I just got a request from a prospective Guest today that included a photo of the back half of him from about 15 feet away. He's obviously been asked on platform to provide a photo, but for reasons of his own, he declined. He is from another country, has no history on Airbnb, no itinerary, and he asked me to phone him... getting nervous here. I asked him to check my rules, terms and description, but he still wouldn't update. I respectfully declined due to lack of comfort with the booking.
Each Host is the gatekeeper of their home. They must decide their comfort level. In my case, I list rooms in my own home, and am a single female. And yes, things have gone wrong. Very wrong. I am here to protect not only myself and my property, but my other Guests as well. I also have self check in, and I need to know for my own sake and for them what they look like, etc. It's simple and straightforward, so what's the problem? It states right on my profile that I set a high standard in terms of screening new Guests. If they can't provide an accurate head shot photo on request, I'm nervous and therefore not comfortable. Besides, there's plenty of other Hosts in my area who list for less and aren't nearly as fussy.
The one exception I made was with an exceptionally long booking (+4 months). This Guest had a lot at stake in terms of up front investment, and my location was perfect for his work. He had well researched my location, terms, rules, and description. He also checked out flawlessly when I referenced him, and provided me with government photo ID prior to checking in in addition to being verified. He's still with me 5 months later.
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