it to his own photo as soon as I alerted it to him.

Another guest (before Airbnb hid the profile pics) was touting fire arms. He assured me he was not a gun wielding maniac but going to the rifle range was a hobby and please don't let it put him off. He was lovely too but I still have no idea why he chose that as his profile photo.

[Huma0]

@Helen350 

Are you sure about that?

On a browser, I get the circle with the initial regardless of whether a guest has uploaded a photo or not. I never get the head and shoulders silhouette anymore.

On the App, I actually see the profile pic before the booking (even with just an enquiry) so I automatically know if a guest has updated a photo or not. Sometimes the photo disappears shortly after, but is always there in the first instance. Perhaps it is a technical glitch or I've not updated the App in a while, who knows?

[Huma0]

PS on the App, I even sometimes see star ratings for non IB guests. Seems to me the whole thing is super glitchy...

[Helen350]

@Huma - Doh!    @Sarah977 's questioning suddenly made me doubt what I'd long thought was the case! - I just tested my theorum  with a couple of recent enquiries.... I WAS WRONG!!!!!  Someone who enquired with an 'S' in a circle is to be found  on his former host's profile with NO photo just head & shoulders.... Senior moment, SILLY ME!!!!😵 

[Lisa5676]

@Sarah977 

Thank you for your comments.  I also am a new host.  I got excited with the first request being a 64 day stay during the busy season where our place is. (Mammoth Lakes, ski season Dec-Feb).  I felt a little uneasy because there are no reviews for her and she's been on Airbnb since 2017.   She said she's been coming for the past 40 years with her family for the holidays and I asked where she'd stayed and she listed all places that I know of.  I didn't question why shed didn't have reviews because I wasn't sure about the rules.  I am trying to navigate all the ins and outs of airbnb...

I sent her a special offer and in it they are paying for weekly cleaning while here and our cleaners will "check" in to see how things are looking/going.  

I feel like I'm missing some things.  Can I go back and ask for more info now?  Her stay starts in Dec-Feb.  What should I be aware of.  I feel really dumb asking these questions... but new to hosting and new to owning a place in a resort town to host.  

Please help!!  Thanks much,
Lisa