Guest requests offline contact information

Christine3443
Level 2
Los Angeles, CA

Guest requests offline contact information

Hello I am a new host and have received a request from a guest who would like "video Tour" of my house and would it be okay to give them my contact information "this will facilitate our communication." 

 

What are your experienced thoughts?

 

Thank you!

13 Replies 13
Vanessa1669
Level 3
Claremore, OK

Hi Christine,

 

Video tours are cool and can be a great opportunity to highlight your place, I'm actually looking forward to doing one myself. Some people do a simple walk through both on or off camera, or you can use a drone. Seeing that it is your property you can let them know whether or not it is a service you are willing/able to provide. If you do have that expertise I bet you can solicit help from the online community. If you decide to move forward, simply make sure your listing is in tip top shape-then go to town-have fun with it! Best of luck to you and yours!

Vanessa Mullings

Thanks for your response!

 

This guest has requested I give them my offline contact and do a tour through what's app. Does this invalidate any policies with air bnb?

Not a good idea…..

Helen3
Level 10
Bristol, United Kingdom

Yes it's against Airbnb' T&C to communicate with a guest off platform until you have a confirmed booking @Christine3443 

 

It's to stop hosts and guests making direct bookings when the inquiry came through Airbnb.

 

If you have a comprehensive listing and photos there's no need for a guest to have a video tour before they book.

Sudsrung0
Level 10
Rawai, Thailand

@Christine3443 

We get a few of these request as Im sure others do, They are more often than not a scam or in our case here usually agents trying to do business off the platform.

Also dont forget if you go off the platform you have no cover, 

We had a request the other day Airbnb flagged it straight away,

Thanks for this - appreciate it!

Cathie19
Level 10
Darwin, Australia

Look @Christine3443, if you have a detailed enough description and back that up with plenty of good images, than videos although the rage, are not necessary.

 

I never go off the AIrbnb message board, unless a confirmed guest sends information through WhatsApp to me. 

HOWEVER, I ALWAYS state that this information will be duplicated back onto the AIrbnb message board for documentation and safety for both of us.

 

If I’ve had a face to face information conversation with a guest, that will also go on the AIrbnb message board  as , “just confirming from our chat earlier…… blah blah etc…..”

 

If unhappy with things just say no, or screenshot the direct comment and place it as a photograph on the AIrbnb message board. That tends to cut the conversation to a proper one. They then know you are being professional and covering your back and theirs. Scammers will run… 

Santiago60
Level 2
Miami, FL

Airbnb covers guests for ''inaccurate listings or scams''. If you have enough photos, and a description, you don't need to do anything else. I suggest don't send it, especially from outside of your property in a way that they might recognize or locate it. Better to be safe from any type of scams or attempt to book outside of Airbnbs. Scammers are very creative sometimes.

Best,

Huma0
Level 10
London, United Kingdom

@Christine3443 

 

I host long term stays, so it's not weird to me that a guest might ask for a video tour, especially if they are new to Airbnb/long term stays. Still this happens very rarely.

 

However, it's the combination of that with 


@Christine3443 wrote:

and would it be okay to give them my contact information "this will facilitate our communication." 

 


that is a massive red flag to me. Sounds like a scammer. Communicating with guests off platform before a booking is made could get you kicked off Airbnb and, even if it doesn't, there are all sorts of other things that could go wrong. I would simply not go there. At best, this is someone just trying to avoid paying the Airbnb service fees. At worst, it's someone who wants to check out your property to burglarise it or for some sort of financial scam.

 

Unfortunately, Airbnb doesn't give any options to do a video tour prior to booking without communicating off platform. A lot of hosts have asked for the functionality to upload videos to their listings, but Airbnb hasn't made it possible so far, for some reason.

Hi, I recently tried to list my experience . It says my submission is approved but no live yet. 

Could you share me your experience if you have could solution on it? 

Aman

Kamani0
Level 1
Gatineau, Canada

Hello @Christine3443 Christine, i had the same type of request and u am a new host as well,

guest requested to book 5 months but wanted ti speak off Airbnb for a video showing.

any updates on your booking?

did you accept the guest?

No I was advised to to do that. I just said it was against Air bnb rules and these types of requests go away.

Katja202
Level 10
Ruinen, Netherlands

@Christine3443 I made an insta account and i made a reel about The Shepherd’s hut. If people ask me for a video i refer them to insta. 😀

Groetjes Katja