Should hosts mention that they will decline requests from guests with no trips/reviews/profile info?

[Hélène266]

Good morning host community! Let me cut to the chase and ask this question to hosts:
(Note: for more context, my listing is my home where I live in 100% of the time)

 
Should you mention in your listing that you will decline requests from guests with no trips/reviews/profile info?

I'm asking because a guest - whose request I declined for those reasons - replied to me indicating that I should add this info in my listing so that new AIRBNB guests 'don't waste their time'  when checking listings; guest also mentioned that 'because they were banking on my listing' they now have no other place for their dates in my area - which is not true.  Her response clearly indicated to me that I was right to decline - as her empty AIRBNB profile + no prior trips or reviews - was already sending me red flags. 

I'm curious to hear other hosts answer to the above question - but while debating it myself - I now say no. Here's why.

1. If I add this in my listing, it would be in my 'managing expectations' section which is at the bottom of my description and guests often don't go through all the info in a listing - don't think that's how you should start your listing....

2. I really don't regret declining this request as guest reply to me - confirmed they were a red flag. I'm already hearing other hosts saying I could have communicated with the requesting guest first and asking to provide more info - but I fear with this request they would have complained. 

3. 100% of guest requests and reservations so far came from guests with full name, full disclosure of purpose of visit, with details about guests, good review and with information about themselves in their profile. And I am sure they will keep on coming.

4. Finally, new AIRBNB guests should have enough smarts, decency and transparency to provide enough information about themselves to allow hosts to accept with confidence  (I have gone as far as sharing my linkedin profile when I was a new guest with no reviews).

So curious to hear what other host think about adding or not a statement in their listing that requests from guests with no trips/review/info in their profile will be declined.

thanks everyone!

[Helen3]

I'm a homeshare host and about 50% of my guests are new to Airbnb @Hélène266 

I ask guests pre booking questions as part of my IB process to help understand if guests are a good fit.

if you only want to accept guests with previous positive reviews I would include this up front in the listing @Hélène266 

[Hélène266]

Thanks Helen - I will definitely consider your approach - I wonder how many guests with no prior reviews and empty profiles  - i.e. only a first name - have you declined - even using your vetting approach? 

Also what is your 'acceptable' criteria checklist and do you use google or other platforms to vet who they are?

[Helen3]

As I said I don't decline guests who have no reviews @Hélène266  

Many guests have a first name and no profile details this isn't a basis for me to decline either.

my vetting questions are around whether the guest would be a good fit for my listing and location ie I don't want people for longer stays who work from home . 

[Hélène266]

Thanks again I guess I'm a bit more guarded. 

[Scott-And-Kyle0]

We are just now running into this change of verbage. Before people had to have reviews or it was flagged for our approval. Someone just insta booked yesterday for check in today with zero information other than the ID blah blah verification. 

Support doesn't seem to have their stories straight and they are basically saying no news is good news, very concerning. We are considering raising the deposit and keeping our prices high. If this new verbage stands they will have effectively taken away our tools to vet people without asking a lot of questions.

[Hélène266]

Thanks for your comment - at this stage I will not add a note in my listing, but am keeping instant book off - especially now that I'm hearing not just here but on the Quebec airbnb community - other platform of 15k members - they encountered lots of instant book errors - same situation you describe - and cancelling an IB reservation is not in their best interest on AIRBNB

This said, you may want to turn off instant book.

[Elisa-And-Ricardo0]

The problem with deactivating instant book is that your listing will not be very prominent in the search. Most likely you will be at the bottom of the search.   

[Hélène266]

Hi Elisa, thanks for this - now one year into hosting super host and guest favourite I still have instant book off and my listing shows up first in searches -  of course based on filters. I'm in a suburban area though - if I was in a metropolitan area - like Montreal, Toronto or Vancouver that could however be correct. 

[Joan2709]

@Elisa-And-Ricardo0 

Actually, turning off Instant Book does not put you at the ""bottom of search results. I work with Hosts that don't have instant book turned on and they are on page 1 of search results. Too many factors to really know the outcome of your search results position. The algorithm will take into account the guest search profile as well. Number of listings in the market also factor into the equation. Some Hosts I work with offer both short and long term bookings and do not want someone to book long term using instant book without the ability to decide if they wish to host the guest long term.

Seems like number/quality of reviews and price seem to factor in more strongly. Guests can use the Instant Book filter however, and if your listing doesn't have Instant Book turn on, your listing will not appear in guest searches as a result.

[Helen3 · Accepted solution]

I've hosted for nine years had hundreds of guests and only one problem guest in all that time  so looks like my vetting system is working week for me @Hélène266 😀😀

[Joelle43]

Hello @Hélène266 

I am not on IB because like you I want to have a minimum information from my guests and be sure that my apartment is a good fit.  In the bit where there is information about the host I ask guests to give me a brief introduction of themselves and most do but not all😉

I also have ticked that guests have to provide a full picture of themselves if they want to book.  Have you done this too?  Hopefully this gives me a "get out of jail card" for a guest who doesn't communicate in any way;

[Hélène266]

Bonjour Joelle, yes I had it turned on but thanks for pointing this out as I wasn't sure I had enabled it.