Airbnb not providing renter's email address to owner/manager after confirmed and paid booking.

[Judith1050]

Airbnb not providing renter's email address to owner/manager after confirmed and paid booking.   Given we are opening our condos/homes to renters who are basically strangers through Airbnb and the limited information we receive, is anyone else frustrated that the website tries to conceal the phone number of the renter and does not provide the direct email address to gather more information or just communicate directly.

[Shelley159]

Hi @Judith1050 

You can find a contact number for the guest below the "message" button of the booking (in the US these are now temporary numbers that work like the guest's real phone number).

However, unless there's a good reason to go off platform, it's best to keep your messages inside the app. If you end up needing help from Airbnb Support or Aircover, they will access the message thread inside the app to look at your case.

[Bob297]

@Judith1050 
Maybe I misunderstood, but in your reservation details, you'll find the telephone number in small print

[Judith1050]

Hey @Bob297 :     I actually referenced the phone number inclusion but that it is very light and tiny print in an apparent attempt to keep that information obscure.    I fear that Airbnb will not include the phone number in future.     Judith

[Shelley159]

@Judith1050 yes they will not show the real number in future. It seems the plan is to use a temporary phone number instead of the actual number. It's already that way in parts of the US. Here Airbnb explains why:

https://www.airbnb.co.za/help/article/3764

[Lorna170]

@Judith1050   AirBnB has worked really hard at masking information that hosts require.

In my booking response message to my new guest, I nicely inform them that they will need to provide me with their email address as AirBnB will not.  I also ask for the telephone number that they will have access to while travelling, i.e., a good cell phone number, as the one on their profile is not always correct.

Most guests will happily provide that information -- and those that don't or won't usually cancel (which is a great way to vet these unknowns).

[Judith1050]

@Lorna170 , that's very interesting and I thank you for your response.    I have 2 new bookings through Airbnb (I usually book through VRBO) and with both of them, while their phone numbers are there in tiny and very light print, I cannot, cannot get their email address out of Airbnb even though the guests are confirmed and paid.   

And more interesting, at least to me, I sent each new booking requests through Airbnb for their direct email addresses so I could send them information as well as gather flight arrival times, names and addresses, etc.   NEITHER of these confirmed guests received my query through the website.   And to each of them, I send probably 3 requests through the site.   

Getting desperate given my next guest arrives in 4 days and I have no information, I sent a text to the phone number.    That guest replied that she had never received my messages through Airbnb which means they're scrubbing the emails of any personal addresses, confirmed phone numbers, etc.     Since i have not received responses from my 2nd  pending guest, I assume Airbnb is doing it with his emails to him as well.   All of this I discovered only earlier this afternoon.

we are opening our condos/homes to people we don't know and without any information except a name and (hopefully) a phone number - again difficult to see on the paperwork,   I want some assurances that these are quality renters and I want to establish a communication between me and them -- easy and friendly but I would feel better knowing them a little and them knowing me.    They're also taking a chance.    

I realize I can send these information packets through Airbnb but I prefer a more personal connection.    I've been renting for 23 years, first in a large home on the waterfront and now, a smaller unit in a lovely community and thankfully,  98% of my guests have been exceptional and are now returning guests    I also send them my own simple contract with a few rules, cancellation options and not one has ever objected.   These contracts also help me stay organized. 

Any thoughts?

Judith

[Judith1050]

Am I wrong in  that if the potential guest responds with their phone number and address in the note that Airbnb will strip it out?     

[Frances3408]

@Judith1050. On rare occasions the mobile in the profile is either out of date or is an overseas one I wont use (no good in an emergency) so I always ask guest to check. Yes, they can change it again but in my case that just means they arent going to get access to the property and they will be ringing me standing outside unable to enter. That hasnt happened yet.

I find Airbnb messages easy to use and I am an over communicator 😉

[Frances3408]

@Judith1050. Yes its a pity Airbnb took this away from booking info but that doesnt stop you asking the guest directly. I'd suggest a text straight after booking confirmed; if they dont reply then call them. Its also a good way to check the mobile provided is correct as well. Then you can put all this in Airbnb messages so its on record.

I too find it convenient that VRBO still provides this info to hosts 😉

[Judith1050]

Hi @Frances3408 :   I don't know if it's rather new to Airbnb that they strip out the email address and only provide an obscure phone number (possibly hoping we owners/managers will miss it) and until yesterday, I did not think to text the confirmed guest using the phone number provided.   I fear that they will remove the phone number in future but can they legally?

I have always had better luck with VRBO although  I sometimes use Airbnb in my travels as a guest internationally.   However, I have been fooled occasionally and want to communicate with the owner/manager before I arrive as a guest myself.    

Judith