Airbnb should, Stop Hosting Incognito Traveller’s ****

[Cormac0]

Hi Folks

What does profile mean, according to the Collins dictionary "An outline of something, especially a person's FACE as seen from one side, (amongst other things).

In the context of Airbnb, it should only be a face, there is so many inconsistences in Airbnb approach, on one hand one is not allowed to have third party booking but on the other hand one can have a profile picture of a butterfly etc., from a Host point of view one does not know who's going to turn up,

 A mountain or a mole hill.

Stamp out **bleep** now

@LizzieAdmin I hope you don't find my acronym offensive.

Regards

Cormac

The Explorer’s Club Krakow III

The Explorer’s Club Krakow VIII

[Lizzie]

Hello @Cormac0,

Thanks for mentioning me in this, I am afraid as clever as this is, I have removed your acronym here. 🙂

It is great you are using Host Voice and sharing your thoughts on profile photos and verification, I thought it would be interesting to open your topic matter here up to more of a discussion and so I hope you don't mind, I have moved it to the Host board so we can continue this. This way any particular ideas that you think may help to improve this area may be fostered here and then added as an idea to Host Voice. 

Along a similar line to your post here, in Host Voice is a Featured idea called, 'Name on profile must match ID', this has now been reviewed by the Airbnb Product Team and they have responded. If you haven't seen this already I would recommend taking a look as it provide more information on this area. 

Thanks,

Lizzie

[Annie147]

HI Lizzie:

It's just not enough.

We need for all the adult guests to be verified so my neighbors, and myself are safe and happy when renting out to people we don't know and thus lowering significantly the amount of noise and undesired people in our homes and for my city officials to keep on allowing Airbnb to be allowed in "zoned for residential use only" areas in Miami, Florida.

If you don't want to take these suggested steps into consideration Airbnb will potentially loose all rentals in the Dade, Broward & Monroe Counties in the state of Florida that are zoned for residential use only.

Quite frankly I don't see Airbnb has another option to fix things down here other than this proposal. It would keep legislators, mayors and other city officials off your back so your hosts and guests in that area can continue doing business as usual, and you can continue to collect and collect and collect more money.

Thank you 

Annie

[Helen3]

Hi @Annie147

The simple fact is it's unrealistic to expect an accommodation listing service  to 'verify' individual guests within a booking. 

I don't know any listing service that does this or hotel accommodation.

I presume you don't use IB but consider each request to make sure you  are comfortable with each booking and  also make sure your guest has a full profile and photo ID?

There is nothing to stop you doing your own checks. Why not say in your house rules that you expect each adult guest to provide photo ID on check  in. We are running a business so it is up to all of us to put in place whatever (legal)  additional verification processes make us comfortable. Hosts operating in countries in Europe and Asia whose government's require this already do this. So why not you?

If your local government is asking for this it's up to local hosts in the area to check IDs, just as it's up to individuals in Holland, India etc.

But you know just because someone has verified ID doesn't mean they won't be noisy or behave badly.

[Annie147]

Hi Helen:

I totally get that. However; there is a connotation of some sort of responsibility when a person knows he or she has been screened for something. Bottom line they don't know what consequences; if any, will they have; but it simply makes ALL the guests in the booking a bit more thoughtful, considerate & most important the verification process makes them know they are accountable to an extent; even if it were only with negative feedback. Wouldn't you be more thoughful & considerate if you knew you were accountable? 

European people in general have a great sense of community and respect to others as well as a very keen sense of environmental 

consciousness which aids in improving this process (I wish everyone was like that by the way); however, and sad to say; many people in the US most of the time complain "because they want an edge" or simply to get the most out of a booking; whether it be by more people in the booking, a discount for more days, toiletries that others offer and most of all things that you can't even offer like a pool (in my case). For the people in Central and South America there's the issue of heavily devalued money and therefore expect to squeeze the very inch out of the booking; whether by taking all the toilet paper rolls, the towels, sealed packages of whatever they can find or by asking you to include 2 more people for the same price when you clearly list that the apartment is only for up to 8 people.

I know and understand that verifying is not done in any hotel; but by the same token our properties are not offered as hotels. They are mostly offered to enjoy experiences with locals and to get a decent place to sleep without the perks and amenities of a hotel, thus a less expensive price. The minute we start to compare ourselves to certified hoteliers or hotels we will be putting a rope around our necks.

Nothing in this community is set in black and white but I see that Airbnb particulary is more "pro guest" than "pro guest and host".

They need our places to advertise and collect their fees but do little to protect the host at all, which is why my complaint started to begin with.

I do have instant booking and now I find it to be somewhat dangerous even if my apartment is in one of the best parts of town. With this option there's not enough time to screen, but if a verification were already in place, I could have the peace of mind that I was prepared for the worse and hoping for the best scenario with any guest.

Thanks so much for your contribution; I truly appreciate it and see its importance. I have learned a great deal just by reading HOst Voice.

God Bless and have a beautiful evening!

Annie

[Paul229]

The picture they post tells much about the person.  When I get a group shot of a bunch of guys with beer in one hand and the other flashing a hand sign; I know that my house isn't best suited for them.  

Someone who doesn't have the commonsense to add a proper photo and uses a butterfly spells space-case.  

I recently had a photo of a pregnant belly. Beautiful for the family album but not appropriate way to introduce oneself.

So for me, I appreciate seeing the choices people use for their profile because it gives me a better insight to whom may be checking-in or not.