Email Alias

[David501]

I am very concerned that Airbnb are retiring their Email Alias function in September. To comply with current and new legislation in Scotland we have to provide a considerable amount of information to guests, which we currently do for bookings from all platforms (not just Airbnb) by attaching appropriate documents to email messages. These documents are in formats not compatible with Airbnb messaging, so we cannot use such. Does anybody else have an issue with the retirement of this function?

Regards, David

[Pat271]

@David501 

I would definitely have a problem with the retirement of this function! I send a Welcome Packet via email to each and every one of my guests.

Found this here:

https://www.airbnb.com/resources/hosting-homes/a/an-update-for-hosts-who-use-the-email-alias-feature...

It looks like you can also send a link to a document in Airbnb messages. That would work for us. Is Airbnb going to provide secured storage for these documents on their server?

[David501]

I don't think they've thought this one through at all from the host's point of view.

It will be interesting to see what other hosts have to say.

[Rachel13]

@David501 I simply ask all guests for their email address. They always comply. (I manage 22 properties). I have my own .pdf and .docx documents that I need to send them, plus a booking form they have to fill in, like yourself, and I cannot be doing with the Airbnb messaging service.

[Fabian667]

Are hosts allowed to ask guests for their email and communicate outside of the messaging system?  Airbnb’s Off-Platform Policy includes a bullet on prohibited actions that states "Soliciting guests for their email, mailing address, or other communications channels using the Airbnb messaging system or email alias after a booking".  It also states "Including links or embedding buttons (ex: footers, headers) that take people off of Airbnb to another website in any messages to guests including emails sent via Airbnb's email alias feature."

https://www.airbnb.com/help/article/2799/

Is it ok to collect email addresses for rental agreements, arrival instructions and automated safety messages?  Does anyone know?

Thanks!

[Liz350]

I think in this context ‘after a booking’ means after the end of the booking, i.e. after the guest has left.

There is another section that says it is only prohibited if it is for reasons not related to the stay..but cannot be done until after a booking is confirmed.. so I think sending documents needed for the guests stay is therefore ok..

[David501]

Thanks Rachel,

We have virtually identical businesses and requirements by the sound of it. I'll give your method a try.

Thanks, David

[Liz350]

My assumption is that this ‘link’ means you have to use your own cloud or something like google drive.. ?  No good for those not technically able, host or guest, regardless of whether or not you actually want to share a drive with someone else..
If you could attach actual documents to Airbnb messaging that would help, but you can’t, only photos! 

[Helen3]

Just create a PDF of the information and you can send it as an attached document when you use your phone @David501 

Or create a template saved message on Airbnb  that you can send to each confirmed guest. 

What information do you have to provide by the way in Scotland for your guests?

In England we are just going through the consultation stage on our STR legislation.

[Pat271]

@Helen3 

For the first option you gave, are you talking about sending the document via iPhone Messages? I think that only works if the receiver also has an iPhone.

[David501]

I process all booking on computer, not phone.

We are required to hold much more information about guests than Airbnb provide, so have to send out questionaires. We also have to provide information about hot tubs, site access and much more. 

[Liz350]

Hi, yes I also am very annoyed about this. I have to get a booking form completed to send details to my managing agent in Portugal plus I send loads of information that has to be personalised for each guest so not suitable for putting broad scale onto my listing. I also have to gather passport information as a legal requirement for Portuguese immigration, which I doubt people will be happy putting openly on messaging.. 

My feeling is this will just drive the use of personal e mails again..

[Sue174]

I hadn't read the "email aliases going away" message more than 2 minutes earlier when I immediately banged out a "SEND FEEDBACK" message. I, too, send a lot of personalized information to our guests and attach the documents as PDFs. The link suggestion is curious but as @Pat271 suggests, where are these stored? I don't have cloud storage or some other place in the "sky" that I can upload these documents to then send a link to them. This is a double thumbs down for me...

[Fabian667]

I agree that this feature should NOT be removed.  Email aliases are needed for professional management tools employed by small businesses.  We should not be force to use an expensive  third-party CM or PMS system in order to have automated messages.  We use time-triggered messages to send out rental agreements, arrival instructions, etc., and also broadcast safety messages such as rip tide warnings for our beach properties.  Removing the email alias would force each message to be sent manually and in text-only format.  AirBnB should NOT remove this feature!

[Lorna170]

The loss of the email alias function would be DEVASTATING. 

Where do I VOTE NO to this change.