Uncomfortable about last minute reservation request

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Uncomfortable about last minute reservation request

Good Mornining - Thank you for any ideas that you can give me.

 

We have a reservation request from a new user - They have never stayed anywhere with AIRBNB before - so no reviews.

They have not answered our communications and the reservation is for tonight.

 

The first issue is that AIRBNB penalizes us in ratings if we do not accept enough reservation requests.

The 2nd issue is that As a Gay Interracial couple - we ( regretably ) feel an extra need to properly communicate with guests to aviod unpleasentries with guests ( This has happened )

 

If anyone has any ideas on how to balance our needs with AIRBNB booking ratings etc., I would be very grateful.

Thank you in advance.

Top Answer
Julie143
Level 10
Princeton, NJ

One thing would be to not allow last minute bookings. That would give you more time to communicate with the guest and feel comfortable.

 

Maybe also set a two night minimum, if you haven’t already. 

 

I know there are exceptions, but I think “sketchy” people doing “sketchy” things are more likely to book last minute and for only one night.

 

It may sound counter-intuitive, but turning Instant Booking gives you more leeway in some sense. You get a certain number of “free” cancellations if you do not feel comfortable with the guest. 

 

You can also set it so the guest has to answer certain questions and agree to whatever rules. Maybe you could mention about you and your partner there?

 

I’d set it to the stricter option, where guests need to have positive reviews to book instantly. Though I guess that wouldn’t help you with your current situation, because they don’t have reviews and would have to request to book anyway.

 

Supposedly Instant Book listings feature higher in the search rankings.  That might offset damage from having to decline someone like your current prospective guest. 

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21 Replies 21
Julie143
Level 10
Princeton, NJ

One thing would be to not allow last minute bookings. That would give you more time to communicate with the guest and feel comfortable.

 

Maybe also set a two night minimum, if you haven’t already. 

 

I know there are exceptions, but I think “sketchy” people doing “sketchy” things are more likely to book last minute and for only one night.

 

It may sound counter-intuitive, but turning Instant Booking gives you more leeway in some sense. You get a certain number of “free” cancellations if you do not feel comfortable with the guest. 

 

You can also set it so the guest has to answer certain questions and agree to whatever rules. Maybe you could mention about you and your partner there?

 

I’d set it to the stricter option, where guests need to have positive reviews to book instantly. Though I guess that wouldn’t help you with your current situation, because they don’t have reviews and would have to request to book anyway.

 

Supposedly Instant Book listings feature higher in the search rankings.  That might offset damage from having to decline someone like your current prospective guest. 

How do you do that? I thought when I signed up, I put in that I would need a 2 day advance, and in the past week I have had 4 last minute requests. One of them was at 1130pm, during a snowstorm with no profile and looks like they just signed on, I actually didn't see it because I was going to bed, and AirBNB called me after midnight!!

Today (1/20/19) I just got off the phone with AirBNB just now due to some guy who keeps sending me emails to come right now (not today, RIGHT NOW) and wanted my address. I explained to AirBNB that I am not comfortable with this. And again, with this guy, I could not see his profile.

How do you make it "no last minute requests"?

John1080
Level 10
Westcliffe, CO

I have often found that new users to Airbnb seem not to have notifications turned on and I too have been frustrated with the lack of communication. I do not host in my own home, but another space, so it is a bit different, but still makes me nervous when I don't hear anything from the guest. However, in each and every instance, the guests have been fine and there have been no issues whatsoever.

 

That said, as @Julie143 stated, one way you could attempt to avoid this is to not allow last minute bookings. Also, you can turn off IB and when a guest requests to book, if you hear nothing back from them, just decline their booking.

 

I too was a bit worried about declining too many bookings-had a 97% acceptance rate, but then had a rash of 3 requests in a row from newbies with no profile info, no photo, no verifications, etc, so my acceptance rate went down to 91%.  I contacted Airbnb about it because I found two of them to be suspicious. However, I was told that dropping below the 88% acceptance rate is not a problem and the more important thing is to keep the response rate high-100% if possible, as mine is. I asked again to make sure and was told flatly that I should not worry about dropping below the 88% rate and that there would be no consequences for me. I suppose for me, since I'm in a small market, my ranking in a search wouldn't be much impacted, but I'm thinking that it could in a larger market.  

Huma0
Level 10
London, United Kingdom

@John1080

 

One of my listings had been below the 88% Acceptance Rate for months now. I have called Airbnb a few times about this and either the Rep had no idea it was even a criteria (insisted we are NOT measured on acceptances/declines) or told me not to worry about it.

 

Only one rep said, don't worry about it for now, but it would be good if you accept all reservations going forward. I asked her what if the reservation request is totally unacceptable, e.g. over maximum number of people, asking to bring kids when I don't allow under 18s etc. She said, in those circumstances, call us and we will deal with it. I tried this once and it worked.

 

I think that the whole 88% Acceptance Rate thing is just a tactic to get us to accept more bookings. I don't think (for the time being at least) Airbnb are chucking hosts off the platform for falling below this. Maybe they do if you fall seriously below it. I have no idea if it effects the ranking in searches though. Would be great to have some clarification on this, but from my experience to date, most CS Reps have not even been informed of the 88% criteria, let alone know the finer details of it.

@Huma0, I think you're right.

 

The guy I spoke to really would not outright say anything but did say indirectly twice in that conversation that I should not worry about it and instead continue to focus on maintaining my 100% response rate.

 

He kept repeating the canned line, "It's important that you feel safe and we want you to only accept those guests you feel comfortable with."

 

I didn't feel as if I had gotten a clear answer, which is often the case it seems, but felt satisfied enough having been told that I should not worry about it. 

Huma0
Level 10
London, United Kingdom

@John1080

 

Yes, we need a 90% response rate to keep Superhost status, but acceptance rate is not part of the Superhost criteria and I have not lost the status despite dropping below the 88% for that.

 

The other day I got a request from a first time Airbnb guest with no profile info and no reviews. She just said she liked my place and was looking foward to staying there. I am sure she was probably fine, but she was not getting back to me with any of the information I require and the 24 hours was almost up.

 

After Airbnb introduced the 88% acceptance rate measurement, in these situations, I felt like i had to accept the request and then hope the guest would eventualy respond. However, you are then potentially stuck with an unsuitable guest because of all the penalities for cancelling a request booking. 

 

So, this time, I hit decline. She did eventually get back to me apologising, but when I suggested she send another request with the information I had asked for, no response again...

Luanne8
Level 2
Grindelwald, Switzerland

Hi, i just saw that my acceptance rate is 0. do you know how this is calculated? i accept most reservations, but in the past have declined when they've had no reviews, or they're more guests than our maximum. recently i've hardly ever declined bookings. i'd say i accept at least 8/10 of the last requests i had....

@Thomas-James---TJ--0You can ask Airbnb to void the request because the guest has not replied. Or you can always try calling the guest, or ask airbnb to contact the guest  because you have had no response.  I know declines and being penalized is a pain, but I would do what is best for you, you're the one taking the risk.

 

btw: I have many first time guests with no reviews who have been super bad at responses but have been  great  guests.  They say they did not get my messages - could be the app is super glitchy, but as @John1080  mentioned if they don't have notifications turned on then they won't get the messages. Good luck!

 

btw:  I agree with @Julie143   IB gives you way more leeway to cancel. But,  you have to call Airbnb to do that, if you do it yourself via the site you will be penalized.

Thomas James (I'm unable to tag you-just changes to an @ and then gives me an error message until I remove your tag), as @Ange2 said, yes, why don't you try texting or calling the guest?

 

I had one guest a few weeks ago, who actually turned out to be one of my best guests of all time, but he hadn't gotten any of my messages and thus hadn't accepted my policies, hadn't received the door code, etc. He was truly surprised and had no idea I had been trying to message him. 

@John1080    I get that error message too, but if I ignore it and click 'post'  a few times it goes through.

@Ange2, was wondering how you’d gotten it to go through. @Thomas-James---TJ--0 - trying again. 

@Ange2, it did kick me off and I had to sign in again, however. Odd! 

@Thomas-James---TJ--0    P.S. If you do decide to do IB you can check this box,  it is found under Location Edit, so your address is not sent out before the 48hours freebie cancellation has passed.

 

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Kenneth-And-Lilia0
Level 10
Las Vegas, NV

I have the same problem now.  I has a guest book Thursday for this coming Monday-Wednesday.  No profile picture, incomplete profile with no current location (we dont allow locals) and his only comment when he made his reservation was "hi airbnb is hard to deal with".  I called ABB and they have tried to call him a couple times to no avail and I have messaged him too with no response.  I am giving him till this morning to respond and then I will ask ABB to cancel his booking.  Gut feeling.