Potential Guest?

[Steve22]

This is the first on this site . I have opened up my home . I have someone who wished to stay for one month. He is 20 from lets say a Middle East Country. Apparently his parents are paying for his Airfair so he visit his friends and now he wants to pay in cash when he gets here .

I have asked many questions as  this is not sitting correct with me, he has no reviews, i know nothing about this bloke, only a pic . 

Has anyone else had something similiar happen ?

I dont know what to do and by the sounds of things  this bloke has made a quick decision to come to Australia  as he has not booked his flight yet  - he plans on arriving 13th march . Everything just does not sit right .

Hope someone can talk me through this 

Thanks 

[Robin4 · Accepted solution]

@Steve22 Hi there Steve.....Welcome to Airbnb and the Community Forum. I hope your time hosting with Airbnb will be as wonderful as mine (and many other hosts) has been.

Re this booking of yours. Steve, don't go anywhere near it!!! Anyone who wants to work outside the organisation they have used to get in touch with you will probably pose a risk to you in some way.

We open our homes to guests, we bring them into our own personal environment and, for that reason, we brush aside little trivialities because we are eager to please them. Many guests are aware of this and use it to their advantage. Children are the most common problem! On many occasions guests don't tell a host they will be bringing small children. As far as the host is concerned the guest regards their child as...... a suitcase, or some other belonging that just happens to travel with them. Similar issues arise where pets are concerned. In a lot of these instances, once the guests booking has been accepted by the host the guest feels they have the upper hand and the host will go along with whatever they require! Just a month or so of reading questions on this forum will tell you that this happens over and over again. Some hosts actually have a set of rules they require a guest to read, aknowledge and accept in writing before they will confirm a guest booking.

Now Steve, these are examples of people who are eager to work within the system...just bend it's rules a bit! But when someone wants to abandon the safeguards that this platform offers then it is a sure bet, there will be trouble.

Steve, decline this one, give your reasons for declining, and there are situations where Airbnb will accept that, and wait for the next guest booking.....Good luck....cheers.....Rob

[Steve22 · Accepted solution]

Thanks Rob !!!!   Yeah im going with my Gut !!!  I am trying to decline it  but its thinking !!!! 

[Dave-and-Deb0]

Hi @Steve22,

I would decline this guest in a heartbeat.  You CANNOT accept cash as it is against Airbnb's terms and conditions.  Often people want to pay cash to avaoid fees or lower the price when they get there.  It is also a great way scammers work.  The other thing is a lot of hosts, including myself, will not rent to long term guests like this.  You might want to see in your area when a renter gets tenants rights.  We have done long term rentals for years and I love Airbnb for the fact if I have a bad renter, they will either be leaving shortly or I can get Airbnb to re-home them.

Go with your gut on this one and explain that you cannot host him at this time.

Dave

[Steve22]

Thanks Dave !!!   I have just tried to decline it buts it thinking !!!  It wont go through 

[Dave-and-Deb0]

You could try using the app and see if you can get it to go through that way or possibly try another browser.

[Robin4 · Accepted solution]

@Steve22 Hi there Steve.....Welcome to Airbnb and the Community Forum. I hope your time hosting with Airbnb will be as wonderful as mine (and many other hosts) has been.

Re this booking of yours. Steve, don't go anywhere near it!!! Anyone who wants to work outside the organisation they have used to get in touch with you will probably pose a risk to you in some way.

We open our homes to guests, we bring them into our own personal environment and, for that reason, we brush aside little trivialities because we are eager to please them. Many guests are aware of this and use it to their advantage. Children are the most common problem! On many occasions guests don't tell a host they will be bringing small children. As far as the host is concerned the guest regards their child as...... a suitcase, or some other belonging that just happens to travel with them. Similar issues arise where pets are concerned. In a lot of these instances, once the guests booking has been accepted by the host the guest feels they have the upper hand and the host will go along with whatever they require! Just a month or so of reading questions on this forum will tell you that this happens over and over again. Some hosts actually have a set of rules they require a guest to read, aknowledge and accept in writing before they will confirm a guest booking.

Now Steve, these are examples of people who are eager to work within the system...just bend it's rules a bit! But when someone wants to abandon the safeguards that this platform offers then it is a sure bet, there will be trouble.

Steve, decline this one, give your reasons for declining, and there are situations where Airbnb will accept that, and wait for the next guest booking.....Good luck....cheers.....Rob

[Steve22 · Accepted solution]

Thanks Rob !!!!   Yeah im going with my Gut !!!  I am trying to decline it  but its thinking !!!! 

[Clare0]

@Steve22 For future reference you might read Airbnb's help article on Long Term Stays: 

https://www.airbnb.com/help/article/805/what-are-some-things-i-should-consider-before-hosting-long-t...

[Steve22 · Accepted solution]

Hey Clare 

Thank you so much for the info >I had no idea !!!! Very useful info

Thanks again

Steve

[Maya26]

Nooooo wayyyy! a) you don't have host insurance b) you do not have Airbnb's backing c) if he decides to show up and not pay/trash the place....it's all you. RUN don't walk away!!

[Ed-and-Janan0]

Steve,

Run from this.  i'm not sure what the angle is but this is a scam.  if someone were traveling to another country and wanted to be assured of a place to stay they would find away to get you the money.  There is Western union, check or otherwise.  

Accepted check you are bypassing AirBNB protections for what they may be.  Even if the "bloke" is legit if you dont have payment he retains the right to show up and decide he doesnt like it.  He also has hte ability to continue to shop for a better deal while you have your property off the market.  

I'd be careful renting for 30 days.   Check with your local jurisdiction but often 30 days is the number of days that a guest becomes a lessee and now you have to deal with all the legal evication protections afforded those with long term leases.  

If something doesnt smelll right it probably isnt.

regards

ed

[Louise47]

@Steve22 hi, this must be the new scam going around. I just had one contact me, and yes I'm in Australia as well.  Sounds like your declining it.  I make my settings that I will not take a booking for more than 21 days. 

[Tim526]

Dont rent to him this is a scam