Harassment after declining a reservation

[Mary31]

I know Airbnb says I can decline reservations.  But, recently, I feel more and more harassed when I do. 

I want people to have a picture of their face on their profile and a few reviews. I may make an exception, but it is rare.  Recently I have inundated with repeat inquiries by the same person and their friends.  I try to politely tell them my requirements, but they don't take "no thank you" for an answer. 

Does anyone have any suggestions? This is my home and I have to be careful of who I allow. 

How do you handle declines?

[Marcus0]

2 options.  Ignore the messages and do not respond back other than declining the request.  If the messages become problematic or abusive, next to their message is a small flag, click on it and select the most appropriate.  Airbnb will sometimes act for you and remove or block their account.  Try not to take any of this as personal.

[Mary31]

@Marcus, Thank you. So, once I have declined them, I don't have to keep answering the questions?

I can ingnore inquiries without it huring my host status? Is that what you are suggesting?

[Dave-and-Deb0 · Accepted solution]

Hi @Mary31,

Yes, once you decline them you do not have to do anything.  Actually, if it is an inquiry, you don't even have to decline them.  All you have to do is respond and it will not hurt your response rate.

I would also take it one step further.  Yes you should flag them but I would also report them to safety@airbnb.com.  

Dave

[Erica3]

Just a general comment - I do wish we could block guests (if we choose) when declining.   I have only had one person give me any headaches - and I nipped it in the bud by giving her a full list of why I wasn't willing (vs. the easiest single answer I had given) including that her booking for others violated my house rules as well as AB's terms of use - and she went away.

But, my general location is out there, I would have much preferred to just check 'BLOCK' and never run the chance of her requesting to book again.  Hint, hint AB ...

[Mary31]

Thanks so much for the feedback.

Mary JO

[Mary31]

Thanks for the feedback.

[Ed-and-Hugh0]

Just archive the message and move on. Harassing messages should be flagged.

[Mary31]

Is there an actual archive or are you using that term metaphorically?

[Dave-and-Deb0]

Yes @Mary31,

In your messaging section, you can archive messages.  Just put your cursor over top of the message you want to archive and you will see on the right hand side the option to "star" or "archive".  Choose "archive" and it will move to your "Archived" folder.  If you want to go to your archived folder, use the dropdown menu (look below where it says "All Messages (10)) at the top of your messages.

Dave

[Kristi0]

Mary,

I just had one of these guests your talking about request to stay with me. He put a photo up just showing his body (no face) no profile, just joined so no reviews. I believe at that time he was Verified. So in my listing I do have info stating I need Verification, Photo & Profile. I also mention I need a full name of who is coming with you and their relationship to the Guest. So I get this guy. I request via e-mail all these things. He says he is a private person and won't post a photo or profile and gives me the first name of his girl friend. Between e-mails back and forth I Decline him on gut feeling that he is not the type of person I want in my home. He was mad at me! He couldn't understand me being so harsh!  He goes somewhere else and his review read "N*** was dirty and he did not obey House Rules" Bingo! Wow did I dodge a bullet! So just go with your rules your running a business and opening your heart and home make sure its someone worth it, espeically someone you can regonize on your door step. Archive them and move on.

[Luc8]

I always follow my gut feelings.  

Having hosting lots of great guests, my brain seem to be able to process annoying people requests intuitively.

[Trudi3]

I wondered if anyone knows what happens when that person is a super host themselves. This person opened their request with when I come to your house what do you offer me, and could you give me a deal please, when our home is basically the cheapest rent in our area for Airbnb. We unfortunately were having slow bookings and decided to post the room in other places too, which I understand is not a violation at all, and this person contacted us through there. With the same requests etc...After a day of trying to negotiate with me etc...Someone else has booked the other room in our house, and is waiting on his daughter to confirm wether she will take the room he wants.

He only wants his for a week, they are staying for over a month. So I emailed nicely and told him thanks but no thanks its been booked on airbnb. He proceeded to go on my airbnb to see if this was true (???) and has just messaged me telling me that I am basically lying and the room is still listed,  he is a "Super Host" on airbnb, that I really should think about the fact he makes this trip to my area every month and could be good for me (even though he was not even willing to pay our rent price). So of course I took of the room in other places, but I don't want to block of the room incase the mans daughter decides not to take it, I would like to get enquiries. I have given them 24 hours. And I don't want this super pushy person in my home. 

I am so glad i found your post...but I feel as a superhost on Airbnb he should be reproached for being so aggressive with people who don't want to host him. We owe him nothing. What can I do?

[Mary31]

I totally understand, once someone starts to bully me, there is no way I am going to allow them in my home.  The first time I tried so politiely to help him understand my reasons, but he would not take NO for an answer.  I ended up reporting him to airbnb, it is a simple click.  He continued to email me.  This site helped me understand that I can just decline without any further explanation.  My understaning is you only have to decline once and any further contact they make with you can be igonored without jepordizing your host status. 

In my case, the guy said I was a racially profiling him. If you look at my reviews, you can see that rent to a wide variety of nationalities and skin colors with no regard to anything other than good reviews and good manners.  After the accusation, he then took it furhter and sent all his friends to try to book with me.  I kept to my criteria and said no, I probably do loose alot of business because I am so strick. This is our home, our safety comes first. If I am not comfortable with you, that is just the way it is.

Good Luck and stick to your instincts.

[Suzanne43]

So Airbnb has a new policy that after I decline a reservation (I get a lot of requests for 1 night stays and naturally I'd like to rent for longer).... & after I decline the reuest (within 24 hours), airbnb sends me a notice that the dates will be blocked until I update them on my calendar.   Why is airbnb doing this?  Most of the time I'm answering requests on my iphone and it is next to impossible to update my calendar from my iphone-an airbnb agent I talked to on the phone even agreed with me on this!).  The new version of the app is also a disaster.  I manage a few different properties for owners and I can be logged in on one owner's account, then log out to  switch to another owner's account and the calendars that shows up is for the account I've just logged out of.  Plus the name of the owner is correct but their picture is also from the account I just logged out of. I've called, talked on the phone, but their program doesn't change. Very frustrating. They seem to be going backwards at full speed!