Post by High Priestess on Oct 5, 2015 2:11:07 GMT
Laura shared in AUgust 2015
accepting guests without positive host reviews?
Hi Everyone, Do you accept guests who have no reviews from other hosts?I have instant book turned on for verified guests WITH positive reviews. Someone requested to book who has no reviews. Her ID is verified. She can't use instant book because she doesn't have any reviews from hosts. So far, the only guests whom I've hosted who DIDN'T have host reviews broke several of my house rules, cost me money and great inconvenience (by something else they did) and they piled 8 people into my 2BR/1Bath condo for Outsidelands (long weekend / huge concert)... So I'm really leery of doing that again. Thoughts? What would you do here...? Thanks!
Joseph:
I think that a guest that lacks reviews from other hosts is a red flag to you .
Is the guest new to airbnb ? Have they reviewed hosts ? There may be a very good reason this person doesn't have reviews , and it isn't good ! Have you asked them why they don't have any reviews ?
Peter:
Hi Laura. I'm sorry to hear of the trouble you had with the non-reviewed guest you described. From my personal experience, if a guest doesn't have any past reviews, I scrutinize their profile information more closely. If there is a lack of information there (for example, nothing about where they are from, educational background, no face pic, no employment description etc) and especially if they have been Airbnb members for a while and yet still haven't bothered to complete their profile, those are red flags for me and I ask them to fill out their profile before I can consider their request. I often ask for additional information about the reason for their trip, description of their travel companion and since they have not been guests before, their expectations of their stay with me. Sometimes, asking all this scares them away. More often than not, they immediately fill out their profile and write back nicely with loads of information that puts me at ease in approving their booking request. When doing so, I often attach a message to the effect: "Dear ___, thanks for taking the time to complete your profile and to tell me about your trip. I'd be delighted to host you. Since this may be your first time being an Airbnb guest, please allow me to point out a few things that you may find useful. Please read my House Rules carefully ... etc." New Guests appreciate the care and information.
Keith:
I have had many first time Airbnb users and most have been great but it does require a bit more time educating and making clear what's expected. I haven't always been good at this and consider myself lucky.
If they have no reviews because its their first time...everyone has to start somewhere so you have to decide if you want to break in a newbie.
If they have stayed and not had reviews then joseph hit the nail on the headm..something is wrong.
Peter
Keith, is there a way of knowing if an Airbnb user has been a guest but have never been reviewed?
Keith
Not that I know of. Unless they've reviewed a host and younhaooen to see their review but I think that's statistically improbable. We should discuss this with Airbnb. What if they were a great guest but a host was lazy. I've had 2 recent hosts not review me. In enquired...one was quitting hosting and so felt it was pointless the other said he was too busybwoth work. I don't think either are good reasons not to take 30 seconds to review someone but alas. Profiles should show number of stays (and number of guests)
Ernest
I've hosted many people with no reviews and who have been members for a while. I've been curious about this too. I'm more curious about the ones who have no reviews but claim to have used Airbnb before, some of whom claim to have used it many times before. It would be nice if Airbnb included information about how many bookings a guest has completed or some information that can inform a host as to how experienced a guest is. Zero reviews but a member since 2012? Something's fishy.
accepting guests without positive host reviews?
Hi Everyone, Do you accept guests who have no reviews from other hosts?I have instant book turned on for verified guests WITH positive reviews. Someone requested to book who has no reviews. Her ID is verified. She can't use instant book because she doesn't have any reviews from hosts. So far, the only guests whom I've hosted who DIDN'T have host reviews broke several of my house rules, cost me money and great inconvenience (by something else they did) and they piled 8 people into my 2BR/1Bath condo for Outsidelands (long weekend / huge concert)... So I'm really leery of doing that again. Thoughts? What would you do here...? Thanks!
Joseph:
I think that a guest that lacks reviews from other hosts is a red flag to you .
Is the guest new to airbnb ? Have they reviewed hosts ? There may be a very good reason this person doesn't have reviews , and it isn't good ! Have you asked them why they don't have any reviews ?
Peter:
Hi Laura. I'm sorry to hear of the trouble you had with the non-reviewed guest you described. From my personal experience, if a guest doesn't have any past reviews, I scrutinize their profile information more closely. If there is a lack of information there (for example, nothing about where they are from, educational background, no face pic, no employment description etc) and especially if they have been Airbnb members for a while and yet still haven't bothered to complete their profile, those are red flags for me and I ask them to fill out their profile before I can consider their request. I often ask for additional information about the reason for their trip, description of their travel companion and since they have not been guests before, their expectations of their stay with me. Sometimes, asking all this scares them away. More often than not, they immediately fill out their profile and write back nicely with loads of information that puts me at ease in approving their booking request. When doing so, I often attach a message to the effect: "Dear ___, thanks for taking the time to complete your profile and to tell me about your trip. I'd be delighted to host you. Since this may be your first time being an Airbnb guest, please allow me to point out a few things that you may find useful. Please read my House Rules carefully ... etc." New Guests appreciate the care and information.
Keith:
I have had many first time Airbnb users and most have been great but it does require a bit more time educating and making clear what's expected. I haven't always been good at this and consider myself lucky.
If they have no reviews because its their first time...everyone has to start somewhere so you have to decide if you want to break in a newbie.
If they have stayed and not had reviews then joseph hit the nail on the headm..something is wrong.
Peter
Keith, is there a way of knowing if an Airbnb user has been a guest but have never been reviewed?
Keith
Not that I know of. Unless they've reviewed a host and younhaooen to see their review but I think that's statistically improbable. We should discuss this with Airbnb. What if they were a great guest but a host was lazy. I've had 2 recent hosts not review me. In enquired...one was quitting hosting and so felt it was pointless the other said he was too busybwoth work. I don't think either are good reasons not to take 30 seconds to review someone but alas. Profiles should show number of stays (and number of guests)
Ernest
I've hosted many people with no reviews and who have been members for a while. I've been curious about this too. I'm more curious about the ones who have no reviews but claim to have used Airbnb before, some of whom claim to have used it many times before. It would be nice if Airbnb included information about how many bookings a guest has completed or some information that can inform a host as to how experienced a guest is. Zero reviews but a member since 2012? Something's fishy.