My first guest was appalling. As a new host it’s clear we need more protection as hosts.

[Tom945]

My first guest was appalling. As a new host it’s clear we need more protection as hosts.

[Mike-And-Helen0]

@Tom945 oh dear. What did your guest do/not do?

[John1574]

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@Tom945

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My first guest was appalling too. Sneaked in extra guests, left $20 on the table to cover $100, then left me 4-Stars for Overall Experience, thus insuring I would never, never have the perfect 5-Star average that I would have without his review.

He taught me one of the most important lessons: control who books your listing. Learn how to discourage bookings of which you are in the slightest way suspicious.

53 bookings later, all 5-Stars, I still have to work hard to get rid of guests I don't want to host. Yet I have never canceled a booking.

I'm now working on a technique to gain a measure of control over the onerous review process. The pettiness of guests reviews are also appalling. So far I have developed a successful technique for that also.

AirBnB is work. AirBnB is a business, and business involves solving one problem after another.

The AirBnB platform gives hosts almost all the tools you need to manage your listing effectively, and you can invent other tools, such as using Saved Messages" templates, as you learn how to run your business.

It's an ongoing process, and constantly tweaking and correcting is a big part of running an AirBnB business.

Good luck.

[Anonymous]

@Tom945  "Protection" can mean a lot of things. Which ones do you have in mind?

[Tom945]

He tried to intimidate me.

The guy walked round my living room with his shirt off his shorts half way down  telling me that I needed new furniture. I don’t. Need new furniture.

I am quite a big guy - but were  I older and smaller - or a woman - I would have felt very vulnerable.