Another Red Flag for me is when someone avoids answering every question I ask except one and I have to ask them two or three times. A lot of my rentals are people either getting married or attending a wedding - I have to be very specific letting them know that my place is not to be used as a hub for all of the other out of town guests. So many guests say they’re not having a party -they’re only going to have a ‘small gathering’ or a couple of friends stopping by for a quick drink. While this may be true for some, it hasn’t been my experience. I had one woman tell me that if she’s paying for it she should be able to do what she wants when she is there. I politely told her that I have certain conditions in which I am willing to rent my home and if she doesn’t like those conditions she should look for a different place.
Bottom line is to ask questions till you are comfortable. It's your house and your rules must be respected. Guest must answer them and abide by rules. Been a host for 4 years.
A huge red flag for me is when someone states that they want to send mail to the property. I have a very strict rule that I do not accept any packages or mail for guests. This also is a tactic for people trying to claim residency by having mail sent to a local address
AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH WRONG... I GET PACKAGES ALL THE TIME FROM AMAZON. AND ONCE LOST MY CREDIT CARD HAD TO GET MAIL.. MAYBE YOU SHOULD SCREEN YOUR GUEST BETTER
@@inmythoughts718 If someone sends mail to an AirBandB they can claim residency especially if its a utility bill or something to do with voter or car registration
That doesn’t mean anything unless the state you live has laws in place stating “receiving mail makes guests residence” when 30 days is usually required in many states for anyone to become residence. Also fedex, amazon, usps, and ups don’t mean anything at all. I could have someone from a different state ship something i forgot at home etc.
A few years I was staying at this traditional bed and breakfast which turned out to be very creepy. It reeked of mothballs and I felt like I was being watched at all times. I stayed one night and just walked out the next day, didn’t even ask for a refund. I looked for an Airbnb that would accept a same day booking and was so thankful that I found one. It was a simple studio with a broken dryer but it was better than sleeping in my car which I was fully ready to do. Same day and one day bookings have their place and can be legitimate due to unforeseen circumstances. I think listening to your instinct is your best bet, you can tell quickly if anything feels off.
People that ask rule breaking questions up front (it also tells me they haven't read any listing details)... Can I smoke, can I bring my pet, do I get the entire house, will you be there, do I get the bathroom to myself, can I check in early/late/day before and not pay more, I'm not showing up first day can I have extra free day
Cl Reed these questions used to bother me before as it was clear they never bothered to read the listing. For these sort of questions, it's best to give short and polite answers (keep your response rate up). Over the years, these questions have become less and less common (thankfully!) for me.
@@clreed244 Thanks for sharing. Has your occupancy rate stayed consistently positive? I'm just concerned about finding that sweet spot balance of being picky but also generating cash flow. Thanks!
@@cyrusjulian187 Things have fluctuated considerably due to COVID, economy and seasonality. What worked last year or the year and before cannot be the benchmark ongoing.
My pro tips (if 2 or more of the below are true, avoid guest) 1) same day booking 2) guest is under 30 years of age 3) guest communicates with poor grammar (e.g I wanna book ur home) 4) guest is local 5) guest has bad reviews (even 1 bad review) 6) guest enters 1 guest or your maximum capacity but does not enter any children 7) guest is unwilling to provide ID to verify themselves 8) guest has random picture of dog or car or guest has trashy photo
Same day booking dont mean nothing Being under 30, is not anything to worry about. That’s not poor grammar, it’s misspelling. A short cut to reduce the length of the text. One bad review does not weigh much. It’s difficult to satisfy everyone, some people complain over the smallest little things or nothing at all. You have lots of BS excuses the rest looks fine
@@lionedheart NOT disagreeing with you but just to have context, how many AirBnBs and how long have you hosted? Just curious to compare against OP? Thanks
@@lionedheart Either you fit in this list or you arent an experienced host. I can second most of the stuff on this list. Not that the guest is guaranteed to be bad, but theres a correlation for sure.
We avoid guests asking for month long stays in the off season (May - in Lake Tahoe for example) for below market rates. It could be tempting given there’s little / no booking at that time and even below market is better than nothing, but we don’t believe the risk from these kind of guests is worth it. Also, absolutely NO on requested stays longer than 30 days (which is rare) - in California you become a “tenant” instead of a “guest” after 30 days, and this would require costly eviction legal process if a “tenant” chose to not leave.
Good video 1. extreme last minute for short stay. People who come at 9pm and check out in the morning. 2. Obscure or filtered profile photo 3. People who created a profile two seconds before booking with you 4. When phone number on profile is not in service but they call you from a different phone I just ask them for a photo of an ID and a photo of them holding that ID. that weeds most of them out
Curious about #1? I'm a professional and have to travel a lot for work. I've booked several one night stays where I just needed a place to sleep for night and leave early morning. I barely used the rest of the furniture/house and made my bed. Easiest money for a host IMO.
I’m new to the Airbnb (str) world. Needless to say my wife and I are nervous, but excited to dive in, and start the str process for our vacation home. Your videos are a HUGE help in this process. Thank you for your information and candor, sir.
@@alexchopper7997 not yet. The remodel took longer than expected. We’re shooting for early spring of 2023, if we’re all still here. Lol Congratulations on your start up! Where abouts did you start yours?
@@308sniper7 Thanks! We are learning as we go and it’s been a great experience thus far. We still get nervous when a new guest arrives not knowing if it’s gonna be a nightmare guest or not lol. We’re in Bay Area California. Where’s your property located?
@@alexchopper7997 Are you accepting or rather, have you received any requests for 30 day + stays? I ask because I've heard about the dangerous tenant laws if someone stays too long and now you've got to evict them. Good luck and continued success to you!
@@cyrusjulian187We have not had a request for 30 days or more nor do we accept. Correct if someone stays at your property for 30 days or more and has mail delivered to your property it will be a nightmare to evict them- dumb California law. We are certainly not taking any chances in that regard. Thank you for the kind words and God bless 🙏
I totally agree with the red flags mentioned and agree to some also mentioned in the comments. Another strong red flag is 3rd party rental. “I’m renting for my friend..”. No way!!! I always say, “Feel free to pay for it but your friend needs to book...”.
Two comments on red flags. 1. I have had some very successful experiences with local guests when they are a remodeling a home, or have had a flood or other disaster. I would not count out local guests until you know their story. Sometimes these folks are being reimbursed by insurance, may stay an extended time, and may pay your regular nightly rates (because in many cases insurance is paying anyway, so they don’t care) to have a furnished place. 2. It’s not just the bad reviews of the guests themselves I would check. Pay particular attention to a prospective guest’s reviews of other hosts. As experienced hosts, most of us can tell immediately if this is a guest that we a) do not want in our homes, and b) do not want to give a platform via Airbnb to trash us. Some of these are new guests with unrealistic expectations, others are “professional guests“ who attempt to extort and defame hosts to get their stays refunded. Either way, it isn’t worth the grief.
Account holders paying for their unverified friend can also be a red flag. Don't let desperation for money allow you to invite an unverified guest in your home, especially if the account holder only has 1 or 2 reviews. Even if they had 10 good reviews, it is them who have good reviews, not their unverified friend, and since the friend isn't verified or a legit user, the account holder with the good reviews won't experience any consequences for your bad decision
I don't accept bookings from guests who do not have a government ID on file. if I get a request from someone without one I ask them to complete the verification and provide instructions. Most people do it quickly. Sometimes people don't do it at all and that is enough for me to reject the reservation.
I agree with this 100%. I absolutely will not allow bookings from a guest without a government ID. If the place is destroyed, and we need to pursue the security deposit, at least Airbnb can track them and/or put a penalty on their account. Without an ID, they can simply set up a new account.
Great video mate. I was wondering about how to stop the guest for having a party? Let's say they check in and it's already in the rule that party in not allowed but still they want to do it.
one I got often is some people claim to be host them self and want a discount or they have an extra guess that they can't lodge and they need to find them a place but at close inspection of their profile show that they live and host over 100 miles away
Another red flag is when guests read too much into your Airbnb negative reviews. I’ve had cases when guests have complained to Airbnb during their stay to get a discount or full refund over an issue that’s not an issue after they’ve left. Don’t accept their claims until you’ve verified them yourself
1. Guests not answering your questions. 2. Guests refuse to introduce themselves & instead just start peppering you with their questions 3. You feel uncomfortable in your online interaction with them & cant pinpoint as to why. This is your intuition telling you somethings up! Never EVER allow anyone into your home that you don’t feel good about!!!
I had a guest with a bad review and one good review. I questioned the bad review and clearly stated my concerns. He said they were having a “reunion.” I again stated my concerns and ended up accepting. A week later the guest canceled and flaked out.
I only allow 2 people in each of my rentals (no additional guests!) on my 4 acres. More then 2 gather and it's a louder experience and could be a party. I only rent to people over 25, no pets, vaping or smoking and I reiterate the rules upon insta book. I've had very successful first timers and I teach them how to fill out a profile and be a good guest by telling them about how it works with reviews and that it's not like a hotel, I thank them always for pitching in ( I personally set intentions for the space and the land while making the bed and being curious about my next people .. so fun!). Most of my people are Millennials, who I love, and lately 40 year anniversaries too.The people that have broken things I've learned the most from... AND... have been the most respectful and lovely honest people. I've actually enjoyed learning about how to be a better host because of them! I use Venmo for breakage on the spot and they send me $ right then and there base don what I think it will cost/my time to fix/ purchase, and we can heal the embarrassment at the same time while this transaction is occurring. it's a win- win! I love hosting people and its been quite a cool journey. Be there onsite, if you can, or get a house sitter to come and go to show visibility. leave 2 sets of boots on the doorstep if you are single.... and have fun and be authentic to who you are.. people love to see that!
Tho I agree with many of these 'disasters' I didn't see any Solutions . I ALWAYS read potential guest's reviews prior to accepting booking. If I have ANY concerns I send a message going over all House Rules and ask them to please read and confirm receipt. Once they reply I'll accept.
I had had the extra gust talk before, I just explain to them that they need to change the request for 2, I usually just tell them is an insurance thing.
Great video. Are there any negative ramifications to refusing someone? How exactly do you do that? After a series of questions, how do you let them down? Thanks.
Have turned down guests from China that wants to rent for 1 month,2 months, and 3 months at a time. Usually 1 guest traveling with his/her parents. They usually want to communicate directly via WhatsApp. The long rental might be due to getting a refund (cash) after complaints. Complaints could be anything plumbing(created), bed bugs (no proof).
Another red flag us when u Its clear that a guest does not read your house rules when they ask questions that are already in your house rules. And, they seem thirsty to get your check-in information even though the check-in time frame is not yet up.
Could you please let me know how to join the face book group? Do I need to subscribe first? I am going to start to Air BNB our home and am watching all you tube vids for advice. Thank you for them, a fantastic insight and help before I get started.
Richard , How might be the best way to get an actual security deposit from a guest . Airbnb’s is non existent even though its listed on the hosts page .... abnb neither collects or holds such money .
Happy New Year!! 2020 and beyond;-) the night stays! Ask your insurance. Ours excludes 1 night stays and if I get that included my rate would almost double. Please don't just allow 1 night stay just because the platform allows it.
I like the 1-nighter. (Unless it's a local teenager) They're there for less than 24 hours basically to sleep, _ _ _ _ and shower. Easy-Peasy. They're not cooking, they'll maybe make a pot of coffee. Same money spent and cleaning is a breeze. Most of the time they're travelers passing through on their way to or from Miami.
My problem with the 1 night stay is what if they pick a Saturday night during a festival, when you have people looking for 2 night stays. A one night stay here or there could totally disrupt selling more nights in one shot. Wouldnt you think?
Families with young children have left the worst mess. I understand kids dont fully understand but there parents not monitoring them is the issue. Stains, food crumbs all through the house, things touched that arent supposed to.
Red flag is when they communicate at all even when you are reaching out. I had a no show that claimed they could not locate my place and only sent a message at 1:30 am requesting refund
I'm assuming these screening questions are for when the guest messages you prior to booking and not in an "instant booking" situation. I personally leave instant booking on as leaving it off will significantly decrease your rankings.
You can still use instant book but they still have to answer your questions. If your not comfortable with the booking you can still call Airbnb and have them cancel the instant booking without penalty. Although they may ask you 20 questions lol I've gotten several bookings canceled this way
I use Instant Book, but typically these problems don't come from experienced Airbnb'ers, so while I do have Instant Book on, I also have the box clicked so I have to approve new 1st time guests. Also, locals DO send inquiries before booking (I find that anyone within the state considers themselves a local), since I have a rule about locals, and other various rules posted. I also ask various questions before approving new people.
He mentioned in a different video that he allows instant bookings for repeat customers of Airbnb with good reviews and a verified profile. He said it’s possible to filter the guests, and only allow instant booking to people who meet that criteria.
Another big red flag for me is the amount of writing they write when messaging their booking. I will always ask what the occasion is and can easily tell their motives by how the write.
Was it in Shakespears MacBeth the quote, "Thou doth protest too much". Thus, when someone has an enormous detailed (too detailed) story, highly excessive, there's a problem. Also a problem with just a one word response.
We shut down our Airbnb that was located in a room in our house in March 2020. We never resumed do an Airbnb. We felt uncomfortable when I was a stranger sleeping in a bedroom in our house. Any other comments?
If you are uncomfortable having a stranger sleeping in your bedroom in your house, you are right to shut it down, you are not cut out for being a host/this business
About the second or third day I was in the Airbnb program renting out a room my house, I saw the email transmission and I’m on automatic booking, with a young lady saying she wanted to rent my room for one night and she needed to be there in two hours.. She was a local. With no reviews. Since we are on automatic accept it was excepted I didn’t think I could back out of it. Looking back, she has no reviews she was local. And her boyfriend and she said she was going to bring a boyfriend, I didn’t know who he was I had no ideaWho he was. Not to sound again, I would not except someone with only two hours notice. I’ve not except someone that didn’t notify identify who her boyfriend was. Who is this mystery guest? But actually, in retrospect I’m wondering if it was a boyfriend? Or did money exchanged hands? It really disturbs me. Can you give me any feedback here? What can I do to make sure this never happens again?
What are ways and tips I can do to get a 5 star rating? I've never stayed at an airbnb, but I dream of going to Japan and Korea an staying with local there when i do to really put myself in the culture.
Lissa Live It’s pretty simple - Be respectful - Don’t do anything to upset the neighbors - leave the place the way you found it and adhere to the host policy’s and rules. In other words - treat the place as if it belongs to your boss!
Lissa Live - Honestly, some guest have left me little gift, while very nice, I done feel it’s necessary. I love a nice note and a five star review on the property. Recommendations to friends and family are always appreciated. Have a great trip - Relax and enjoy!!!
A RED FLAG for me that wasn't mentioned is the AGE of guests. I had a young woman who lived in my town and wanted to stay 1 night. She was 19! NO WAY! Even if it were only for herself and a guy hooking up, NOPE. Not doing it. Go to a Days Inn! Also, my houses are not suitable for infants and toddlers. I have no cribs, highchair, etc. When the guests say they have children I ask the ages of the kids and I explain why. Sometimes they don't bother to reply. Glad I asked.
Linda - I just had a 19 year old guest tell me I couldn’t legally deny them based on their age - She looked it up and sent me the state statute. I called Airbnb and they confirmed that I have to go by whatever the law is in my state for rentals - which is 18. I don’t understand why you can set a min age requirement on VRBO but not Airbnb. My place sleeps 10 - It doesn’t seem right to me or my neighbors that I can’t deny them based on age - I’m supposed to had over the keys to a 1.5 million dollar home to ten 18 year olds? No wonder there are so many problems with people throwing these huge parties.
I'm a future host (fixing up our future rental now), but was a recent VRBO guest in Maui. Just tonight I received an email of our host's review of me as a guest and I am flabbergasted. It's only my 2nd guest review, and I received only 4 starts for Overall experience, Communication and House rules (there were none), and only 3 stars for Cleanliness. We were clean, quiet, and left the place in great shape. I'd had to call management early in our stay to ask that their empty hand soap dispensers (all with less than 1/2" soap in each) please be filled so that we could wash our hands in the bathrooms. I gave them an OK review, which was honest but not gushy. I think the review was retaliative, but now it's a black mark on me. How much stake do YOU put in the guest's reviews?
Kalamity Kate as a host, you only get to see the overall score and not the breakdown. Personally, I wouldn’t be bothered by a guest with a 4 star review. Especially knowing how the rating system is setup. If I had any doubts, I’d reach out to the guest and ask questions. I’d think you’ll be just fine.
Wait, so you can’t wash your hands when a soap dispenser is slightly less than half full? Why? It has soap. It’s guests like you that make Airbnb difficult. You’ll see soon how pesky guests can be. Even more pesky than yiu
You can't wash your hands when the dispanser is half full? I'm a host and if you told me to refill the dispenser, I would do it but never accept you again ever. I mean comon, how can you be that entitled, just wash your hands with the dispenser half full goddamnit you don't need to be making trouble for that
Generally this is correct - dont book locals ! they check out a place security when they rent..or organize parties - then check the calendar to see when its free - and return with a copied key to steal everything ...
@@daniellebarnard6356 How could Sean be racist if you have no picture or any other way to identify you/your race? May the Lord bring YOU genuine love and humble you from your automatic negative assumptions.
Another Red Flag for me is when someone avoids answering every question I ask except one and I have to ask them two or three times. A lot of my rentals are people either getting married or attending a wedding - I have to be very specific letting them know that my place is not to be used as a hub for all of the other out of town guests. So many guests say they’re not having a party -they’re only going to have a ‘small gathering’ or a couple of friends stopping by for a quick drink. While this may be true for some, it hasn’t been my experience. I had one woman tell me that if she’s paying for it she should be able to do what she wants when she is there. I politely told her that I have certain conditions in which I am willing to rent my home and if she doesn’t like those conditions she should look for a different place.
The nerve!
Bottom line is to ask questions till you are comfortable. It's your house and your rules must be respected. Guest must answer them and abide by rules. Been a host for 4 years.
A huge red flag for me is when someone states that they want to send mail to the property. I have a very strict rule that I do not accept any packages or mail for guests. This also is a tactic for people trying to claim residency by having mail sent to a local address
AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH WRONG... I GET PACKAGES ALL THE TIME FROM AMAZON. AND ONCE LOST MY CREDIT CARD HAD TO GET MAIL..
MAYBE YOU SHOULD SCREEN YOUR GUEST BETTER
@@inmythoughts718 If someone sends mail to an AirBandB they can claim residency especially if its a utility bill or something to do with voter or car registration
@@zekeigtos7240 news if u stay more than 30 days that's residence just as well
@@inmythoughts718 Amazon is not mail in the traditional sense. Mail is bills, checks, letters etc…
That doesn’t mean anything unless the state you live has laws in place stating “receiving mail makes guests residence” when 30 days is usually required in many states for anyone to become residence. Also fedex, amazon, usps, and ups don’t mean anything at all. I could have someone from a different state ship something i forgot at home etc.
A few years I was staying at this traditional bed and breakfast which turned out to be very creepy. It reeked of mothballs and I felt like I was being watched at all times. I stayed one night and just walked out the next day, didn’t even ask for a refund. I looked for an Airbnb that would accept a same day booking and was so thankful that I found one. It was a simple studio with a broken dryer but it was better than sleeping in my car which I was fully ready to do. Same day and one day bookings have their place and can be legitimate due to unforeseen circumstances.
I think listening to your instinct is your best bet, you can tell quickly if anything feels off.
I agree. The local guest is the most worrisome in my opinion. These guests are typically parties waiting to happen.
Happy 2020 Richard and everyone in the comments section! Thank you for video!
People that ask rule breaking questions up front (it also tells me they haven't read any listing details)... Can I smoke, can I bring my pet, do I get the entire house, will you be there, do I get the bathroom to myself, can I check in early/late/day before and not pay more, I'm not showing up first day can I have extra free day
Cl Reed these questions used to bother me before as it was clear they never bothered to read the listing. For these sort of questions, it's best to give short and polite answers (keep your response rate up). Over the years, these questions have become less and less common (thankfully!) for me.
@@Imran-wd2nr these are red flags to me, they don't bother me
@@clreed244 Thanks for sharing. Has your occupancy rate stayed consistently positive? I'm just concerned about finding that sweet spot balance of being picky but also generating cash flow. Thanks!
@@cyrusjulian187 Things have fluctuated considerably due to COVID, economy and seasonality. What worked last year or the year and before cannot be the benchmark ongoing.
My pro tips (if 2 or more of the below are true, avoid guest)
1) same day booking
2) guest is under 30 years of age
3) guest communicates with poor grammar (e.g I wanna book ur home)
4) guest is local
5) guest has bad reviews (even 1 bad review)
6) guest enters 1 guest or your maximum capacity but does not enter any children
7) guest is unwilling to provide ID to verify themselves
8) guest has random picture of dog or car or guest has trashy photo
Same day booking dont mean nothing
Being under 30, is not anything to worry about. That’s not poor grammar, it’s misspelling. A short cut to reduce the length of the text. One bad review does not weigh much. It’s difficult to satisfy everyone, some people complain over the smallest little things or nothing at all.
You have lots of BS excuses the rest looks fine
@@lionedheart NOT disagreeing with you but just to have context, how many AirBnBs and how long have you hosted? Just curious to compare against OP? Thanks
@@lionedheart Either you fit in this list or you arent an experienced host. I can second most of the stuff on this list. Not that the guest is guaranteed to be bad, but theres a correlation for sure.
How will you know beforehand when they are bringing kids tho?
We avoid guests asking for month long stays in the off season (May - in Lake Tahoe for example) for below market rates. It could be tempting given there’s little / no booking at that time and even below market is better than nothing, but we don’t believe the risk from these kind of guests is worth it.
Also, absolutely NO on requested stays longer than 30 days (which is rare) - in California you become a “tenant” instead of a “guest” after 30 days, and this would require costly eviction legal process if a “tenant” chose to not leave.
WRONG.. I WAS JUST UP IN THAT AREA AND SPENT 4 MONTHS, AS A WRITER SOMETIMES YOU NEED A CLEAR MIND... MAYBE ITS YOU AND YOU SHOULD NOT RENT
@@inmythoughts718 Lol, you just proved the OP's point... You're losing your mind and yelling over something minor. Not a mark of a good tenant.
Good video
1. extreme last minute for short stay. People who come at 9pm and check out in the morning.
2. Obscure or filtered profile photo
3. People who created a profile two seconds before booking with you
4. When phone number on profile is not in service but they call you from a different phone
I just ask them for a photo of an ID and a photo of them holding that ID. that weeds most of them out
Curious about #1? I'm a professional and have to travel a lot for work. I've booked several one night stays where I just needed a place to sleep for night and leave early morning. I barely used the rest of the furniture/house and made my bed. Easiest money for a host IMO.
I’m new to the Airbnb (str) world. Needless to say my wife and I are nervous, but excited to dive in, and start the str process for our vacation home. Your videos are a HUGE help in this process. Thank you for your information and candor, sir.
Have you started sniper? We are beginners too and went live end of April. So far so good 😊
@@alexchopper7997 not yet. The remodel took longer than expected. We’re shooting for early spring of 2023, if we’re all still here. Lol
Congratulations on your start up! Where abouts did you start yours?
@@308sniper7 Thanks! We are learning as we go and it’s been a great experience thus far. We still get nervous when a new guest arrives not knowing if it’s gonna be a nightmare guest or not lol. We’re in Bay Area California. Where’s your property located?
@@alexchopper7997 Are you accepting or rather, have you received any requests for 30 day + stays? I ask because I've heard about the dangerous tenant laws if someone stays too long and now you've got to evict them. Good luck and continued success to you!
@@cyrusjulian187We have not had a request for 30 days or more nor do we accept. Correct if someone stays at your property for 30 days or more and has mail delivered to your property it will be a nightmare to evict them- dumb California law. We are certainly not taking any chances in that regard. Thank you for the kind words and God bless 🙏
I totally agree with the red flags mentioned and agree to some also mentioned in the comments. Another strong red flag is 3rd party rental. “I’m renting for my friend..”. No way!!! I always say, “Feel free to pay for it but your friend needs to book...”.
Agree, but that one is also against Airbnb's Terms of Service.
Great, advice. Any type, of a guest asking or just sneaking an other person in through the night
Two comments on red flags.
1. I have had some very successful experiences with local guests when they are a remodeling a home, or have had a flood or other disaster. I would not count out local guests until you know their story. Sometimes these folks are being reimbursed by insurance, may stay an extended time, and may pay your regular nightly rates (because in many cases insurance is paying anyway, so they don’t care) to have a furnished place.
2. It’s not just the bad reviews of the guests themselves I would check. Pay particular attention to a prospective guest’s reviews of other hosts. As experienced hosts, most of us can tell immediately if this is a guest that we a) do not want in our homes, and b) do not want to give a platform via Airbnb to trash us. Some of these are new guests with unrealistic expectations, others are “professional guests“ who attempt to extort and defame hosts to get their stays refunded. Either way, it isn’t worth the grief.
How can you see what they wrote about other hosts?
Solid info. Thanks!
Account holders paying for their unverified friend can also be a red flag. Don't let desperation for money allow you to invite an unverified guest in your home, especially if the account holder only has 1 or 2 reviews. Even if they had 10 good reviews, it is them who have good reviews, not their unverified friend, and since the friend isn't verified or a legit user, the account holder with the good reviews won't experience any consequences for your bad decision
I don't accept bookings from guests who do not have a government ID on file. if I get a request from someone without one I ask them to complete the verification and provide instructions. Most people do it quickly. Sometimes people don't do it at all and that is enough for me to reject the reservation.
I agree with this 100%. I absolutely will not allow bookings from a guest without a government ID. If the place is destroyed, and we need to pursue the security deposit, at least Airbnb can track them and/or put a penalty on their account. Without an ID, they can simply set up a new account.
Great video mate. I was wondering about how to stop the guest for having a party? Let's say they check in and it's already in the rule that party in not allowed but still they want to do it.
Take a picture of the mess they made and charge them through airbnb for it and never accept them ever again
I've also heard of other hosts using noise detection tools, contacting AirBnB and even having security on call to come break up the party asap
one I got often is some people claim to be host them self and want a discount or they have an extra guess that they can't lodge and they need to find them a place but at close inspection of their profile show that they live and host over 100 miles away
How about guests without any review?
Pl share the link of the Facebook page
Another red flag is when guests read too much into your Airbnb negative reviews. I’ve had cases when guests have complained to Airbnb during their stay to get a discount or full refund over an issue that’s not an issue after they’ve left. Don’t accept their claims until you’ve verified them yourself
1. Guests not answering your questions.
2. Guests refuse to introduce themselves & instead just start peppering you with their questions
3. You feel uncomfortable in your online interaction with them & cant pinpoint as to why. This is your intuition telling you somethings up! Never EVER allow anyone into your home that you don’t feel good about!!!
I like #3. "can't pinpoint as to why". That is a good one!
I had a guest with a bad review and one good review. I questioned the bad review and clearly stated my concerns. He said they were having a “reunion.” I again stated my concerns and ended up accepting. A week later the guest canceled and flaked out.
Richard, these are amazing. Thank you
HE'S WRONG... I ALWAYS NEGOTIATE AND I AM A LOCAL.. AND I HAVE OVER 20 GREAT REVIEWS.. EVERYONE IS DIFFERENT
I only allow 2 people in each of my rentals (no additional guests!) on my 4 acres. More then 2 gather and it's a louder experience and could be a party. I only rent to people over 25, no pets, vaping or smoking and I reiterate the rules upon insta book. I've had very successful first timers and I teach them how to fill out a profile and be a good guest by telling them about how it works with reviews and that it's not like a hotel, I thank them always for pitching in ( I personally set intentions for the space and the land while making the bed and being curious about my next people .. so fun!). Most of my people are Millennials, who I love, and lately 40 year anniversaries too.The people that have broken things I've learned the most from... AND... have been the most respectful and lovely honest people. I've actually enjoyed learning about how to be a better host because of them! I use Venmo for breakage on the spot and they send me $ right then and there base don what I think it will cost/my time to fix/ purchase, and we can heal the embarrassment at the same time while this transaction is occurring. it's a win- win! I love hosting people and its been quite a cool journey. Be there onsite, if you can, or get a house sitter to come and go to show visibility. leave 2 sets of boots on the doorstep if you are single.... and have fun and be authentic to who you are.. people love to see that!
Tho I agree with many of these 'disasters' I didn't see any Solutions . I ALWAYS read potential guest's reviews prior to accepting booking. If I have ANY concerns I send a message going over all House Rules and ask them to please read and confirm receipt. Once they reply I'll accept.
I had had the extra gust talk before, I just explain to them that they need to change the request for 2, I usually just tell them is an insurance thing.
I started charging at the 4-guest rate for 1-4.
Great video.
Are there any negative ramifications to refusing someone? How exactly do you do that? After a series of questions, how do you let them down? Thanks.
Unplugged Resort - I just say that my property is not a good fit for their needs.
@@barbaracioffi3342 So you're sure AirBnB's algorithm doesn't keep track of that?
thanks again for the help 👍🏻
Have turned down guests from China that wants to rent for 1 month,2 months, and 3 months at a time. Usually 1 guest traveling with his/her parents. They usually want to communicate directly via WhatsApp. The long rental might be due to getting a refund (cash) after complaints.
Complaints could be anything plumbing(created), bed bugs (no proof).
What is the best platform to use when doing direct bookings? Will all this be available on the new website coming out?
Another red flag us when u
Its clear that a guest does not read your house rules when they ask questions that are already in your house rules. And, they seem thirsty to get your check-in information even though the check-in time frame is not yet up.
What about people having packages delivered ( UPS ,,, Fedex ) to the rental ... is this cause for consern ?
Could you please let me know how to join the face book group? Do I need to subscribe first? I am going to start to Air BNB our home and am watching all you tube vids for advice. Thank you for them, a fantastic insight and help before I get started.
Richard , How might be the best way to get an actual security deposit from a guest . Airbnb’s is non existent even though its listed on the hosts page .... abnb neither collects or holds such money .
Happy New Year!! 2020 and beyond;-) the night stays! Ask your insurance. Ours excludes 1 night stays and if I get that included my rate would almost double. Please don't just allow 1 night stay just because the platform allows it.
I like the 1-nighter. (Unless it's a local teenager) They're there for less than 24 hours basically to sleep, _ _ _ _ and shower. Easy-Peasy. They're not cooking, they'll maybe make a pot of coffee. Same money spent and cleaning is a breeze. Most of the time they're travelers passing through on their way to or from Miami.
My problem with the 1 night stay is what if they pick a Saturday night during a festival, when you have people looking for 2 night stays. A one night stay here or there could totally disrupt selling more nights in one shot. Wouldnt you think?
May I ask what insurance carrier you use?
Reservations for the same day for me is a big red flag...
Why
@@lionedheart Read the comments above, there are tons of explanations for why
Do you get to interview them over the phone, FaceTime or is it strictly through email or the website?
Families with young children have left the worst mess. I understand kids dont fully understand but there parents not monitoring them is the issue. Stains, food crumbs all through the house, things touched that arent supposed to.
How can you do any of these screenings if you do INSTANT BOOK??
You can cancel instant book reservations if you're not happy. it literally says that multiple times when you are turning instant book on or off.....
JUST DONT DO IT BASED ON RACE AND SOME PEOPLE ARE
Red flag is when they communicate at all even when you are reaching out. I had a no show that claimed they could not locate my place and only sent a message at 1:30 am requesting refund
So in order to use this screening process I’m assuming you don’t use the instant book feature, correct?
I also would like to know this. I hear mixed info about insta book.
I'm assuming these screening questions are for when the guest messages you prior to booking and not in an "instant booking" situation. I personally leave instant booking on as leaving it off will significantly decrease your rankings.
You can still use instant book but they still have to answer your questions. If your not comfortable with the booking you can still call Airbnb and have them cancel the instant booking without penalty. Although they may ask you 20 questions lol I've gotten several bookings canceled this way
I use Instant Book, but typically these problems don't come from experienced Airbnb'ers, so while I do have Instant Book on, I also have the box clicked so I have to approve new 1st time guests. Also, locals DO send inquiries before booking (I find that anyone within the state considers themselves a local), since I have a rule about locals, and other various rules posted. I also ask various questions before approving new people.
He mentioned in a different video that he allows instant bookings for repeat customers of Airbnb with good reviews and a verified profile. He said it’s possible to filter the guests, and only allow instant booking to people who meet that criteria.
Hosts need to see what the guest's star rating is for THEIR REVIEWS of others. Anyone who punishes a host with 1-star reviews is not welcome.
Another big red flag for me is the amount of writing they write when messaging their booking. I will always ask what the occasion is and can easily tell their motives by how the write.
Was it in Shakespears MacBeth the quote, "Thou doth protest too much". Thus, when someone has an enormous detailed (too detailed) story, highly excessive, there's a problem. Also a problem with just a one word response.
WRONG, I ALWAYS SEND A MESSAGE.. YOU GUYS ARE JUST GRASPING FOR STRAWS
@@SirenaSpades 👍🏼
We shut down our Airbnb that was located in a room in our house in March 2020. We never resumed do an Airbnb. We felt uncomfortable when I was a stranger sleeping in a bedroom in our house. Any other comments?
If you are uncomfortable having a stranger sleeping in your bedroom in your house, you are right to shut it down, you are not cut out for being a host/this business
@@CFinch360 How do I block you? Please refrain from communication with me
About the second or third day I was in the Airbnb program renting out a room my house, I saw the email transmission and I’m on automatic booking, with a young lady saying she wanted to rent my room for one night and she needed to be there in two hours.. She was a local. With no reviews. Since we are on automatic accept it was excepted I didn’t think I could back out of it. Looking back, she has no reviews she was local. And her boyfriend and she said she was going to bring a boyfriend, I didn’t know who he was I had no ideaWho he was. Not to sound again, I would not except someone with only two hours notice. I’ve not except someone that didn’t notify identify who her boyfriend was. Who is this mystery guest? But actually, in retrospect I’m wondering if it was a boyfriend? Or did money exchanged hands? It really disturbs me. Can you give me any feedback here? What can I do to make sure this never happens again?
My very first asked for a preview and to leave luggage a day early. He stayed and canceled the actual booking.
turn of your Instant Booking setting - as you you to feel comfortable about potential guests BEFORE the can book !!
What are ways and tips I can do to get a 5 star rating?
I've never stayed at an airbnb, but I dream of going to Japan and Korea an staying with local there when i do to really put myself in the culture.
Lissa Live It’s pretty simple - Be respectful - Don’t do anything to upset the neighbors - leave the place the way you found it and adhere to the host policy’s and rules. In other words - treat the place as if it belongs to your boss!
@@barbaracioffi3342 is there any way i can go above and beyond as a guest? Maybe bring a gift and a note to leave when we check out?
Lissa Live - Honestly, some guest have left me little gift, while very nice, I done feel it’s necessary. I love a nice note and a five star review on the property. Recommendations to friends and family are always appreciated. Have a great trip - Relax and enjoy!!!
A RED FLAG for me that wasn't mentioned is the AGE of guests. I had a young woman who lived in my town and wanted to stay 1 night. She was 19! NO WAY! Even if it were only for herself and a guy hooking up, NOPE. Not doing it. Go to a Days Inn! Also, my houses are not suitable for infants and toddlers. I have no cribs, highchair, etc. When the guests say they have children I ask the ages of the kids and I explain why. Sometimes they don't bother to reply. Glad I asked.
Linda - I just had a 19 year old guest tell me I couldn’t legally deny them based on their age - She looked it up and sent me the state statute. I called Airbnb and they confirmed that I have to go by whatever the law is in my state for rentals - which is 18. I don’t understand why you can set a min age requirement on VRBO but not Airbnb. My place sleeps 10 - It doesn’t seem right to me or my neighbors that I can’t deny them based on age - I’m supposed to had over the keys to a 1.5 million dollar home to ten 18 year olds? No wonder there are so many problems with people throwing these huge parties.
@@barbaracioffi3342 At the end, did you rent it out to her?
NOW GUESTS JUST LIE >>> LIE >>> and LIE.... to have a party and do what they like -- BE SUPER CAREFUL !!
How about hosts stop lying about property descriptions. Then you can get good reviews
HONESTLY
I'm a future host (fixing up our future rental now), but was a recent VRBO guest in Maui. Just tonight I received an email of our host's review of me as a guest and I am flabbergasted. It's only my 2nd guest review, and I received only 4 starts for Overall experience, Communication and House rules (there were none), and only 3 stars for Cleanliness. We were clean, quiet, and left the place in great shape. I'd had to call management early in our stay to ask that their empty hand soap dispensers (all with less than 1/2" soap in each) please be filled so that we could wash our hands in the bathrooms. I gave them an OK review, which was honest but not gushy. I think the review was retaliative, but now it's a black mark on me. How much stake do YOU put in the guest's reviews?
Kalamity Kate as a host, you only get to see the overall score and not the breakdown. Personally, I wouldn’t be bothered by a guest with a 4 star review. Especially knowing how the rating system is setup. If I had any doubts, I’d reach out to the guest and ask questions. I’d think you’ll be just fine.
I think you need to prepare yourself to be a million percent vested in guest reviews or prepare to close up shop!
Wait, so you can’t wash your hands when a soap dispenser is slightly less than half full? Why? It has soap. It’s guests like you that make Airbnb difficult. You’ll see soon how pesky guests can be. Even more pesky than yiu
You can't wash your hands when the dispanser is half full? I'm a host and if you told me to refill the dispenser, I would do it but never accept you again ever. I mean comon, how can you be that entitled, just wash your hands with the dispenser half full goddamnit you don't need to be making trouble for that
@@kingdomcars3165 1/2” most likely meant half an inch.
Discount thing is silly. I ask all the time.
Let me know when you are in bali sir🤓
YOU SIR ARE 1000000000% WRONG... I AM LOCAL.. I ALWAYS NEGOTIATE... AND I HAVE OVER 25 OF THE REVIEWS AND THEY ARE ALL POSITIVE. SO WRONG YOU ARE...
But I wouldn’t host you no matter how many reviews you have
Sean , may the lord bring you genuine love to humble your racist heart !
@@daniellebarnard6356
Haha. It’s that which saved my homes from being trashed. Money over hurt feelings darling
Generally this is correct - dont book locals ! they check out a place security when they rent..or organize parties - then check the calendar to see when its free - and return with a copied key to steal everything ...
@@daniellebarnard6356 How could Sean be racist if you have no picture or any other way to identify you/your race? May the Lord bring YOU genuine love and humble you from your automatic negative assumptions.