Was it the right gut feeling?

[Andrea2064]

Hey Everyone 🙂 I'm new to hosting and I had this request which isn't feeling so good.

So i received a booking and then yesterday the person who booked cancelled and messaged me a few minutes later, saying that he deleted his Account which was by a name Tony and now made another account with his real name. It felt weird, and I the initial feeling didnt feel good knowing that I rent a room while i live here. I decided to be honest and tell him its weird and also checked if he was veried and had any reviews, but he only had his email and phone number verified, and no reviews cause obviously he had just opened his account. He messaged back saying its not weird and he did that cause he was renting a room without his owner knowing so he needed to change his name - which some people do? I appologized to him for saying it felt weird and he was like 'its you who lost a rental you're not the only one on airbnb'  😕 don't think he had to take it in that wrong way no ? Can you please provide me with your hosting wisdom of gut feelings? Please 🙂 

* I just checked now, and he has his Gov ID verified as well 😕 so I guess it is a thing that people do fake profiles to rent out their place they're renting? Now I feel stupid 😕

[Branka-and-Silvia0]

@Andrea2064

it is not just "a gut feeling" , it's the common sense.  This one is illegal and breaking his lease contract and he was rude to you.

And what if his landloard disover his tenant is subleting his aparment illegaly? He would throw both of you out.

Find another host.

[Andrea2064]

Thanks so much! I feel less bad now 🙂 

[Barry-and-Lera0]

@Andrea2064: I wouldn't worry about it. Always go with your gut especially if you feel uneasy with a guest. You didn't cancel on him so no harm to your hosting status.

[Laura1355]

I dont think it is weird at all to be uncomfortable with a guest having a potentially fake profile. This platform is based on trust.  If either a host or guest has a fake profile, then safety and trust go out the window as their identity is not truthful.  I would not hesitate to decline a reservation request from someone with a fake profile or even a real one with no reviews. Safety comes before anything else.