Host Keeps Changing Names

[Darwin7]

Hi,

First time staying at an airbnb, I was wondering if someone can enlighten me of my situation.

So I made a reservation a little more than one month in advance and initially the host of the property is Adam (names will be changed for privacy), he is the only host of the property, no co host. A few weeks later Adam changed his name to Billy and Lisa and added a co host to the property.

So I emailed them and the co host replied saying that Billy and Lisa are the actual owners of the property and that she is a professional co host. I asked the co host who Adam was (the original host I made the reservation with) and the co host said that Adam is a friend of Billy and Lisa and that Adam was helping Billy and Lisa took care of the property while they are travelling.

Now Adam's name in the profile page is showing as Billy and Lisa, their profile page detailed descriptions are exactly the same as Adam's, interior designers by trade, etc. A few weeks goes by and it is now 2 days before my check in date and I just saw them change their names again from Billy and Lisa to James, and the property is now hosted solely by the co host. 

Adam, Billy and Lisa is not listed anywhere in the property profile and now Adam and Billy and Lisa's names are changed for the second time to James.  The co host is still the same person that was added after Adam changed his name to Billy and Lisa.

I was wondering if anyone know what is going on, is this normal and should I be cautious? Host/property owners names changed twice within a month. They are still Superhost, but only verified with email and phone numbers. Is there any contact person or email address at airbnb that I can email to inquire about this?

Thanks so much for your insights.

Regards,

Darwin

[Emiel1 · Accepted solution]

Hello @Darwin7 ,

It is against Airbnb terms to transfer an account to somebody else. So you could report the listing (or the host) to Airbnb via the "flagged" tekstlinks "report this ..." on it.But as a guest still going to stay  there maybe not a good idea...You could communicate with Airbnb about it, if it worries you: 

Contact Airbnb - A Community Help Guide [UPDATED]

Allthough strange, it probably does not disturb your reservation, but would be nice to know: who is my host !  And ID-verification for this host should be at least neccesary to gain some trust.

Best regards, Emiel

[Ana1136]

Hello @Darwin7, I guess you should be cautious. Since they are superhosts do any of the reviews have the names of the hosts? 

[Darwin7]

Thanks so much for your replies @Emiel1 and @Ana1136. Do I have the right to ask for the ID Verification from the hosts? Looking back at their reviews, it seems like there are multiple names mentioned, Adam was mentioned and another name Alex was also mentioned a few months before Adam. But neither Billy and Lisa nor the co host (co host was hired after the name changed from Adam to Billy and Lisa) has ever been mentioned in the reviews.

I am worried because I have already paid in full over $5000 for this reservation and my trip is only 2 days away. What is airbnb cancellation policy like? Thanks so much!

Darwin

[Ana1136]

@Darwin7 Superhosts are people who have not canceled single reservation in a year, they keep a rating of 4.8 or above, they have most of the people who stay review their property and they host more than 10 peole over a year. I don't know why would they be changing names to be honest, maybe they work for an agency. Regarding the cancellation policy, it depends on what kind of cancellation policy the host has. I would suggest communicating with the host about your concerns and if you still feel uneasy about the reservation then contact Airbnb.

[Branka-and-Silvia0]

@Darwin7yes, it is strange and I can understand your concerns. But, some listings are run by an agency so it is possible that they are changing agencies or agents or cohosts. It is hard to tell but the good thing is they are superhosts, it gains some trust.

[Darwin7]

Thank you for your reply. May I know the requirements to be a superhost? Do you automatically become a superhost after reaching a certain number of reviews or sales? Is it possible to fake reviews of a property? Thanks.