Many aspiring and new business owners may inquire of us: what do you do when your visitors wreck the place? Every owner of a vacation home or Airbnb host dreads it. The unavoidable visitor who enters and simply flips the listing upside down. One of the main drawbacks of Airbnb is unreliable visitors. Even though it doesn’t happen very often, everyone has their own hosting horror story. Rarely do we have visitors who damage costs thousands or even hundreds of dollars. In order to prevent this, hosts frequently demand verified identification, a sizable security deposit, in-person check-in, or even an assessment of their prospective guests. Be extremely cautious while making your reservation as it may significantly affect your Airbnb search rankings. We believe that this can result in discrimination and that it frequently won’t stop the precise thing about which you are concerned. It has always been an unexpected guest who has been less than respectful of our property when it has happened to us. However, we wish to respond to the query, “What are good reasons for turning down Airbnb guests?”
What are valid excuses for turning down Airbnb guests?
If you’re turning down bookings on Airbnb, you might be wondering how to make money there. A terrible visitor isn’t worth it, believe us. It nearly always results in headaches, complaints from visitors, and negative Airbnb reviews. In any case, another request will probably come in from a satisfied customer who will write a stellar review. Unfortunately, in order to reject an Airbnb visitor, you usually need a valid excuse. When it comes to determining who can book their listing, Airbnb’s rival services typically give the host more discretion.
Not of Legal Age
It would be advisable to deny service to a potential guest if you have reason to believe they are a child. This also applies to parents who reserve a space for their unaccompanied children to stay in. The liability concerns that might later arise are not worth it. Not to mention that it is against the age restrictions and terms of service of Airbnb.
Any Type of Commercial Video or Photos
It is probably not a smart idea to rent to anyone who wants to perform any type of photography in your listing unless you are going to put an additional contract in place with the production company and know what you are doing when it comes to confirming the production’s insurance policy. Since amateurs or students are more likely to look for an Airbnb to shoot in, your liability is increased. Simply state that no commercial photography is permitted and press the decline button rather than giving in to the offer of a “credit in the end product” or believing that it will be a nice “advertisement.”
More People Than the Permitted Occupancy Limitations
Frequently, visitors will request to bring more guests than allowed by your listing. We’ve discovered that if we permit this, the visitor will bring even more people than they originally requested. In reality, “only one more person” will mean three or perhaps four more. When denying Airbnb visitors, it is best to stick to your occupancy limitations, especially if doing otherwise could result in breaking rental laws or municipal legislation. The fine is not justified.
Animals in a Non-Pet Listing
It’s crucial that you, as an Airbnb host, don’t grant exceptions for guests who request to bring pets unless you specifically mention that you occasionally do so in your listing. If this were not the case, customers with severe allergies would make reservations after an occasional pet without anticipating the allergens to be there. This may lead to a poor review or perhaps legal action! It is crucial to remember that unless there is a health or safety concern, you should not turn away any visitor who claims to have a service animal. As a host, you should familiarize yourself with Airbnb’s service animal policy.
Most of their Airbnb Reviews are Unfavorable
This is a no-brainer when it comes to reasons to reject Airbnb visitors. It might not be a good idea to let a guest rent your house if they have a lot of bad Airbnb ratings. It could be preferable to merely get the guest’s perspective if there are only one or possibly even two unfavorable evaluations, but lots of positive ones as well. There are hosts who can be harsh, much like how sometimes visitors can be unfair in their reviews!
Haggling and Price Shaming
Numerous people frequently contact you about your listing and demand a large discount. These visitors, in our experience, frequently prove to be more trouble than they are worth. Additionally, they are the visitors who are most likely to try squatting in your listing. You’ve put a lot of effort into correctly pricing your listing. Resist the urge to bargain!
