"Verifications" don't mean squat. Literally worthless.

[Amy-and-Brian0]

So after several back and forths with the support team, I finally got an answer to why people are able to instant book with 0 or even 1 "Verification"when my settings require at least 2.

Here it is:

" I just got word back from my team, and it looks like it is not a glitch in the system. The confusion here is, the instant book basic requirements is just confirming the information is added to the profile, not actually verified. The difference here is that if an email is verified, it gets added to Public profile, but it's not necessarily the requirement for instant booking.

The Airbnb standard requirements are what is essentially created when you originally sign up for Airbnb and book a listing."

The bottom line:

Guests don't have to verify ANYTHING to book your place. NOTHING.

Yeah.

[Helen3]

Well that's not actually true,. if you set your listing up as requiring photo iD they have to provide some sort of photo ID such as a passport or driving license.

[Amy-and-Brian0]

True. 

I'm talking about:

"Airbnb standard requirements

Confirmed phone number, email address, payment information, and agreement to House Rules."

The email and phone are meaningless and NOT confirmed. The only thing that matters is the payment, which could be a pre-paid card and everything else could be junk.

You *can* set your verifications to a higher setting than the "Recommended" ones.

But then expect a lot less bookings.

[Susan151]

---

@Amy-and-Brian0 wrote:

True. 

You *can* set your verifications to a higher setting than the "Recommended" ones.

But then expect a lot less bookings.

---

I am booked about 93% [with about 95% of dates available] of the time and require a Government ID, so "expect a lot less bookings" might not be true in every market.

[Amy-and-Brian0]

@Susan151 - totally agree that it might not effect all equally.

We're also 90%+ booked, however we get a lot of first time users who go to Disney with family looking for alternatives to on-property hotels. If we restricted our bookings to must have government ID or took off instant booking, it would almost certainly inhibit bookings.

I think the thing that cheeses me the most is that the expectation (based on their own wording) is that AirBnB will at the very least ask for users to click a link to verify an email and add a text confirmation to verify a phone. But they don't even do that. All they care about is if someone can make a payment. Period.

AirBnB should being doing at least the bare minimum to protect hosts who use their suggested settings. But they aren't.

[Helen3]

My experience is that I get all the bookings I want @Amy-and-Brian0 and I always ask for a clear photo of the guest and verified photo ID.

It doesn't appear to be the barrier to bookings that you think it is and I live in a city with a high number of Airbnbs which are compeitors.

[Branka-and-Silvia0]

@Amy-and-Brian0

Verify all your guests at arrival by yourself, this is the ONLY way you will know whom you gave access to your property.  If you don't do that then it is the same as you picked up anyone from the street and gave him a key.  Remember - if your guest robe you, assault you or else - police can't help you if you don't know your guest's identity.

[Amy-and-Brian0]

We don't have that ability. Our condo is "self-serve" check in.

I guess the point I'm trying to make is:

If you think the basic and recommended "Verifications" mean something. They don't.

If you want to require a government ID, great! But don't expect many bookings. 

(We have 20+ reservations upcoming and only one guest has a government ID on file)

[Emilia42]

@Amy-and-Brian0 

You are right. Verifications mean nothing at all. I have never thought that they did. Allowing anyone onto your property is a gamble. Whether they are verified or not; whether you personally know them or not. My best guests have not had many verifications. My worst guests have. The guests initial booking message will tell me far more about the guest then any verification or profile picture would.

[Emilia42]

-

[Branka-and-Silvia0]

@Amy-and-Brian0

yes, Airbnb verification is not useful to you. Even if they are verified by Airbnb and Airbnb has all their personal information- they will not give it to you in case something happened. They will only give it to police if police request it. 

So, if you have self-check-in and don't meet your guests personally then at least ask them to send you a photo of their IDs before you give them your lock code. But you have to put it in your hause rules .

[Kelly149]

@Amy-and-Brian0 you can get guest info (including their ID) after the reservation is made, prior to arrival. This is what I do

[Amy-and-Brian0]

@Kelly149 - well...only if they give it to you. You can ask but they don't have to respond at all. And if they don't, your only recourse is to cancel them and take the penalty/dates being taken off your calendar.

[Kelly149]

@Amy-and-Brian0 Not in my experience. 

The ID requirement should be listed in your rules clearly. Then if they refuse after making an IB then you are now “uncomfortable” and they are breaking your house rules. This allows CS to cancel them. You don’t get any money (regardless of cancellation policy) but the dates are free and you aren’t penalized. 

[Barry-and-Lera0]

@Amy-and-Brian0: We don't use Instant Book so we can verify and confirm each booking request.