Not being able to see potential guest photos is making me feel unsafe

[Patricia1382]

I rent three rooms out in my house . I’ve had a mixed bag of guests over the last three years .  I rent the rooms to long term guests moving to the Bay Area that are either interns, traveling medical staff or refinery workers , or just people relocating here who stay while they find more perment housing . I’ve had a murderer , sex phone worker , felon freah out of prison , the latest challange was a prescription drug addict along with 90% regular guest without personal issues .  They all were very nice even the challenged people and there was no way to know their background before they came .  But seeing the photo they use to put their best foot forward went a long way .... I’m scared to keep doing homesharing  through Airbnb at this point and I’m looking at other services I may switch to  but up until now I LOVED Airbnb .  Raved about Airbnb to all my friends , mentored other hosts into the business , used it for travel myself .

Im interviewing a couple of potential guest now and we will see if I can get over this hurdle and take a chance on one of them but right now I’m leary without seeing their photos first 

[Rebecca181]

@Patricia1382 Are you using Instant Book? Supposedly, if you are using IB, you can cancel after the guest books and their profile photo is revealed, including if their photo is not a profile photo of themselves (such as a car or fish or what-have-you). Not sure how it works when you are not using IB.

Also, I do wonder, let's say a host using IB sees the profile photo of their guest after booking and then asks Airbnb to cancel. How, then, can Airbnb honor the cancellation agreement they are making with hosts when they might appear to be supporting the host in discriminating against the guest? Still scratching my head over that one...

[Patricia1382]

I do not use IB, I had a very bad experience accepting a guest last minute once so that’s not a feature I will ever use 

[Emilia42]

There is an instant booking feature that prevents guests from booking at last minutes if customized to what works for you. I'm very thankful for it.

[Deborah614]

You can accept IB, but still have your settings whatever notice period you want.   I don't like having IB guests booking for same night, because I might be in a mess.   So I set it for day before.   

[Zappa0]

Valid point

[Nicole563]

I had an instant book last week that I didn’t feel good about. The guy contacted me wanting a discount to stay in my home for 3 months, I had someone booked a whole month in April already, so I declined. He booked me instantly for 2 nights a few days later. The morning of his arrival I sent him a message to confirm his arrival time, he wanted to check in early and then I saw he only has 4 stars rating. Even though his only review was positive, I felt very uncomfortable to host him, so I called AirB&B to cancel the booking. I stated that I didn’t feel comfortable hosting this guest since I am living alone. AirB&B was able to cancel it for me without penalizing me since that was the only time I did it. According to AirB&B, hosts can have up to 3 instant booking cancellations per year without being penalized. The guest can still leave a review though. 

[Donald28]

I hate the hidden photos and hidden last names too. I've complained too but it does no good. Airbnb has us hosts wrapped around its finger.

It's ridiculous for airbnb to expect a host to accept a booking from a complete stranger with just a first name. I need to do some preliminary due dilligence of the person that I am about to let into my home and onto my property. 

[Deborah614]

I'm glad to hear you say that, Donald in Lithia Springs.  Because I thought it was women-alone hosts who were nervous of absolute strangers with no photo, no second names, instant booking access to their house.   How could Airbnb LIVE with themselves if one day an Airbnb host was seriously harmed by a guest who had no profile picture, no second name, no Government ID and yet they are "members" of this organisation which requires me, the woman-alone host, to accept as guests?  

I fear it is only a matter of time before a major news headline "AIRBNB WOMAN HOST SHOT BY PREDATOR GUEST AND  IN A COMA 

Until 15th March, I thought a mass-murdering crazed gunman could never storm a mosque in my country and kill 50 innocent people.   

[Mary703]

I feel your pain, Patricia. I have had guests with photos that are dark, really far away, and/or indistinguishable, so I cannot confirm that is the person showing up at my door. I believe that the guest photo is now not revealed until after the booking to avoid discrimination. However, who is at more risk? The Host or the Guest??

[Francisco70]

A year ago I said the same thing about the photos, lots of people answered that they had the same problem, Airbnb didn't make the slightest effort to listen. The hosts felt very helpless about Airbnb. Airbnb still doesn't understand that hosting a person without any type of identification at home is very dangerous ... it is so easy to understand, but they do not understand it!

[Mike1034]

@Francisco94 I believe that Airbnb understand it all. But Airbnb just intentionally do it because they thought hosts have rejected too many requests from guests because they declined guests booking when they saw the photos.

However, what they don't understand is that more hosts are feared to either stop hosting or reject more requests without photos.

[Sheranie0]

I don’t use IB for bookings and purely accept bookings on profiles I feel I can trust and not a computer system to decide for me. 

Without a profile picture, I am less likely now to accept bookings to those new to AirBnB and have no feedback. 

[Rebecca787]

I now will not rent to anyone without several reviews. I understand the reasoning behind not showing photos, but I am not letting a total stranger in my home unless I can see them first. Am I supposed to allow a guy with gang face tatoos in my home? I actually had that happen from a request to book...scariest guy I ever saw. My neighbors would have had a fit.

Air BnB is causing many first timers to not get booked because they have no reviews.

[Marcia23]

I'd like to put my 2 cents in: I don't like the hidden photos either. It feels unsafe and unfriendly. I hope to do less bookings as a result and eventally, none.