Questionable guests and AirBnB inaction

Chad7
Level 4
Palm Springs, CA

Questionable guests and AirBnB inaction

Has any other guest encountered this?  For me, this is a first....... I received this email yesterday (via AirBnB site) from a booked guest coming coming in next month.   I was floored:

 

"Hi Chad,

Yeah super excited to see everyone there! I just wanted to give you a heads up. I originally booked this place because the description says that there is no extra cost for extra people. I know this is intended for a couple to stay at, but I just wanted to make sure it's ok if I stuff in around 6 people. You won't need to worry about making sure we're comfortable during our stay and we will definitely make sure to keep the noise down. We mainly intend to use this listing as a place to sleep overnight and rest up over a long day at Coachella.

Please let me know if you have any questions or concerns!

Best,
Chris
Yesterday at 7:39 PM"

 

Obviously, considering I have 1 Bedroom (clearly stated) and 2 guest max (clearly stated), I was told by the guest after saying "NO" that he would claim false advertising on my part since I said "no charge for extra guests".  

 

Well, AirbnB did cancel the reservation but only after my pleading that I now felt uncomfortible with having this guest stay in my suite as well as loosing the host-guest expected trust.  However, what I felt strange was that AirBnB seemed to not be proactive about this unscrupilous guest as I am concerned he is still out there making bookings.  Why isn't his account immediated flagged and romoved?    For me, it is a pretty much "non-brainer" that there should be a process to quickly weed from their site these potential "predators" of the host community.    I mean, how much proof does one need that this guest does not belong among the AirBnB community??  

 

Fellow comments or discussion?  Am I off base?  Thanks.....  Chad

6 Replies 6
Branka-and-Silvia0
Level 10
Zagreb, Croatia

@Chad7 you still have "extra people: no charge" ? I thought they removed it forever ... It doesn't show on my listing any more :

 

 

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You can remove the "extra people no charge" by putting in a very large amount for extra people ($1000 per night). That phrase will magically disappear. I asked Airbnb to fix this more than a year ago.

@Monica4  Thanks..but it still doesn't solve the issue.  AirBnB is very slow on the uptake with adding appropriate features to protect guests and hosts from potential litigations.  I have been pushing for transparancy of fees charged before some guest charges me with flase advertising on my total room costs (guest and hosts are charged differently and we don't see what guest is charged).

 

Here is my "anti-litigation" statement now in my lisitng description:  "Accommodations are established and licensed for a maximum of 2 overnight guests...rate is based on single or double occupancy." 

To me, it still articulates that 1 or 2 guests are the same price.  Same as hotels list on their postings?  By removing the comment, doesn't it still lead to questions on is it per person rate or per room rate?  

Cynthia-and-Chris1
Level 10
Vancouver, WA

Just because a guest wants to try to push the limits doesn't mean Airbnb should immediately cancel their profile. There's a lot of gray area here - some hosts may be totally fine with the guest packing a dozen people in there. You clearly are not, so the guest is free to see if other hosts are open to it.

@Cynthia-and-Chris1  ...  I really had no issues with the inquiry and I declined very professionally.  It was when I wasd then "threatened" that unless I cancelled the reservation, the guest would report me under "false advertising" was when I became very upset.  That was the game changer that led me to the posting.  This was not your typical "let me stretch the boundary".  Thanks for your comment though....