Should I Report this Guest?

Zappa0
Level 10
Key West, FL

Should I Report this Guest?

Hi everyone-

I had a guest request to stay with 3 pretty terrible (and lengthy) reviews, so I declined. She wrote back asking if she could stay on one of the other boats I rent and I told her I felt uncomfortable hosting her because of the reviews. She thanked me for the quick response, and moved on...so I thought.

 

A few minutes later, we received a second request from her boyfriend/husband who was traveling with her. He made no mention of the previous issue and tried to pretend like he was a totally different booking. We called him out on it, and declined him too.

 

He wrote back saying that it is disappointing that we will not host them based on a few bad reviews.

Well, isn't that the point of this trust system? 

 

And proceeded to tell me about the Ivy league university he went to as if that somehow makes him a good person.

 

I flagged both of them and blocked them - but what does that do?

 

I think it is really deceptive to get declined under one profile and then send another request under another. Should I report them to airbnb (by calling) or just flagging them suffice (it didn't let me put why I was flagging them).

 

Thanks for your advice.

24 Replies 24
Anna871
Level 2
London, United Kingdom

Thank you  @Andrea9! Found it. 

 

Carol138
Level 2
Isle of Man

Yes, definitely flag them.  I am concerned that my last guests damaged my property, prompting me to write my first ever negative review - it's been amicably resolved with the damages covered, so all is well.  However, they truly were terrible guests and I felt future hosts should be aware.  The (although negative, but reasonable) review I left has not been published on this guests site.  It leads me to wonder if Airbnb have their hosts best interests at heart.  If I had read of any similar experiences from previous hosts about this party I would have been best warned not to house them.  I can only assume because the guests made reparation, Airbnb wiped my comments of our bad experience from their profile page.  It was good to recieve partial compensation, however I would never wish to host them again and do feel other hosts should be allowed to know the state these guys left the rental in. 

Ai, yi, yi - I take it all back, sorry - Airbnb have just published the aforemention review (blushing, and creeping quietly out of the forum)!  

I just had a very rude guest.  They checked in late and then disapeared at 9.30 in the morning on check out day, not returning until 15.45.  They knew I had an overseas guest arriving at 11.30.

 

How do I change my settings so I have to approve guests?

I am not sure how you resolved this but my first call would be to customer service. They will reach out to the guests. At checkout time the room is no longer theirs. 

Zappa0
Level 10
Key West, FL

Thanks everyone for the tips. I have flagged and blocked them. Tried calling Airbnb but "her shift was ending."  Hopefully the flagging helps.

I want to encourage all of you to do what her other reviewers did: Write honest reviews. I know we worry about hurting people's feelings, but the more we demand guests behave better the more it will shape this platform the way we want it. It was other hosts' reviews that helped me avoid a headache (or worse). Can't thank them enough!

Tony134
Level 10
Sarasota, FL

This guest got 3 bad reviews?  Honestly, you shouldn't feel bad at all.

 

I've never even seen a guest profile with 2 bad reviews.  Usually all it takes is one actual bad one, and that's it, even low cost hosts click 'Decline.'  Which is perfect, I think.  Over time, if a guest has reviews on AirBnB, you just know you have a hugely better probability of them taking care of your home.  

 

Bad review, especially on one of the first stays?  You know they don't appreciate the general offer at all.  Airbnb is a good deal for travelers and hosts that take care of each other, and will be fine without the travelers and hosts that don't.

Deborah12
Level 2
Twickenham, United Kingdom

I've just reported a 'would be' guests just from our conversation, I declined the booking in the end.

They have not done anything wrong exactly, other than asking for contact outside of Airbnb, but the conversation made me suspicious.

 

I'm not sure if I should have reported them, as I was only suspicious and have no evidence; but I thought that if other hosts have also flagged up this person then a pattern might be emering that ABB can act upon.

 

Would you have hosted this guest? :-

 

1. No personal profile photo,  just a picture of a bunch of flowers

 

2. No guest reviews, but there is one review as a host, somewhere where they're not currently living.

 

3. Nice long & lucrative booking, already discounted for long stay, but they wanted a bigger discount.

 

4. Suddenly dissappeared when no further discount offered, but I'd explained long stay discount already factored in. Booking was for 2 days time from messaging, but no response back.

 

5. Messaged them asking if they could let me know if they still want the space held for them as another guest interested in 2 weeks time.

 

6. Got a message back (only after the prompt) saying her husband had booked something else, but  she would 'be in touch if we need to move out of where we are due to stay'.

 

7. Get a message to call her urgently on the day she supposedly moved in to the booked home (phone number hidden by ABB obvs), another message with her (hidden) number, and then a third all in quick succession. I just  KNEW (in advance) that she would be contacting me 'last minute' saying not happy at the other place.

 

8. I have read on here about money not going through ABB in time for last minute bookings so always require a lead in time of 2 days.

 

9. Told her I have accepted the other booking, and can't get to the property today anyway.

 

All throughtout she was very polite and asked all the right questions about the property, so may have been genuine, but too many niggles in my mind. What would you have done?

 

Will the lady know I flagged her up? I haven't blocked her for that reason, I don't want her to know.  She knows the exact location of my property.

 

Any opinions appreciated  🙂 

 

John1080
Level 10
Westcliffe, CO

@Deborah12 I think you did the right thing going with your gut, as there are way too many flags here.

 

If it had been maybe just the photo or just the lack of reviews fine. But, this in conjunction with the lack of good communication as well as asking for a greater discount would probably make them nightmare guests.  

Deborah12
Level 2
Twickenham, United Kingdom

Thank you @John0.

Yes, maybe just troublesome guests rather than actual scammers. 

I feel sorry for the hosts that have them currently - if indeed that's even a reality.