Why does Airbnb block my calendar when a guest is having payment issues?

[Mikki0]

This is most annoying.

When a guest is attempting to book, why does their lack of fiscal responsibility and soundness result in my calendar being blocked? No one holds my tickets, shopping cart, seat etc., when I buy something online with a credit card that doesn't work. Why should my calendar be blocked for 24 hours while they straighten out their mess? 

There should be a line in the reservation request informing hosts of this before we agree to accept the request. 

"You just got a request for <dates in the future>. YOUR GUEST'S PAYMENT INFORMATION HAS NOT BEEN VERIFIED. Accept if you can host, or decline if these dates don’t work for you."

[Emiel1]

@Mikki0 

The HELP says there seems a way for hosts to not allow it, but i do not understand it, even when i look at the Dutch translation  :>(

"Hosts replying on web will have the option to give guests a 24-hour window or not. If the host would prefer not to allow a 24-hour window, the request will be canceled penalty-free for both host and guest."

Quoted from:

https://www.airbnb.com/help/article/2411/

[Monique241]

@Emiel1 yes it is true, you can decline the booking without payment by using web version. I hope this option still available.

[Mikki0]

When I logged on to the web version I did see that his payment was still pending, but I had already accepted the booking, so I don't know if that message was there before. So now I'm annoyed that I have to use the web version to know if guests have payment issues. 😉

[Laura2512]

I lost an 11 day renter because of this.  I will definitely be more careful when I accept a booking.  "Accept if you can host, or decline if these dates don’t work for you."  What if the dates work for me and I can host but I don't want my calendar blocked by someone who hasn't paid?