Requiring Government issued ID - and declining request at the request of guest

[Tuka0]

Having Support close my "case" with basically a "That's just the way it is, period."-message, I need to voice my dissatisfaction with what - to me at least - is a key issue re Hosting.

When we set up our listing, we put in the extra requirement of a Government issued ID for potential guests. Discovering that we can't decline reservation requests from guests who haven't registered a government issued ID, without it affecting our stat's, is a major disappointment. We are letting strangers into our home (renting out a room, not an apartment or house) and the requirement of the government issued ID makes for an extra sense of security for both me and my wife. Airbnb offers that requirement and to me, "requirement" means "If you do not meet the requirement, you cannot expect to be able to book the room" and yet we're penalised for wanting that extra bit of security. That is quite simply a flaw in your system. Also, the travellers making those requests mostly have completely blank profiles - which makes us even more reluctant to accept them. Add to that that the very specific issue of being penalised for declining a reservation request AT THE OFFICIAL REQUEST OF THE GUEST (said request even being made through a proper app notification) was never adressed by Support. So the support case is closed. As a result, we are reconsidering hosting with Airbnb. If we cannot fully control which profiles book a stay in our home without our listing being affected, we won't feel comfortable doing it at all.

[Louise231]

Hi Tuka,

I don't include the 'must have gov Id' requirment, but i can understand why many hosts to include it.

Maybe this can help- While i don't force them to have a ID, i do force them to have a proper profile picture.

I have instant booking, so in theory i can't control who books in my place before they book, but if somone books without a proper picture, (and it happens fairly often)  they straight away get their opening message with all the details and a firm but polite message about the profile picture, simply put, if your picture isn't a picture of you, clearly visable, and the same as the person who turns up at my door, you won't be let in to my apartment.

Only once has someone tried to ignore the message, and airbnb fully supported me, they also informed the guest that if they didn't change the piture, then no, i didn't have to let them in to my house.

Why is this relevant to you? Because if someone sends you  an enquiry, if you inform them that yes you are happy to approve, but it is only on the condition of them uploading a copy of Gov ID before they arrive. Then you have the same situation. It's on your booking requirments, guests have warning before they arrive (and in this case before they even book) and you are perfectly complying with airbnb rules.

You won't be hurting your stats declining and guests can still book, but only on the understanding they add Gov ID, more than likely it's newbies who just need the shove to add the ID and will be fine later on.

I've never had this affect my reviews, the guest who ended up with airbnb involved left no review, and in fairness they were before i made a point of sending the message straight away, the worse i've had is having to send a follow up reminder message to a guests a week later, and they added the picture, apologised heavily and were lovely guests.

[Ute42]

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Hi @Louise231 ,  that's the way to do it.

[Alexandra316]

@Tuka0 rather than declining the requests, have you tried asking the potential guests to fill out their profile and add government ID?

You could also add a requirement under your house rules that the guest needs to verify their account with ID. It may help. 

Also, you don't specify if these are just booking inquiries or actual booking requests. If they are just inquiries, you don't  need to decline them: as long as you're replying to the message, you're okay. Just send them a message letting them know that you need ID to be verified and their profile to be completed and leave it at that.

If a guest asks you to decline their booking request, just tell them to cancel their request. Just because they ask you to do it doesn't mean you need to follow their instructions. 

[Jonathan426]

I think I'm just going to call airBNB support and have them decline it for me, and explain why, every single time I have to do it from now on. 

[Victoria567]

Hi @Tuka0

I agree with you.

Ive got my strict requirement for guest verification along with ticking box stating identity If person coming to stay too including reason for visiting the area.

I only do instant book and I’ve refused several guests with no penalty to myself whatsoever.

If I find after acceptance the guest starts to play the deception game eg. I had a booking for one guest booking 2 bedrooms ( that’s all I have physically available in my home) demanding 3 rooms and finally wanting me to put a bed in my living room after I had accepted his instant booking.

Basically he was changing the terms of the initial booking which was a red flag to me.

Phoned Air bnb so my instant booking acceptance was quickly cancelled, at no cost or penalty to me.

Another example was another instant booking.

The profile and description of the guest were not an exact match eg name in profile and name of correspondent different from one another = red flag and I swiftly declined the booking.

Again a mother booked with her child by instant booking despite my strict guidelines.....booking cancelled.

Youve got  rules and criteria, follow them rigorously.

For those you spot, after the instant booking, then instantly cancel them, after your phone call to air bnb.....not much point acting after the horse has bolted from the stable door.

It IS your home and you share it with whom you wish to.

[Greg89]

 hi everyone, have you noticed that you can no longer require government ID unless it’s instant booking? I think this is a big and awful change. In fact I have been asking for them to  change the requirement for two reviews to not instant booking houses as well. This is a change in the wrong direction unless I am missing something .