Hey fellow hosts, Paras here from Rishikesh, India.
I hope you all are keeping well, thank you in advance for support.
1. ID Collection — Seeking Best Practices
Here in India, we legally need to collect valid guest IDs as per local rules (digital copies via Airbnb messages work fine, no hard copies). I always send a friendly auto-message 24 hours before arrival, then follow up manually if needed.
But sometimes, despite multiple polite reminders, guests avoid sharing IDs — which honestly makes me wonder if there’s something shady, or what can I do here. It feels awkward to keep chasing them, but as hosts, safety and compliance come first.
Would love to know how you all manage this, especially without hurting guest experience. Any scripts, tips, or approaches that work well for you?
2. India Hosts — Tax Filing & TDS Reports Help
Also, if anyone from India can guide me — I file my taxes properly, but I’m struggling to figure out how to download an Airbnb payout summary or report to share with my CA for TDS purposes. Any shortcuts or report formats that simplify this? Open to learning best practices.
3. Some Tips i recently become aware of (Sharing for Others Reading)
You can enable options in your Airbnb settings to only allow bookings from guests with:
Verified ID
Profile Picture
Positive Airbnb History
Even if Instant Book is ON, these filters help screen bookings to maintain peace of mind. Highly recommend exploring that if you haven’t yet.
Small detail — under Amenities, there’s an edit option where you can even list shampoo and body wash brands. I’ve not added mine yet, but FYI: hotel soap rarely gets love, so I refill with better quality stuff I personally use at home.
Also, i got to know even if someone cancels their reservation but after their checkin time, they are legally able to leave you a review even without staying or actually coming- they don't have a no show option.
Also, if anyone is using their professional dashboard i would love to have some tips about it.
4. Quick Question — Managing Stock Loss
I’ve noticed leaving extra guest amenities (like tissue boxes, facial tissues, lint rollers) adds to the experience — but sometimes whole boxes go missing post-checkout, which starts adding to my costs.
I’ve read seasoned hosts suggest stocking well and not nitpicking small things, but what’s your take when entire supplies disappear? Would appreciate your approach here.
5. Honest Question — Is Airbnb Biased Toward Guests?
In my experience, yes. I’ve faced multiple situations where:
A guest broke house rules, but I felt silenced because reviews hold so much power — even politely protesting risks a negative review.
In an actual SOS incident where my safety felt compromised, Airbnb support felt dismissive. No real-time assistance, no safety assurances for me as a host. (no resolution, or real time support when legally i was 100% right)
Recently, a guest booked but pleaded to cancel. Despite my strict cancellation policy, I had to agree to avoid a bad review. Airbnb refunded them fully, time being -blocked my calendar, I got zero payout, and spent hours on support calls. Guest’s issue resolved fast, but my time, effort, and blocked dates were wasted.
Feels like a loophole guests exploit, even under strict cancellation. Is this common? How do experienced hosts navigate this?
Would love practical advice, scripts, or real experiences — I’m open to learning, just trying to host better while staying protected.
Thanks in advance to anyone sharing insights — let’s help each other level up. Happy hosting!
