No to the new no guest photo policy

[Michael-and-Jill0]

Hello fellow Hosts-

I have noticed Airbnb's policies increasingly moving towards guest's needs, and further away from the needs of hosts, especially hosts who prefer the security of personally screening people they invite into their home, verses hosts with Instant Book, who do not have as big a concern with safety. I have let many other changes go, but I feel that their newest no guest photo policy hits a new low, and for me, is totally unacceptable.

My home is not a public hotel. If guests do not want to show their faces and want to remain anonymous, they should stay in a hotel- there are plenty of those. Airbnb is supposed to offer a more personal alternative, where hosts as well as guests benefit mutually from honesty and trust. To cultivate this trust, there needs to be transparency on BOTH sides, and blocking photos does not inspire trust!

As hosts, we are extremely vulnerable- guests see our photo, photos of our homes, our neighborhood location, see our star ratings, reviews, and our cancellation history, yet as (non-instant book) hosts, we are not able to access any of these same basic qualities. I am not racist in any way, I accept all nationalities, from all over the world, but I am extremely concerned with personal safety. Airbnb has just removed one of the most important tools that I am able to use to help my intuition determine who I am willing to allow into my home.

I understand that Airbnb wants to be politically correct by encouraging non-discrimination. That is noble of them, but please do not do it at our expense. Do not deny hosts of this important basic tool. And not viewing a photo will not end discrimination! It just will make hosts more cautious and more discriminating, forcing us to base a decision whether to allow strangers into our homes even more narrowly- on the sex, for example, or a name, writing style, living location, or an unjust bad review. In my experience, there already is not enough information about most guests (especially if they have not completed a profile or do not have any reviews), but more often than not, a smiling face of their profile photo is enough to go ahead and trust that stranger. Now, without the thousand words a photo can convey, I will always decline a reservation if the person's communication lacks information that I ask for, has misspellings, or is otherwise less than ideal. We have that right as a host to decline any reservation, Airbnb's host rules makes that clear. Why remove an important tool that allows for more trust?! A trust that benefits guests as well, as they will be more likely to be accepted for a reservation request. Why punish all hosts, when going after the few specific hosts with a history of discrimination, would be much, much more appropriate?

And lastly, Airbnb's solution does not resolve the problem of racism in a fair way. Discrimination is a human flaw that does not just affect hosts- guests are just as able to discriminate against hosts! If implementing this new policy is a true effort to combat racism, Airbnb is actually discriminating against hosts by not imposing this same standard equally to all of us, hosts and guests alike!

I am a Superhost who has enjoyed the benefits of listing my guest room on Airbnb for many years, but by taking away this most basic and important tool, I am considering for the first time, the possibility of going with another rental option if this decision is not reversed. I wrote a lengthy letter in protest, submitted in the feedback section, and intend to send it daily until the new policy is reversed or imposed fairly to all. I told them that if they do not want to lose their hosts, that they should put an end to this ridiculous no guest photo policy, and restore full disclosure between both guests and hosts, which has brought great success to their platform- thus far. I encourage all who dislike this new policy to send their feedback as well!

[Hanri2]

I 100% agree with everyone's sentiments. I'm not happy about this at all and feel extremely uncomfortable allowing a stranger in my house whos identity is hidden until I accept the booking. I trust most people on the platform, including myself, are not racist at all and allow people from all cultures and backgrounds to stay in our homes. This new policy is making me more reluctant to accept bookings and quite frankly, insulting to suggest I would decline a booking purely based on race. Give people the freedom to choose who they allow in their homes. Security is key.

[Jane563]

I’m coming in late to this thread and agree overall with what has already been said.

I do take issue with the original poster comment... “I will always decline a reservation if the person's communication lacks information that I ask for, has misspellings, or is otherwise less than ideal.“

Given that many guests are communicating in a foreign language (to them) I think it’s very harsh to judge them on spelling mistakes! If I had done that I would have missed out on meeting some lovely people, who don’t happen to speak and write English as a first language.

[Rebecca181]

I saw this coming a year ago, when I wrote a post here on the CC entitled, "Are Traditional Hosts No Longer Valued By Airbnb?" As far as I'm concerned, that question has been answered. The home-sharing host and/or the host that owns the property they are renting out on Airbnb and actually care who might be staying in it are now expected to give up the right to screen as we might 'discriminate'. The current reality appears to be this: We either succumb to these increasingly guest-centric policies or we grapple with the fact that we may choose to no longer remain on the platform. And Airbnb apparently could care less if we choose the latter. 

[Valerie1431]

Air BNB better take notice or they will lose their best clients... I have only been hosting for 6 months and it is a little scary having strangers in your home that have no pics, no info on profile etc. We as hosts need to be protected by Airbnb as much as possible.

[Robin4]

@Rebecca181

Hi Bec, how is the horse whisperer extrodinaire getting on.

For those who may not know, Rebecca gave up her familiar surroundings and moved across America to save and help her horse. Anyone who has that much dedication for an animal has to be a mighty fine person!

Rebecca they will keep on doing this because they consider hosts are a no risk proposition to Airbnb, how ever many fall by the wayside does not cost Airbnb a cent. Guests who choose to go elsewhere, now that's different, that is revenue out of Airbnb's pocket. At least this is their philosophy.

But they are wrong! When we here in Oz had that payout fiasco back in November we pannicked. They didn't tell us what was going on, not a word, didn't even bother to inform CX.....we did, we pannicked.

I ghosted my site across to Homeaway/Stayz and have since picked up 6 bookings. What this has done is block Airbnb's calendar for those dates.....doesn't affect me, I still get the guest and I actually get a bonus in that I receive $16 per night more from Homeaway/Stayz than I get from ABB. As my calendar moves into unbooked territory more and more of those nights are going to become blocked for Airbnb reservations.

Am I still an expendable  host?? Is this not costing Airbnb money?

As a company you can only keep on shooting yourself in the foot for so long before it falls off!

Cheers......Rob

[Gina32]

I too moved some inventory to Home Away @Robin4 but I had trouble with implementing the calender sync, so I'm still manually managing that. I'll just have to give it another go I think. I have also picked up quite a few booking from the old Stayz site this tourist season. I've recently had cause to contact the resolution centre and won one and lost one. The one I lost Airbnb could quite easily have won for me but they sided with the guest despite my argument being 100% factually correct.

I think for most hosts seeing the picture of the host is imperative. for all the reasons @Michael-and-Jill0 give.

It's time Airbnb started looking after the hosts interests.

Cheers to all.

[Robin4]

Gina, unfortunately I can't tag you to reply, so I hope you have your email response box ticked to see this.

I have not bothered syncing calendars, we see too many problems here with synced calendars to depend on it as a reliable option. I have both apps installed on my phone and as soon as I get a booking on one site I manually block the other...it is working fine to this point.

@Michael-and-Jill0 @Lilliam1 @Julia-and-Giovanni0 @Branka-and-Silvia0...and others here I can't tag!

If you see my post above I give a rationale to @Rebecca as to the consequences of being treated with a lack of respect by Airbnb. 

Let me show you the tangible result of where this lack of proper support is taking Airbnb, and this is something they do not seem to be able to grasp.

I am not a 'greenhorn' for this company, I am a superhost with over 200 reviews who has never made a damage claim or cancelled a reservation........and until recently, had a fullly Airbnb booked calendar. I am a successful host, the sort that makes Airbnb money.

Here was my booking calendar for March and some of April last year..... 2018

Booking Calendar March 2018

Note, one blocked night...Airbnb had exclusive digs at my booking time.

Thanks to lack of support during the payout fiasco last November I and many other Aussie hosts opened up on another site. I didn't want to, I was more than happy with the run I was getting with Airbnb guests...but as I said before ABB forced us into a situation where we pannicked.

Have a look at my booking calendar for that same period this year....2019

I am not loosing a solitary cent, in fact I am doing better out of those blocked nights than if they had been booked with Airbnb. And to further complicate the stupidity of what is happening here, they are telling me to unblock nights (which I never would have blocked if they had done the right thing)  to accept less money.

I wish people who are making decisions for this company could see this and see what is happening to their core business. It is being 'white-anted' away. We successful hosts will make money, we don't need Airbnb to do that, we know how to do our job. If Airbnb considers that this is not worthy of support and the guest (who in many instances has absolutely no bloody idea how to do theirs) is the only one that matters.....then so be it, their problem I am afraid, life will go on!

Cheers.....Rob

Cheers......Rob

[Rebecca181]

@Rob0 - Can't tag you, but you are too kind; hoping to get my equine best friend through a very cold February - He has neuropathy in his feet so just bought him some socks suitable for a Mt Everest climb to go under his boots and gaiters - wish us luck! 

I agree entirely with what you say. In just 20 months I billed nearly 50K with Airbnb (also have my own booking site and also rent through VRBO - but Airbnb was our greatest source of guests). I don't necessarily need to see a photo of my guest - but I DO need identifying information. I also need some basic information (how many are coming, purpose of trip, ages, etc), and I DO need to know that my house rules have been read and the guest agrees to them. And I DO need to feel that I can cancel a booking for sound reasons (lack of responsiveness to my inquiries, etc) without being penalized. I don't feel that this is possible for me anymore on Airbnb. In fact, I don't feel valued at all as a host. I also know that my 5 star listing with rave reviews will be buried on the last page of the search pages if I don't comply and conform (especially if I remove the Instant Book option). So guess what? Airbnb will now lose the booking fees generated by my listing because I am able to rent out my listing elsewhere - And yes, like you, I am a home-sharing listing and I live on-site. And yes, we CAN list elsewhere. And if you are near a hospital, like me, here in the United States you can rent your place out to a visiting nurse, helping the community at the same time. So good on you, Rob, for exploring other options besides Airbnb. Because they are out there, as many of us shared-home hosts are discovering. 

[Andy448]

You have made such an important and honest comment. Who in their right mind, would ever open the door to a complete stranger?! Absurd and actually dangerous. So it seems we are ‘forced’ to accept bookings we are perhaps mire uncertain about, meanwhile the terms apllied to cancelling that booking if we do find were uncomfortable are so severe we may as well quit the platform. This policy seems to go against so much of how this company promotes itself and what makes it thrive socially and culturally. Perhaps they are just waiting till they have enough profits to build airship hotels which float above beauty spots and cities dropping guests down to concerts and festivals; maybe thats what AirBnb means!! ( oops I shouldnt of said that! They Might actually do that)

Finally this organisation seems to be biased towards the guest customer. But hosts not only pay too! but take ALL the Risk. Seems this verges on being being prejudice against other people who are making money from renting their homes. Users should lobby the company or they will never realise the mistakes they are making and the money there are not. 

[Michel14]

Let's see how this increasing population of guests do without having any hosts!!

[Susan1028]

@Michael0,

They've recruited the property managers, motels, and now hotels are listing thier empty room where I live along the Oregon Coast.

My guests have complained they hate having to sift through all of them to find an independent.  They left the WACASA's behiind because of the expense, shoddy service and shabby properties...and that's been feedback from other hosts who used them--charge as much as they can for as little  work as possible with very inconsistent cleaning standards...too many complaints.

My return guests love that they know what they're getting.  My new guests love being pleasantly surprised.

I've been very booked adn made consistent $$ for ABB, but I'm listing elsewhere too because I will not compromise my safety for less money and no protection.  

ABB has chronically NOT looked at the larger picture, but if they're selling the company, why should they care?

[Susan1028]

I remember that post @Rebecca0.

The management companies are taking over here.

[Rebecca0]

Never mind the management companies, how come an online company cannot configure software and every single airbnb host in the bloody world called Rebecca gets a notification when one of us is tagged.   *We are Rebecca*   !

[Gabriela-and-Mark0]

Hi Becca

last week I have a guest that demanded me clean towels and maid every day, I told him it is not a hotel, I complained to Airbnb and they were on the guest side!!!! That guy put a terrible review with lies, I complained again to Aurbnb, they didn't do anything about. Airbnb let guests get away with murder now.

this is no good