Suspect that guest will use house for pornographic video -- need advice.

[Shannon14]

Hello fellow hosts,

I have to admit that I am not a regular host. I have hosted before and had great experiences, so decided to host again for the month of June to try to cover expenses in between roommates. I am currently confronted with a peculiar situation, so wanted to crowdsource the issue. Please keep in mind that the house I am renting is my house where I live and keep my personal possessions. 

A woman booked my house for a nearly a week and said that she and her husband are coming to Denver to celebrate their anniversary. The guest's profile has no details, but she does have two good reviews. The first thing to tip me off was the photo. I completely support all women and do not judge what they do to make a living or how they dress, but this woman's photo made me think she was in the porn industry. Further, her name sounds like a porn name, so I Googled it and found that there is in fact a porn star with the same name. 

My concern is this: I do not want my house used to make a porn video. I have personal heirlooms, photos, and original artwork in the house. Moreover, I actually live in the house. I have no problem with a woman who is a porn star staying at the house, but I just want to make sure the house isn't used to create a porn video. Please tell me if this is totally off base, but I have heard stories and seen things on the news and in movies and TV about porn producers using spaces they rent on Airbnb. 

Has anyone had experience with this issue? If so, how did you deal with it? It's just not worth it to me to risk a porn video being shot in my house, so I'm tempted to cancel the reservation. Please help!

[Ned-And-Laura0]

Yes, it does happen I'm sure, and probably more then people are aware.  Especially in areas surrounding the Los Angeles area because the "condom laws" in LA have made it harder to get a permit so they go outside the city limits to areas like Ventura and Orange county to film (I read an article...alright?!)  But I have to think they would book an entire house which would give them privacy, not a shared room type of space.

[Tim448]

if you catch a guest take part in an activity that is against your rules, how can you kick them out?

just tell them?  what if they say no?  obviouly you are not gonna use force, so are you on legal grounds to call the police and have them kick the guest out?

just curious about your rights as a host and the guest's as well.  and where does airbnb come in to this picture?

[Ned-And-Laura0]

Tim, well you start by contacting airbnb if they are violating your house rules and you can ask to have them relocated.  If they are dangerous or high on drugs or even very threatening then yes, you call the police.  But the case above, if they were trying to produce an adult film against your house rules, then airbnb would step in and either refund their money or relocate them or whatever, depending on the situation.  If they flat out refuse, then they are trespassing and you are within your rights to have the police remove them from your home.  But I suspect that is a VERY rare situation. 

[Tim448]

thank you Ned.

but when you say you have the right to call the police on a guest that is refusing to leave your house because he violated your house rules, is that really trespassing?  i mean after all, you invited the guest into the house and even received money.  can the police really do anything about that?  

i am not questioning or doubting you, i am new to airbnb and really curious as to the legal parameters to all this.

[Douglas218]

Wow let me know how that went . I’m new to Airbnb but as a single guy I’d have to be inclined to host in Va 🏖 Beach!

[Helen744]

@Shannon14 I suggest that you message the lady again and ask for full id and a clearer pic to be sent via messaging . Also ask for hubbies id . You can suggest that as you also live and reside in the home you feel that it may not be suitable as other guests may also be there. Look up another self contained Airbnb in your area and suggest that may be more suitable. If you have no satisfactory reply then suggest to the guest that in this case as the answers are not forthcoming or suitable you will reluctantly be forced to cancel the booking... Good Luck