Is it better to decline a reservation request or let it expire?

[David-and-Annie0]

Is it better to decline a reservation request to book or let it expire? 
I have never let a request expire and wonder what will happen. Will the dates remain permanently blocked? Or can I open them back up again?

(I have declined requests but really try not to as I understand it hurts our ranking as hosts.)

I messaged the potential guest back explaining aspects of our place and how they would relate to her group, asking her to let us know if she was okay with it, and if she wasn’t, to go ahead and withdraw her request.

I also always ask potential guests to read and agree to the house rules, and I expect them to respond that they have. 
I’m not hearing anything back from her and my time to “accept or decline” is rapidly about to expire.
What is the better option for me as a host? Decline? Or let the request expire? 
Thank you!

[Emiel1]

@David-and-Annie0 

A request must be accepted or declined within the time limit. If not, it affects you ratings and the date(s) will be blocked (but you can make them available again). If you decline too frequently, you risk airbnb is pausing your account.

An Inquiry has no obligation to accept or decline, just answer the question within the time limit.

best regards,

Emiel

[Colleen253]

 "If you decline too frequently, you risk airbnb is pausing your account". Further to what I said below, I think this is also heinous. It's often falls to the host to decline, when a guest hasn't done their due diligence by reading the listing or the rules. So,if  it turns out the listing isn't suited to them, you ask them to withdraw their request. If they don't do it, which is often the case, then you have to decline. It should not count against you.

Any other hosts often feel like 'Cinderella'?😣

@Emiel1 

[Emilia42]

@David-and-Annie0 

With a booking request, when you let the time run out that counts as a decline. In your case, I would say "I am going to decline your request to stay since I have not heard back from you. Hosts are penalized if we do not accept or decline within the 24-hour time frame." Give it 20 minutes and then decline. 

[Laura2592]

As others have said go ahead and decline the request so you don't get a ding.

[Colleen253]

@David-and-Annie0 

I believe it's better to decline if you have to, rather than let the clock run out. I can tell you what happens when you let it run out. You get a nasty, shaming, finger wagging message from Airbnb that makes you feel lower on the totem pole of life than a common speck of dirt on the ground.

In my house rules I ask guests to please link all guests on the booking with their Airbnb profiles, or provide me full names (I abhor 'guest 2, guest 3...') This is required before we accept a booking. The guest, even though she said she read the rules, did not fulfill this request. I messaged her asking her to re read the rules and provide the info, but never heard anything from her. The clock ticked down and I decided to just see what happens when you do nothing. She didn't reply until after the request had expired. Then I got the stinky message from Airbnb. I think it's heinous the way they treat hosts, when it's not always the case that one is being inattentive, etc. 

[Grayson0]

Airbnb really needs a button for hosts that throws the onus to reply back on the guest. 

Status = "Waiting for reply from guest" which starts a timer for the guest. You have 24 hours to reply to the host or your request will be automatically cancelled. 

Many guests don't seem educated on the request system or messages system.