BEWARE OF INSTANT BOOKINGS BY GUESTS FOR NEXT DAY

[Jeff69]

I have had to turn OFF instant booking recently because of a serier of similar incidents.  Over the past couple of weeks, I have had 2 next day instant bookings, "to visit family in town", which I did not think much about, until the second guest arrived.  He was verified through Airbnb and lived in Santa Maria California with a CA phone number.  

Yet, he had no luggage, he was in a black Escalade with totally blacked out windows, and FL plates - so you could not see the other guests, and rental companies don't provide cars like that.  I told him, the dryer was broken and I would have a service person look at it, and I would text him the wifi password.  He proceeded to give me a local phone number.  When I questioned him about the phone number, he said he used to live here, which is why he is returning to visit friends.  

While in my car, texting him the password, the back door of the Escalade opened, then immediately closed, and they remained in the car for (no exaggeration ) 10 minutes while I sat in my car watching them, after which they drove off without exiting the car.  My front door is a key pad door lock which registers each time the door opens and closes.  That evening, feeling very uncomfortable with the guests,  at 11:00pm I checked my computer app for the door history, and the door opened 77 times between 2pm and 11pm.  Absolutely, unusual for guests coming to town to visit family and friends.  

Next day, I made the excuse that I needed to see the dryer, and there were 2 different cars in the driveway.  I texted the guest, and he said NO NEED, I WON'T BE USING THE DRYER".  I told him I was just down the street, and no problem if he was not home, I had a key. I politely knocked, and heard shuffling in the house, and after knocking 2x and then getting ready to open the door, a different man answered the door, while another closed the bedroom door and another closed himself in the bathroom.  Total count - 4 men.  

So I decided to ask where was the host - JOHNNY... (who's name on Airbnb was different).  One guy said he was showering in the bathroom, never asking "who is Johnny".   

MY REAL CONCERN IS THAT PEOPLE ARE USING AIRBNB AND OTHER VACATION RENTAL SITES TO RENT HOUSES FOR ILLEGAL ACTIVITIES.  Since yesterday - I have had 3 more "NEXT DAY" requests to book, and in researching the guest further, found out they have local phone numbers or IDENTICAL phone numbers.   

I reported this activity to Airbnb, who I am sure will take measures, but I think the HOST COMMUNITY needs to be aware that criminals are wising up and using alias' to rent properties for short periods of time and running illegal activities out of the house.

BE CAREFUL - BE SMART - BE SAFE.  

Jeff - Tampa Florida USA

[Matthew285]

@Jeff69 I think you are giving out great information.

Hosts should feel free to contact support any time they are uncomfortable with a potential guest if they are on IB. It is sort of the deal you make with Airbnb when you activate Instant Book.

I would think especially they would be sympathetic to you requesting cancellation of last-minute/local guests, since you have had bad experiences with them.

What does the host get during the 24-hour grace period that they don't get *after* the 24 hours is over?

[Amy38]

@Matthew285 @Jeff69

The 24 hours lets you cancel without penalty if you choose option "guest makes me uncomfortable"...You can use that t least up to 3 times a year without getting dinged.

And I believe you have other penalty free reasons in addition such as a flood or extenuating circumstance popping up at your house.

I could be wrong, of course.

[Ann10]

I have found just requiring an ID deters unsavory people.

[David126]

@Ann10

I think checking ID is the way forward.

[Ann10]

@David126- You don't have to contact anyone. I put it in the 1st paragraph of my listing. I also tell them I have my own contract which supersedes any and all other contracts.  It also says if there is a conflict it will not be settled by a "case manager" or "mediator" at ABB. In my Golden Shores contract it says it will be settled by the Bullhead City Court System, and for NYC it says by the AAA by a lawyer or a retired judge. 

[Ann10]

@Jeff0- How do you become qualified to post a new topic in this forum? I tried to post something and it said I wasn't qualified or something to that affect. I want to start a post that says, Why doesn't ABB publicize the math for the new SH criteria?"  They are saying it will make it easier for people to become SH w this new system but it will not. They say the old system was too hard for guests to understand. What is so hard to understand about 80% 5 star reviews? I don't get it.

@Jeff69

@Jeff69

[Melissa71]

I don’t do instant booking. I always vet. And I make sure to get ID’s of everyone staying. Not only that I ask where are they from and what brings them to the area.  I would get a camera and have it at the front entrance. Letting guest know that Cameras are there for security. And let them know that they are the only ones allowed in the house and that even if someone visits you will charge an extra $20 for every guest that comes through the door. 

[Emily7]

I don't cater to next day bookings because I need guest to send me copy of his/her ID and manually signed rental agreement and reservation application with guests list.

I have Instant Booking, NO NEXT day bookings. 

My Reservation preferences is set as at least 3 days' notice, Block 1 night before and after reservation.

Airbnb standard requirements

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

Government-issued ID,  Recommendation from other hosts,  Guest trip information

IB set as Guests who meet all your requirements can book instantly. Others will need to send a reservation request.

NO ID and rental forms completed and signed - no entry. 

Full house access.

Hope this helps others, as it has for me.  I love quality guests not quantity.

Emily

[Diana182]

I have been a ABB host more than 2 years. This year I got serveral bad guests. In January, one guest who is black said he would come to the Auto Show with his girlfriend booked my house for one week. After they checked out, they almost stole everything from my house including comforters. I called 911 then called Airbnb. 1 week later, local police offier told me this guy used a fake name and fake ID. Airbnb did nothing fo me until now even though I called them many times and submitted everything they asked. My losses are around $4500. After this incident,  my husband installed cameras next to the front door and the side door outside. Mar. 03, 2019, another black young man claimed he was from a rich family in Detroit and he would be back to hometown starting doing some investments in the city of Detroit booked my house for 9 nights. He only claimed one guest. But he took more than 12 people to the house each day ( We installed a camera next to the front door outside of the house). After they checked out, I saw the living room sofa had been burned several holes and the master bedroom new comforter had been ripped. Luckily, ABB compensated me some money to cover the damaged sofa and the comforter but until now no final decision for my request for the additional guests fees. Later another black young man who is from Califonia claimed he was an ABB host as well booked my house for 3 day. He said he came to Detroit to visit friends and only had himself. But each day I saw more than 6 young guys out and in the house for many times. And he never replied to my Airbnb text messages after he checked in. After he and his friends checked out, I saw he took down each smoke detector, burned the master bedroom comforter several holes, damaged one curtain and the house smelt they did drugs inside of the house. Couple days ago, one young lady sent me a quote then asked me if we installed cameras. I said yes then she walked away. 

I feel more and more criminals or bad guests are using Airbnb. l suggest each host installs cameras outside of the listings and disclose it on the listings. 

[Ryan111]

@Diana182 What does race have anything to do with this?  You should examine how you view the world and think about if you want to host on airbnb if you are going to make statements like you do in your post.  Seems fairly ignorant.  

[Sarah977]

@Diana182  Bad guests, as well as good guests come in every color. Your racism is extremely distasteful and you shouldn't be hosting on Airbnb with that attitude.

While any host can get bad guests, the situations you describe have to do with your ability to vet guests properly and respond appropriately and swiftly when guests misrepresent themselves or break your house rules, not the color of their skin. You let a guest have 12 people go in and out of the house every day of their booking and didn't go over and charge them for the extra guests or cancel their booking? That's no one's fault but your own.

[Diana182]

I don't know what is wrong with you. I COULDN'T SPEAK OUT THE TRUTHS HERE?

I repspect and treat each guest equally and well like my family despite their skins. The truths are these people did bad things at my house. I hope other hosts can avoid this bad experience so I sugguested hosts can install cameras outside for the listing and disclose it in the listings to know who are coming to the houses. 

[Sarah977]

@Diana182  I understand these people did bad things at your house. But what does them happening to be black have to do with it? Why even mention the color of their skin?. It has nothing to do with what they did. Plenty of white guests do bad things in other people's homes, but no one mentions that they were white.

Hosts post here all the time about terrible guests, asking for help and support. But they don't find it necessary to mention what the bad guests were.

[Ryan111]

Your ignorance is astounding.  Your words show a racial bias that shouldn't have a place on airbnb.  

[Robin4]

@Ryan111 

Well Ryan, I will bring 'race' into this discussion!

I can tell you, one of the hardest things on earth to do (as a visitor) is push a wheelchair around New York.

When you are a stranger in a large city having to deal with all sorts of logistical issues surrounded by a crush of people is a nightmare. I thank God for young Afro American males. Every time we came up against an obstacle there would be a young black guy or two there to help us out. At one tube stop between central Manhattan and Battery Point there was no elevator to street level.....I just stood there looking at these 154 steps ahead of us, with no way to back-track. These two black guys came over and took the wheelchair and between us we made it to street level!

They were always there to, hold a gate open, clear a doorway, offer a seat.

I will not hear anyone say anything negative about black men...to me all the ones we met were angels!!

I think there are just good people and there are bad people, let's just leave it at that hey!

Cheers......Rob