my host has no profile photo and no profile

Lila284
Level 2
Santa Cruz, CA

my host has no profile photo and no profile

My host has no profile photo and no profile, although Airbnb apparently verified him.  I thought hosts had to have photos, so I don't know why he doesn't.   Also the booking is a very low rate for others in the area.  Should I be suspicious?

2 Replies 2
Brian2036
Level 10
Arkansas, United States

@Lila284 

 

Maybe.

 

It might just be a new host.

 

You could send an inquiry and ask why there’s no photo or profile and if they don’t respond or the answers don’t make sense flag the message for Airbnb to investigate.

Sarah977
Level 10
Sayulita, Mexico

  There are tons of guests who don't have profile photos either. Or guests and hosts who have a picture of a sunset, or a kitten. Some may not want to post a face photo because of possible discrimination. But I like to see a real photo of a guest and I totally understand guests wanting that of the host. Tell him you would feel more comfortable if he filled out his profile and photo. 

I started hosting in 2016, and while I have a real photo, I never did any profile write-up, only because I don't like talking about myself, and I never uploaded verified ID.  I thought to go back and do a little profile write up, but by now I have 50 5* reviews, and my guests have written really informative reviews, which also say something about me, as I home-share, so I figured it really didn't matter anymore.

 

Your host may just be new and clueless, and offering a low price to attract bookings, but if he's communicating well with you, it's probably fine. Being suspicious if you haven't even exchanged any messages with him is kind of pointless. And why did you book there in the first place if it was suspiciously cheap and he had no photo and no profile? 

 

 

@Lila284