Why should I have to specify why I'm declining a persons reservation request?

[Bruno610]

Sometimes they have a terrible profile, with bad reviews or no reviews at all. Sometimes they have no verification.

Sometimes its simply that your gut tells you not to accept their request. Why should I give them a specific reason for declining when I just don't feel like accommodating them?

What are some vague or generic responses you guys use for declining guests you just don't feel like hosting? I've used "Sorry those dates are not available" before but then I get "Why are they open in the calendar then?"

I guess I just don't want to be rude.

[Laura1355]

As a single woman who hosts, I get what you are saying.  There was one male I declined to host because his photo was really grainy and literally looked like he took it off of a TV screen.  It creeped me out.  I don't discriminate against anyone obviously but trust my gut and always read reviews of a guest. I require a reason for their visit to book and always read it to get a gut feeling.  If I am uncomfortable with anything, I ask questions including a better photo before deciding whether to decline.  I remind the potential guest that Airbnb is different from hotels and is based on trust and the home is literally a host's sanctuary and so everyone must feel safe and aware of who they will be staying with. 

[Debbie96]

That you Laura for your reassurance and reenforcing that we should trust our gut and, when in doubt, ask more questions. Laura.     

Bruno:  I agree that I should not have to give a  reason why I'm declining  and the categories of choice given don't always apply.   As Laura states, sometimes your gut says 'this guest seems 'sketchy' and I just don't think it's an option to share with AIRBnb or otherwise I would have given this a couple of times.

The other thing I have issue with is one of the stated "Goals" set by Airbnb for "Accepted Reservation" is 88% ......Airbnb goes on to say that I'm below target at 75% and states, 

"Make guests feel welcome by accepting requests whenever you’re available."

        Again, I agree with Laura in that I'm not going to accept requests whenever I'm available to ANYONE.   I'd rather not host at all than have to agree to accept this.

[Sam397]

@Laura_R, your not the first host that said they require a guest to give a reason for their visit in order to book, I don't see how that shows a person will be a bad guest. The majority of people, including those who are harmless and would be great guest would think the reason for their visit is none of your business.  in fact I would be more worried about the guy that tells you he's here with his church group trying to raise money for charity then I would be the guy that tells you its none of your business. I also don't see how a grainy picture makes someone creepy. What about the people who don't even have a picture in their profile. And if they do have a picture how do you know it's their picture. If someone books a place and has bad intentions they won't be using their picture in their profile. 

I am not saying caution isn't needed or warranted when it comes to screening potential guest.  I'm just saying things like the pictures they say are them or answers they give you for a question you might ask shouldn't be used to determine anything. especially what kind of guest a person will be. To be honest I don't think there is a way to tell. There is no way to tell if a person is who they say they are until they arrive at your door. A lot of the guest I have aren't even the ones who made the reservation.

[Alon1]

Sam,

Your final sentence is strewn with abandon, reflecting your evident ignorance of Airbnb Rule contra 3rd Party Booking. (See below T&C, 4.14 & Help)

You are not alone. It's incredible how many Hosts and majority of Guests are oblivious to the fact. 

In practise it's a grey area, and requires AIrbnb permission. Much to be said and written. Indeed, Airbnb invited me to send in extensive feedback on the subject, that I'm considering to write an article.

AIrbnb do not monitor 3rd Party Inquiries & Bookings, but in case of any problem arising in an unsanctioned case, AIrbnb having accepted 'service fee' from both parties,  will  not then accept liability via Host Guarantee! -- Per force it means that a Host can cancel a reservation without penalty if Host discovers it's a 3rd PB after booking and prior to arrival; alternatively Host can deny access on the doorstep, so long as Host can prove they were not aware of the situation at the time of booking or prior to arrival.--Lastly, a Host who accepts a 3rd PB after learning of it post booking, but then receives a bad Review, can have the such a Review automatically removed based on the technicality that 3rd PB are not permitted.

In the cases where a 3rd PB is declared up front, the Host can choose to accept, but again being aware of AIrbnb rule, is best advised to request the Booker accept "full liability" in any eventuality. Airbnb Customer Support advise it's done by writing on the message thread.

The simplest solution in terms of raising awareness, and my would be proposal, is that the 3rd PB rule should be highlighted not in the small print of T&Cs, but in the main heading for Guests REQUEST TO BOOK (Note: 'Please be aware 3rd PB are not permitted. See Help & T&C 4.14'); similarly 'ACCEPT' or 'DECLINE' for Hosts.

Given that 3rd PB are very common, some may well argue the rule should be abandoned.

It is at least permissable in BUSINESS ACCOUNT which some would say is 3rd PB by another name. 

==============

• 4. Prohibited Activities
• TERMS & CONDITIONS 14
  unless Airbnb explicitly permits otherwise, book any Listing if you will not actually be using the Host Services yourself;

Airbnb 'Help'

Can I book on behalf of a friend or family member?

Transparency and trust are vital to the Airbnb experience. People rely on information in Airbnb profiles, reviews, and other verifications when deciding whether to host or stay with someone.

We require Airbnb reservations booked for personal travel to be booked by the person who's going to stay at the listing.

[Sam397]

@Alon0, 

                         Sorry, but I wasn't reflecting my evident ignorance of Airbnb Rule contra 3rd Party Booking. I am completely aware of AirBnB's policy. Maybe it's just me keeping an open mind but I don't think someone is a bad anything just because the person staying isn't the one who made the reservation. There are all kinds of acceptable reasons why a person that is actually staying isn't the person who reserved the house. For example, I had a guy reserve the house for his 80 year old mother that was down for his wedding.  Or another time when a person reserved the house for a friend that had just finished a tour in Afganistan and was going to surprise his family and needed a place for him to stay until the party. In both them situations they were great guests that I would host again any time. And I highly doubt that AirBnB wants a host to get permission in situations like that, and I imagine if I would have as you said: "denied access on the doorstep" to either one of them people AirBnB would have gotten really upset. My point is just because someone who was a bad guest or a jerk or anything else did something doesn't make everybody who does the same thing a bad guest or jerks or anything else. That's the same thing as if I was to say all people from the United Kingdom are judgemental because one guy from there was. 

I strongly believe that host should be able to refuse anybody for any reason, nor should they have to get anybody's permission to let someone stay. It's their property they should be able to do whatever they want. If you or anybody else want to refuse someone because they didn't reserve the place, that's your decision, but in my opinion with you doing that you are missing out on a lot more great guest then you are saving yourself from bad ones. if I was to refuse people for some of the reasons that some host said that they do my bookings would have been cut in half.  One more thing is that I have had guest write very little or even nothing in their first email, I have had them not use my name, and guests who obviously didnt read my listing completely and a lot of the other things that people here have said were red flags and none were a bad guest. In fact, the few guests that I considered to be bad guest had no red flags to suggest they would be.

[Alon1]

Sam, 

Thanks for response. I wish to reply twofold.

Firstly, you state that you are 'completely aware of AIrbnb Policy' on 3rd PB.

However, the 2 examples you give (80 year old woman & friend returned from Afghanistan), rather suggest that you don't understand how the Policy operates in reality. 

There are 2 errors. 

a) 'I highly doubt that AirBnB wants a host to get permission in situations like that'

In fact, in this situation or any other, a Host isn't obligated to get permission. It's the Guest who must seek the permission!

T&C, 4. 14 clearly cautions  the person who is doing the booking: 'unless Airbnb explicitly permits otherwise, book any Listing if you will not actually be using the Host Services yourself'. 

b) 'I imagine if I would have as you said: "denied access on the doorstep" to either one of them people AirBnB would have gotten really upset.'

No, they wouldn't if the person booking had not sought permission. On the contrary,  AIrbnb cannot possibly be upset with the Host; they would be rather preoccupied with enforcing their own T&Cs!

We may draw the conclusion that you don't understand the workings of the Policy because to date you have been fortunate enough  not to come across any problems related to this Policy.

The limitation of your experience is a part of the second point. 

I note that you have not even Hosted for a year. 

I further note you rent out two places, neither of which you live in. 

Compare with my experience, having hosted 5-6 years, probably taken 5 times the amount of bookings you have to date; and most significantly, that I am a-live-in Host. I go to bed and wake with Guests in the house, I share facilities, toilet, bathroom, kitchen, and so on. Moreover, I rent several rooms in the house, so often there is more than one set of guests together, and one can never predict the chemistry. All in all it suggests that I've had a myriad of experiences you have not encountered and never will do. 

By and large they have been very good experiences. But inevitably problems arise from time to time. Though few and far between, the fact is a higher number of incidents arose from 3rd PB. I set aside examples and analysis of the reasons. Suffice to say, that I have come to the conclusion that there is merit and even wisdom in the Policy. 

Consequently, I am now most cautious to accept 3rd PB, and only do so selectively and with the knowledge of Airbnb by means of getting the Booker to accept 'full Liability in any eventuality'--Morevoer, If the disclosure of 3rd PB is only post-booking, I think twice whether to continue the booking, because it indicates a lack of transparency by the booker which tends to herald futher problems. 

[Karl117]

some good points there,personally i like a profile picture but i think not everyone who books think its an issue.

[Marvin52]

As a man I feel the same way. I don't understand why we are penalized for declining a guest. I'm new to hosting only a week, I like it but I feel pressured by Airbnb to take all quest.

[Stephanie260]

I too am a single women in Daytona Beach area, and lately I have had a lot of guests who want to book, have a telephone number as their ID ? seriously Like that makes no sense to me.. No ID and no picture profile, and no reviews, I cant agree to this guest. Sometimes I do what Bruno says and fib a little, but I agree with you Laura, I  live alone, last year I had tons of bookings with great reviews, I am concerned about a telephone number being a for of ID, does AirBNB actually think this is a safe way to protect Hosts?

[Debbie96]

Well done.   I've also been most recently inspired by Laura's suggetion above and wrote the following response to an decline I just sent out:

"Dear xxxxx,  

Thank you, again, for your interest in staying with us.   Airbnb is different from hotels and is based on trust.   I’m sure you’ll  understand that our home is literally a our sanctuary.   I do everything I can so that everyone — both my family and my guests— feel safe, comfortable and, aware with whom they will be staying.   I haven’t received a reply to my last message so assume you’re don’t want to answer.    I hope you’ll understand this is why I’m declining.  Nonetheless, I do hope you enjoy your stay in Oxford.  

With all best wishes, Debbie"

[Linda-And-Richard0]

I once declined a request because the guest profile was blank.  No photo, no reviews or other details  I explained that, due to the lack of infomation, I was not comfortable renting to them.  Next day the guest sent a second request, compete with photo and a message about their family.  This time I accepted the request. 

[Debbie96]

Well done.

I was inspired by Laura's post above to send out this "Decline" message to a guest who requested to book:

Dear xxxxx,  

Thank you, again, for your interest in staying with us.   Airbnb is different from hotels and is based on trust.   I’m sure you’ll  understand that our home is literally a our sanctuary.   I do everything I can so that everyone — both my family and my guests— feel safe, comfortable and, aware with whom they will be staying.   I haven’t received a reply to my last message so assume you’re don’t want to answer.    I hope you’ll understand this is why I’m declining.  Nonetheless, I do hope you enjoy your stay in Oxford.   With all best wishes, Debbie

I gave them over 16 hours to respond before sending this decline and message.

[Jessica-and-Henry0]

When I want to be vague, I just say something along the lines of " Based on your inquiry and the information you have shared, I feel our home will not be a good fit for the your needs and expectations. Good luck finding a place that better suits your needs." and decline and also block that person if I'm worried they might try to book anyway.

[Debbie96]

How do you "block" that person??

Many thanks in advance for your help.