Would welcome your opinion as fellow hosts.

[Sharon114]

This is a bit long winded but please bear with me and I will explain.

For reasons I won't bother going into I was looking at listings in Manchester and came across a listing that alarmed for a number of reasons.

1.  The host asked potential guests not to contact him through airbnb but should look at his photo gallery for contact details.  The first photograph showed the host holding up a poster giving an e-mail address!  He specifically requested that guests should not contact him in any other way and definitely not through the airbnb site.

2.  The host asked that guests should pay by cash on arrival for a discount. He preferred cash transactions.

3.  The host (being a single male) did not want male guests or couples, only single females although if they had a child with them that was acceptable.

4.  Most of the photographs for the listing showed the host at various locations and he included in his information that he was divorced and single but looking for the right woman in the future.  He also stated that guests were welcome to bring alcohol to his home and share a glass of wine or beer with him - followed by a smiley face.

I might be jumping at all sorts of wrong conclusions but alarm bells just went off when I read all of the above.  The end result was I flagged this listing and it has now been removed.  The last thing I want to do is interfer with other hosts and their listings but this just seem soooo wrong on so many levels.

What do you think?

[Gerry-And-Rashid0]

How many alarm bells - I counted about 7. Flag his profile - it's a scam. Saw something similar for Amsterdam appartment a few months ago

[Sharon114]

The thing is this particular host made a request for his mother to stay with me, together with his young son, a few months ago.  At the time (before 3rd party bookings were not permitted) I pre-approved the request.  He subsequently stayed elsewhere.  He has stayed in various locations through airbnb and actually had a review on his own listing.  He stated on his listing info that he has hosted 8 guest outside of airbnb and they had left written reviews in his guest book (a cheap exercise book) and had a few photos of same.

Sometimes guests have to be protected from themselves, I felt that this was a potentially 'unsafe' situation for women travelling alone.

Thanks for your inport.  I still felt uncomfortable dobbing him in.

[Helen3]

Has his listing been removed from BNB following you reporting it?

I would hate to think this man was still advertising his listing.

[David126]

This so obvious either they guy is a total weirdo, and I know they are out there, or a 'friend' has his account details and is having a laugh.

For some reason I think the later is more likely, would not a creep be slightly less obvious?

Either way it should not be on AirBnB. But I would like a link.

[Sharon114]

The listing has been removed.

[Sharon114]

Yes I checked today and it is gone, thank goodness.

[Victoria57]

@Sharon114 you were absolutely right to be concerned and certainly weren't jumping to the wrong conclusions. As @Gerry-And-Rashid0 said this is a scam, do not book it.

[Sharon114]

Hi Victoria,  Don't worry I wasn't thinking of booking.  My research was for a different reason.  I am a super host myself of some 13 months with 86 bookings.  I am just not the kind of person who takes any kind of pleasure in causing problems for others.  Sometimes, however, common sense tells us that something is wrong.  Thanks for taking the time to respond.

[David126]

Sounds totally legit to me, what is your issue?

Does he list on match.com as well?

[Zandra0]

Lol David. Legit. Not. 😉

[David126]

What was your clue?

At least he is honest.

Perhaps ABB should have a search option for guests and hosts looking to hook up? Hosts with Benefits. Guests with Benefits.

Channel 4 would have loved this...

You have to admit it is both weird and quite funny. Can not help thinking it is a prank, I had friends when I was much much younger who would do something like this. Private Eye on steroids.

[Sharon114]

I take it your comments are in jest?

[Sharon114]

Sorry David, of course you were joking.  I think I have had a temporarly sense of humour bi-pass.  This whole thing has just unsettled me somewhat.

[Zandra0]

Once I was flat hunting and a guy had an ad only for girls, only sleeping in his bed. Really. Shocking.

Very glad you found and reported this one.