Safety

[Priscilla125]

This is my first time hosting and someone requested to reserve my place and I accepted but just realized the only things verified are his email and phone number.  Can I ask for ID to be verified?

[Yiann0]

Hi @Priscilla125! In my limited experience, it depends on how many nights they've booked. I just had a horrible guest experience that the guest was all verified but never booked before, and only booked with me for one night. It ended up being a teenager throwing a party. I would ask to provide ID, if that fails then I don't see why you cannot cancel the booking, since you feel unconforatable. Then again, I've been hosting since June.

[Priscilla125]

I am just not getting a good feeling. He asked for 9 days....he and someone else. It shows he just joined Airbnb in November and just his email and phone number are verified. I did send him a message to please provide ID and get verified or I will need to cancel.

[Sarah977]

@Priscilla125  You should also ask for the name of the "someone else" who he says will be accompanying him, and make sure he booked for 2, not one.

[Linda108]

To be fair to those travelers on Air BNB, you can set up a profile with minimum verification. That works for those hosts that really hotels and do not have the security issues you might have.   If that level of verification does not work for you, ask for more.  If you have Instant Booking activated, make your requirements to include verification and positive review.  

I have those requirements for IB but if I get an inquiry with less than what I want, I ask for it.  Most travelers are happy to comply.  Those who do not want to comply, are not accepted by me.   Simple.

As @Sarah977 has posted, I always ask for the full name of any other guests that will be coming as well.

[Robin4]

@Priscilla125

Hello Priscilla and welcome here to the CC.

Lack of verified identity is an issue but not one that I would turn into a flat spin over. I have hosted a lot of 'newbies' and unverified guests here and most all of them have turned out to be very fine guests who I would welcome back again......We all had to start out from somewhere Prascilla.

I would look much more closely at the wording of the booking request! How has this guest come to you? Has he had lots of questions? is his approach to you passive, or aggresive!

When someone sees my listing, likes what they see, just wants to pull out the credit card and pay, and puts in a comment like...."We have seen your lovely listing and can't wait to spend a few days there"...brilliant, I can't accept fast enough, I know they will be good guests!

When they want to know if there is free Wifi, can I bring my uncles second cousin, is there offstreet parking, what cooking can I do?....Nah, Prascilla, they are not for me, and I decline the offer to host them. You can be sure they won't get any better as time goes along, and with every question, they strengthen their ground..... and weaken yours.

Not everone who is starting out is a bad guest.....but, I have never come across a fine 'Haggler' though Prascilla!

Cheers......Rob

[Gregory87]

Welcome @Priscilla125:

This month is my 1 year anniversary for becoming a host.  Having a verified ID is one of the expectations that I have for renting my apartment.  And since this person is looking to stay 9 nights, I would be even more cautious as a new host.

I have frequently asked guests (new or experienced) to either verify their ID with Airbnb or be prepared to show it upon check-in.  In fact, I post the following statement in the house rules section of my listing:

"** Photo ID (valid state ID, drivers license, or passport) may be requested of guests at check-in or during their stay to verify identity. All guests must be listed and approved in advance during booking process. Failure to comply may result in cancellation of reservation and/or intervention of Airbnb or police."

Additionally, guests MUST provide the first and last names of all persons staying overnight.  These policies have served me well so far.

Stand your ground!  You have a very nice listing and you want to protect it for you, your family, and future guests.

Good luck. 

[Robin4]

@Gregory87

Good comments Greg and congratulations on the way you are going....Superhost with 45 great reviews in a 12 monthg period is outstanding.

The thing I find interesting is the comparing of hosts guest identification requirements around the world varies considerably from country to country. The US probably sits a bit left of centre because you all seem to require some formal identification documentation before accepting a guest. Some Sth American and Eastern European countries seem to require even higher level of safety before accepting guests!

Here in our country we seem to be much more right of centre. I and many other hosts don't place too much importance on verified ID. I don't require anything special, I have even taken on total unverified guests, just a phone number and an email.....and they have all turned out ok! I would never put in my house rules that I require verified ID before being allowed to enter the cottage.

My theory, and I may be totally wrong Greg, but our substantially lower crime rate in Australia lulls us into a maybe false sense of security. My area is totally free of grafitti and petty crime seems minimal. We never hear of shop windows being involved in smashNgrab raids.... gee, I can't even recall a servo or convenience store being robbed in the area. Many nights I never even bother to lock the car up, and more often than not we don't lock the back door of the house. We just don't expect or give a thought to 'bad guys'!

Maybe we are living in a fools paradise and that our turn will come and we may have to be a lot more cynical and tighten up our verification requirements but, I have found Airbnb's basics have been fine for me, it all seems to work really well, and it does intrique me when I read the sort of measures you guys take as being a mandatory minimum for guest acceptance.

Cheers.....Rob

[Gregory87]

Thanks @Robin4 for sharing your thoughts.  I think there is more to the proverbial picture than how you present each country's approach and/or attitude towards Airbnb.  Many of us who are requiring IDs or other documentation are simply trying to protect our property and investment.  We are doing what we think will help avoid guests who will cause problems in our rentals or headaches for the host(s).  

We have all heard about nightmare guests who destroy apartments and homes.  Read about guests who intimidate their hosts and essentially take over the space.  Dread the lack of support from Airbnb when complaints are filed.

It is for these reasons that hosts are trying to devise ways to ensure that they won't have to deal with these issues.  Every area has its pros and cons.  You mention how Australia has a low crime rate and then describe your area as free of grafitti and petty crimes.  I'm sure that the fact that you live in a distant suburb of Adeleide with a population of 30,000 people has something to do with that.  Have you checked to see if hosts in Adeleide (with over 1 million people) request IDs from their guests?  I wouldn't be surprised if they do.

We too have areas that are suburban or rural where the residents have low crime and sleep with their doors unlocked and cars unsecured.  I suspect that they don't worry as much about the background of their guests as I do since my community is 10 times the size of Mt. Barker (with 300,000 residents).  While my neighborhood is pretty safe, incidents do happen and I will work to keep my property safe for me and my guests.  Many of the hosts asking about how to screen guests or looking for "red flags" are attempting to avoid potential problems.

Australia has its problems too (https://www.news.com.au/finance/real-estate/renting/illegal-airbnb-subletting-exposed/news-story/731...).  It seems that over 35% of the listings are posted by people who don't own the property.  Owners have returned to their apartments and/or homes to find unauthorized guests residing there.  There are also reports of many "party houses" around the country (https://www.news.com.au/finance/real-estate/renting/residents-powerless-to-stop-airbnb-party-houses/...).  This is a common issue throughout the world.

I have seen from past posts that you are often optomistic or diplomatic in your views--which is a wonderful disposition--but remember that Airbnb hosts and guests come from a variety of circumstances and we adapt to our environments.  Congratulations on your pleasant area, but remember that we don't all have that opportunity.  Your Airbnb basics might not be suitable for everyone's community.

[Sarah977]

@Priscilla125  I agree with what you say here. I know that the majority of hosts who post here are American, so it's probably not fair to draw any accurate conclusion, but I've noticed that it seems there are a disproportioate number of nightmare guest stories from US hosts.