How often do you really get "bad eggs"

[Heather1103]

Hello! This is my first time posting and I actually haven't even listed my property yet.  We have just started the process of purchasing a lake house and we're planning on doing just a few bookings a year to help with some costs. My question is,  I see some scary stories of guests being aggressive, having parties, not being respectful of property and then airbnb not following through with help when these issues arise.  

Just looking for some experiences on how often you've actually gotten such a bad guest and is there really not much help for us when that happens.  

[Debra300]

@Emilia42,

Thanks for sharing when age details are provided.  I do have instant booking on with the options of government ID, profile picture, and host recommendation.  I have never seen the "over 25" note.

[Nanxing0]

Based on the ~2000 guests I have hosted, I have filed 25 complaints for actual property damage. There were roughly about 50 guests who smoked in our listings. Also there are about ~50 or so guests that the cleaning crew told me made our listings extremely messy but nothing damaged so no complaints to file. So as a total I'd say the percentage of bad apple is about 6% or so. This also depends on how you screen guests. I was doing a pretty loose screening but have recently made it more tight due to an increase in the bad apples. I'm pretty sure if you do no screening and accept all guests you will have more bad apples, while a more tight screening should reduce it to less than 5%.

[Heather1103]

@Nanxing0 Thank you so much for sharing your numbers!

[Scott-and-Mary-Ellen0]

@Heather1103  Everyone makes excellent points, but before you even set up your Airbnb listing, be sure to check local rules and regulations regarding STRs--short-term rentals. Many communities are enacting laws to restrict them. Also, check with the state regarding any taxes that may need to be collected. As a former reporter, I suggest doing a quick Google search on the town or region plus Airbnb (and competitors)--this may turn up some information on the reputation of or area experience with short-term rentals. Good luck!   M.E.