New Airbnb client

[Debra765]

I have a request for next summer and the client asked if I could book not using Airbnb so they could avoid the fees.  I said no and reported the request.  However, they still want to book.  That is not a problem, however they have never booked with Airbnb (and we have a setting that you have to have a good rating with Airbnb) and they do not have a profile filled out.  

This seems odd.  Any suggestions? Want to be sure they are legitimate.  We do not allow big parties.  We allow up to 16+ people but not for a party.  We have only rented it once so far as we just put on the rental program.  We have almost totally rented for next summer so I need to be sure I know what I am doing.

[Joan2709]

@Debra765 

I normally never recommend large properties like yours be on instant book. You need to be able to vette guests thoroughly before accepting a booking for the reasons you mentioned. A guest wanting to avoid the Airbnb fees and pay off-platform to do that, is a red flag to me. As you know, paying off platform is also against Airbnb's terms of service.  I would not want this guest to book. 

Instant Book Optional Settings - Cautions

The settings you are referring to supposedly prevent a new guest with no reviews from booking, or a guest with negative reviews from booking. Unfortunately, Airbnb has never defined what "negative" means and Hosts have reported guests have been able to book with a 3.5 star rating. Some Hosts have also reported a new guest with no reviews has been able to book, despite the optional instant book settings.  Also, guests who have trips, but no reviews from Hosts can still instant book your property. Sometimes this is also a red flag. It could mean this is a bad guest, but the Host chose not to leave a bad review to avoid issues with the guest.

[Debra765]

Thank you for input.  It feels like a red flag to me too.  

[Debra765]

One more question. Do renters typically not fill out their profiles? Can that be a request? It is hard to get an idea who they are without the profile and I am not sure if I can ask them to fill it out.  Might be against the Airbnb regulations. But without a profile it could be anyone. 

[Paula]

Hi @Debra765, I am tagging @Joan2709 here so they receive a notification of your message. This way, we increase the chances of them getting back to us.

Quick tip: To tag someone, tap "@" and select the host's username from the dropdown menu 😊

[Joan2709]

@Debra765 

Guests are not required to complete a profile (another reason not to allow instant book). You can require a guest to provide a photo, but they can make it anything they want (cartoon, animal, etc.). Many Hosts add that a valid photo showing their face along with matching ID be provided. You would need to add this to your Listing and House Rules. You can add the requirement of a photo by going to the Listing Editor and click the preferences Icon top right. However, this doesn't guarantee you will be receiving a photo of the guest, they can add anything, including someone else's photo:

Check a Guest's Profile Photo

https://www.airbnb.com/help/article/2157

Min Stay

Might I also suggest you change your min stay to 2nights. Allowing one-night stays is an invitation for someone to book for a party on a property this size.