Does anyone have problems with other hosts trying to block your calendar for a day by asking to reserve your place, which blocks out the dates and it says"awaiting payment?

[Diane1402]

There is a host in our area that has evidently created a fake account. She has asked to stay.  When we pre approved her request (we did not know this in the beginning or we would have declined) , Airbnb blocks the dates..It says "awaiting payment"  She does not respond until late in the evening  and then withdraws the request.  I guess that she isn't liking the fact that we charge less than her.  We tried calling Airbnb about this but they won't do anything except tell you it's happening alot and there's nothing they can do.  Meanwhile, you miss bookings because of what is happening. So frustrating

[Mike-And-Jane0]

@Diane1402 was it a request or an inquiry? If you approve a request the booking should happen immediately.

[Pat271]

Apparently, a booking can be accepted without the credit card details fully verified. I have had the “Awaiting payment” status appear for a few guests over the years. It’s usually resolved within 24 hours, at which time the booking is removed if it hasn’t been sorted out with the guest. Meanwhile, though, the dates are blocked, and it’s unsettling for the host.

I don’t quite understand why bookings can be accepted without all of the credit card details already verified. I don’t know of another booking platform that is this lenient.

[Diane1402]

It was a request with no payment

[Kia272]

@Diane1402  To answer your question, NO. 

This sounds pretty outrageous to me. How can you know this for fact? Since, in theory, she can only do this once per property, I'm thinking you may be a bit paranoid? That's a lot of trouble for one person to go to to temporarily block a few days on another host's calendar. And again, how do you "know" this? 

Anyway, here's a solution: you should accept her booking but with a special offer. Make the nightly rate thousands of dollars. Then see what happens. 

[Helen3]

Can you let us know what evidence you have that this host has made a fake account @Diane1402 ?

Was  it a request or enquiry?

I'm surprised Airbnb told you there are lots of hosts making fake accounts to block out dates on their competitors calendars .

I've been hosting seven years and have never heard of this 😁

I notice you yourself seem to have set up a fake account to make this post 😁

[Diane1402]

I am not sure why it shows that.  My account is under Larry and Diane.  I am fairly new to this and if it asked me to create an account for this platform then I would have but I have NEVER and wouldn't create a "FAKE account".  At any rate I came on here for help, not to be scrutinized by you or anyone else here.