Third party bookings/fudging number of guests

[Michelle-and-Ray0]

After 3 3rd party bookings/requests in the last week, I have had to resort to adding the following to my listing in the description:

"***Please note that it is against AirBnB rules to book for another, third party. Therefore, third party bookings will not be accepted and will be canceled.
For your security, 24hr video cameras are at every entrance/exit to the building."
I've added the bit about the security cameras to also discourage fudging on the number of guests and who is actually staying, which also seems to be common lately.
Does anyone else think this issue is on the rise?

[Debbie209]

I have had it happen once about 3 months ago. It was a woman booking for her daughter and daughters boyfriend. I’m pretty new at this and was still figuring out how guests were sending requests even though I had ‘Instant Booking” in place.

She was trying to make  me believe she was a neighbor. Told me she lived across the street. She was not a neighbor. She asked for a discount which I did not give. I accepted request for 3 nights. She, not her daughter arrived at checkin Time & requested the key. I refused to give it to her. I informed her it would only be given to her daughter whose name was used for reservation. In the end her daughter and boy friend were lovely but she tried to interfere in every interaction I had with themI feel I was very lucky and I learned a lesson. I will never allow anyone other than guest staying here make a reservation!

[Matthew285]

@Michelle-and-Ray0, I don't know if the issue of third party booking is on the rise. To me it seems like it has been around and continues to be around as a part of what happens.

I am pretty sure trying to fudge the number of guests became a thing as soon as AirBnB expanded from renting Private Rooms (where the host would always see the number of guests) to Entire Place (where there was a chance the host would not see the number of guests).

As long as their are per-person charges, there will be guest count fudging.

I don't even have a per-person charge, and people STILL undercount the number of guests.

[Marzena4]

@Michelle-and-Ray0 It is noticeable that Airbnb has been on the rise. And attracts a wider range of guests and hosts, also that worse sort of them. First, this trend can easily be observed in locations generally popular with visitors. That's why many cities started limiting hosting - those new regulations are aimed at Airbnb in particular. 

Those booking for someone else or bringing more guests for sure do not respect hosts. They treat them as service providers - it is a sign of Airbnb going global, maybe going too far with that...

[Branka-and-Silvia0]

@Michelle-and-Ray0

yes, we have something similar written in our house rules. I think people wouldn't book for others if the registration process would be quicker and simpler. As it is today it seems it requires few days of verification process and it is pretty frustrating . 

I think many people, and epecially businesses, use Booking.com just because it is much easier and quicker to register.