same day reservation request results in same day cancel--why?

Sammy35
Level 10
Pittsburgh, PA

same day reservation request results in same day cancel--why?

same day reservation request results in same day cancel--why?

because
the new users/guests don't read the listing details
the new user/guests don't consult the cancel policies

they think ABB is a couch surfing website?
they don't understand how airbnb works

they don't read the links or succinct or detailed messages hosts sends (or care what they have to say)

they don't consult help
they don't realize they can't book third parties...and if they do, they will need their guest, guest of booking guest, to create a profile, get ID verified, and be added to the itinerary.

YOU WILL STILL BE RESPONSIBLE, YOU BOTH WILL GET THE REVIEW.  ITS YOUR MONEY, YOUR ID, HIS ID, BOTH YOUR PROFILES WHICH YOU CAN DELETE FOREVER IF YOU LIKE

i told this due all this upfront he still wants to book
ok
then he wants to cancel at 11pm after he's supposed to follow up with me at noon tomorrow to let me know guest account creation and add to itin status

or better yet he wants ME to cancel and send me this screenshot lol

salim.JPG


 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

um, no, this is not a host inability to accommodate guest, this is the guest being lazy or playing dumb, not wanting to be accountable
i said i will bole able to host a valid guest with a proper account, verified id, current contact info, profile details, etc, you as the booking guest and him as your guest
but if you wish to not checkin it doesn't matter, you booked, you payed, you are still responsible for the behavior of your guest even if i never see your face

you can arrive with your guest to check him in with YOUR ID and HIS ID

we'll see at payout time.
omg so tired of dealing with people who don't read then get all huffy lol

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like nikey: just do it
19 Replies 19
Mike-And-Jane0
Level 10
England, United Kingdom

@Sammy35 Just read through your rules. I have to say I am not surprised the guests have trouble as there are so many rules and some don't actually make sense. - Interested in why you demand proper photo ID and yet don't have a profile picture yourself.

i don't know why you're confused.  but no worries, i wasn't asking for rules feedback...you went off topic addressing a non issue couched with "interesting" lol


this was a party attempting to book a third party which is a breach of ToS so i gave him the help links he needed to understand, asked him to have his "guest" create an account, verify his ID, and then that guest could either make the reservation himself OR they could "act" as a party and the booking guest could add the "guest" to the itin

i don't know what you're talking about  i don't "demand" anything.  should a person decide he or she is not comfortable showing ID at checkin coming into my property, he or she should book another listing or if they wish to a hotel who also wants to see ID at check. 

and if they wish to get a copy of my valid gov id state license or passport they are welcome to the same.

and not that its any of your business 😐🤔 🙄 😲 for privacy purposes, the same way the guest gets the photo privacy for diversity and inclusion, i enact that same courtesy for myself with a bit.  i change my profile photo off my bit to my face AFTER a reservation is made and back to my bit once a reservation is completed because nobody needs to see my face either to transact.

this dude was abrasive, local, and was annoyed he couldn't get his way because he didn't read my messages.  OF COURSE HE DOESN'T NEED TO SEE MY FACE BEFORE HE BOOKS and now that he canceled he still can't see it. and neither can you lol

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like nikey: just do it

@Mike-And-Jane0  thank you for reminding me why i don't love the forum all the time though.  the guests i accept are almost never a problem.  i'm not trying to run a hotel here. this is a hobby for extra travel money which i can't do now, i'm super selective and i'm good with that.  wishing people would read is the number one complaints from hosts so i'm not really sure what you're trying to clamp down on.

but i'm not interested in any more input or feedback from you thanks.

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like nikey: just do it

@Sammy35 

he same way the guest gets the photo privacy for diversity and inclusion, i enact that same courtesy for myself with a bit.  i change my profile photo off my bit to my face AFTER a reservation is made and back to my bit once a reservation is completed because nobody needs to see my face either to transact.

 

Brilliant! 👏👏👏👏👏

 

asking for a friend 🙂

 

😂😂😂😂😂

@Ian-And-Anne-Marie0   thanks.  i feel the love.  no one needs to see my face.  its a nice normal RBF lol ( i have like 100 travel location photos loaded and 10 face photos back when they could all be viewed) but friendly when speaking lol.  especially people trying to book locally now.  its getting insane.  

bit looks exactly like me, hair, clothes, glasses, headphones all the way up to my gogo origs doc's (marten boots) 🇮🇴 🇺🇦.  last two PIT locals were flakes.  whole place 5 days no show no call no text no message nothing.  the day after checkout she wants a refund?  what?  AWOL?  one guy down the street owns a pizza shop needs to rent a place for his 50 year old employee?   sure thing, have him create an account, do all the profile stuffs (ID, selfie, phone email--all that stuff i need later to speak with him) and do the booking himself or add him as a guest, here is the add guest to itin link. 

don't want to go to all that trouble 6 hours later.  np.  my time is valuable.  and expensive.  my space is not unless you don't show up or cancel.

my history here is almost 10 years.  my footprint is like 70-80 reviews.  people can read and know what they are getting.  i see a old user with no reviews (flag) or a new user (clueless) "i need a room for 4 days" wait what?  i beg your pardon?

(asking for a friend is my favorite not so subliminal message 😃🤣 )

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like nikey: just do it
Mark116
Level 10
Jersey City, NJ

@Sammy35  We've always had the 1 day's notice in place, and until about 3 weeks ago there was never any issue, then all of a sudden we started getting requests for the next day, so we got a request at like 10pm for the following day?  Huh?  I would have thought that was impossible since it is less than 24 hours so shouldn't have gone through the system.  We ended up making it 48 hours prep time/notice so we don't have to deal with someone at 11pm on Thursday wanting to check in Friday afternoon.

@Mark116 thank you for sharing your experience.  yeah, you would think, huh?  i wonder if all the layoffs and "furlows" meant the tech/dev team too.  seems like system business rules and functionality glitches are really bad these days.  i've seen it all over the forum and myself on both the app and web.  what time is your checkin.  10pm for next day checkin say idk 2-4pm or later, yeah, thats mos DEF not 24 hours.  its barely 12.  i have to wonder if ABB intentionally reconfigured the functionality to trump the business rules (settings) so as to push reqs through filters that shouldn't to try to recoup losses?  your thoughts?

do you think its a business day not 24 hour running clock like a car rental?   

last minutes are a hassle.  needy.  high maintenance.  and usually new users and unfortunately clueless but sometimes there are really good gold nuggets.  people with a good solid brain and cognition outlie the process and are easy to book. 

they have also been some of my best guests ESP cause i turn away 90% of requests which killed, kills and will continue to kill my search ranking and i'm fine with that.  i'm a casual host, this income is extra outrageously expensive concert and travel discretionary money--which i can't do right now anyway. 

rank changed a teeny bit when pricing became more of a priority than location i'm RIGHT on the downtown border BUT on the trolley line, its more convenient to get downtown from my listing that from most in city neighborhoods.

covid has thrown people off the ledge and i feel bad for them truly.  i wanted to be able to help out people displaced from this awful mess the orange clown in office created nearly single handedly, but its getting too tedious.

i'm trying to stay sane, productive, and professional and am losing my patience for local last minuters.

i think i'm due for some setting and pricing changes again.

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like nikey: just do it

@Mark116 

 

well from a technology perspective i have some systems admin exp, nothing should filter through 1 day notice whether its  calendar or a 24 hour clock for SHIZZLE

 

ive been having families w young kids and babies (im a childfree adult my place isnt safekids.org proof) slipping through the filter cracks too, thats another hard rule "switch" set that should block a request.  3 have come in about a month and more since covid

 

nobody is debugging the system

 

im gonna fix the private room shared space listing w a 25% price increase thats gonna partly solve the locals issue

 

and i might be ready to start requiring advance notice real soon.  didnt mind them pre covid for last min out of town-er--im apt to leave work fri in PIT jump in the car in be back in NYC LES in 6 or BK in 7 hours so i honor the same kind of traveler

 

local emergencies not so much

 

100% city listing are not faring well here right now likely everywhere

 

did i see jersey city?  are you right there?  i lived in philly always going "down the shore" lol and weehawken so i was up the hill from you lol at one point

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like nikey: just do it
Mark116
Level 10
Jersey City, NJ

@Sammy35  Our check in is listed as flexible, which might have been the reason, but its weird that not one single guest in 4 years ever tried to book for basically the next day and then all of a sudden it happens 3 times in 2 days.  It may be that the type of travelers have changed, locals making a last minute trip, or it may be that its one of the many new glitches in the system.  

 

I honestly can't imagine how hosts who were relying on the Airbnb money are making it, especially in cities, where it doesn't seem as though the traffic has really picked up much, at least compared to rural/vacation get away areas.  

Debra300
Level 10
Gros Islet, Saint Lucia

@Mark116,

I really think booking activity has a lot to do with the specific metropolitan area.  In Atlanta metro most things are open to at least 50% capacity: restaurants, museums, theme parks, beaches, movies, etc., and there is no visitor quarantine requirement.

 

Many of our bookings have been short notice, and from locals.  These guests usually have been young adult couples looking to have a weekend get away home.  I read another of your posts about the last guest you had, and her unauthorized guests disgusting acts, and I understand how disheartening it must be to offer such a nice place only for people to treat it like they were in a trailer park (sorry, if I offend any hosts offering trailers).  I can't remember if you've already said before that you do this, but I do recommend that you look into listing on other platforms.  Try the ones where you can control the damages deposit.  

Sammy35
Level 10
Pittsburgh, PA

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like nikey: just do it
Sammy35
Level 10
Pittsburgh, PA

i work (way too) hard to ensure the guest understands my booking and hosting practices including reservation requirements, age, ID,  contacts, backup contacts, responsiveness, checkin, booking guest accountability and guests of guests, shower uppers at my door, excessive luggage unapproved, checkin time parameters and courtesy notifications including change REQUESTS not obligations, behavior, cleanliness, personal hygiene (i've had only 2 stinkers and its unacceptable).in home stay time, and potential problem solving (issues rarely arrive cause i'm a cherry picker)

private room shared space isn't a private vacation chill out loung in ibiza, i work from home, if you're visiting, you're visiting--maybe grabbing a leisurely coffee and comp breakie snack in the am, 10 minute show show especially if there are two of you and not hogging up the loo before or after you java, out during the majority of the day (sightseeing, closing deals, working, looking for an apt, visiting friends who don't have space, going to class etc) back in the evening to relax and sleep, shower and bed, up again doing about the same,  the no footprint guest.
confirm needs/amenities, reason for stay, guest count, guest age, ID...
i send booking help links to new/no review users
ask them to read listing details and house rules
have them reconfirm all booking criteria
reiterate house rules "are you (guest) sure you read XYZ"

if a guest wants a different kind of host, there are plenty of us out there, i'll even send you (guest) some referrals and recommendations no grudge and all well wishes

but if i go to the trouble and go through all that, and you cancel on me on same day booking day before or after checkin $200+or just no show for 5 days (private home $500+), its HIGHLY unlike your getting a refund...my doc trail usually wins disputes.  that's what i do for a living.  after all that service related effort--here i'm super informal--but my booking and inquiry message threads are VERY VERY professional amiable and service oriented.  i don't feel bad keeping your money when you waste my time....i just don't and i won't apologize or negotiate.  airbnb has always supported me with this.  its called you (guest) being accountable where choosing behavior you chose the consequences--and me maintaining boundaries, especially when you step in my lane.  if i give you money, i teach you to not be responsible.  that's called enabling.  that's why i didn't have and never wanted kids

$800.  thank you.  now back to our regularly schedule programming...my pending transactions are not payouts.

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like nikey: just do it
Robin4
Level 10
Mount Barker, Australia

@Sammy35 

I understand you do need to spell out to guests relevant information about your listing and what is expected of them....but there is a limit to what guests will read and absorb. Every host will tell you that guests don't read house rules, and this is just human nature! They have liked your location and photos and just want to pull out the credit card and book. They are never going to wade through a 'Funk and Wagnells' of do's and don'ts!

 

I had a full head of hair when I started reading your description.....I am bloody bald now!! 

 

You do need to simplify your description and house rules or this is going to keep on happening to you. You do not need to show the COVID-19 required cleaning regime to the last full stop. All you need to say is...... "Cleaning process conforms to required Airbnb and local government mandated standards". Don't complicate things!

 

Sammy guests do have a short attention span and you need to get your relevant points across as succinctly as possible. If you expect them to read that lot of yours in less than 2 minutes, you are dreaming, you have lost them or they will just skim them and overlook something that to you is important. Keep to something like this.......

 

Please be aware of our house rules.

* No parties!

* No undeclared or unregistered guests. Liability insurance issues!

* No pets unless personally authorized!

* No third party bookings!

* Note our 'Moderate' cancellation policy.....        https://www.airbnb.com.au/home/updated_cancellation_policies

* Verified ID on entry (same as a hotel) 

* Leave property clean and tidy!

* Please contact if you are unsure or require further information

 

You can get your point across without manifesting the New Testament!

 

One last thing, I use my avatar as my profile photo. I also use it as a full size photo in my listing description. My guests tell me the inclusion of that photo gives them a sense of confidence, to actually see who they will be dealing with gives them more of a feeling they are making the right decision. It carries a lot more weight than a pot plant by the front door or the dog in the back yard....to look the host in the eye makes the decision more personal!

 

I am not trying to be abusive here Sammy, your guests love you and you have the makings of a great host, I am trying to be constructive. I hope you can see that!

 

Cheers.......Rob

 

 

@Sammy35 , I think @Robin4  hit the nail on the head quite aptly. It's no wonder why you're having trouble with guests not reading your stuff. Your 'during your stay' alone is a short story, listing description is a novel and house rules are an EPIC. Make them over to be short and sweet. You might also include a simple pre booking requirement in your house rules. If the guest delivers it when they go to book, you know they've read the rules. But again, short and sweet is the key or there is zero chance they will read anything.