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Hi,
I do not have a smart phone. This is one of the rooms in my home I list. From a smartphone, is it impossible to see where I say “Send info from the Other Things to Note” part? Is it impossible to see that section? Is it impossible to read my house rules?
Here are the last 2 messages I received from people who want to book here:
Hi, I am seeng clients till 6:30 pm so I guess about 7-7:30 I can make it to your place.
Hi Carol,
I am a solo traveler doing a road trip around the PNW. I’m coming into Seattle from the Cascades loop and I am looking to stay the night as I explore your city.
-Andrew
How is it NEITHER of these prospective guests see anything I’ve written? I am baffled.
It is there, but it’s on the second page, and you have to click on the blue “read more,” which is a little hard to see to get to the second page, and then read through a lot text to get to that section, which is at the very bottom.
Maybe put a quick note early on that there is such a section, and that they need to answer specific questions to be approved.
Private room for the short-stay solo traveler who just needs a place to park, sleep and shower less than 4 miles from downtown. Easy access to I-5, I-90 by car and a 10-minute walk to public transit in a hilly neighborhood. Free Wi-Fi, A/C & 1-car outdoor driveway parking. No laundry use and limited kitchen use. Shared bathroom. To book, please send info requested in Other Things to Note Section. If not included you will be declined.
The only bookings I’ve had since I made such an intense rule list are from people who have not read or ignore them anyway. That is why I am wondering - can people just not SEE them…or are they deliberately IGNORING them?
EVERY single guest I’ve hosted has not followed them – from rolling their luggage across hardwood floors to not cleaning their hair from the shower drain (shared bathroom situation). Sadly the WORST guest was a 21 year old white kid who AGREED to all house rules in his booking request and then proceeded to drink, do drugs and leave take-out in his room and act surly while here. One woman asked if she could store luggage at my home for a week and have stuff fedexed to my home…I regretfully had to tell her NO and she STILL left me a good review (but I did explain to her in great detail WHY I have all these rules…)…and I even counseled the guy who payed the most for another room ($150!!!) why he should never leave an honest review…because it will jeopardize booking with future hosts, just as a host who is too honest about guests will lose bookings and appear mean. One Asian kid left all his stuff out and just left the house abruptly and I ran around putting all his stuff back into his room and locking the door for him. I saw someone else on here is suffering burnout…I have intense burnout myself and actually roll my eyes whenever I get a booking request - like…what would compel a fool to want to book here now! I think my listing is actively trying to discourage people from staying here…at the same time I will let them stay if they are willing to jump through the hoops and barrels to apply properly. I will probably change it all to just " room for rent" in the future if I want bookings again.
I really didn’t see it the first time. I don’t know why, but it didn’t. It could help if you gave that sentence its own paragraph, so it stood out more. Or bold it, like you did in the message here.
Well, of the guy who paid a lot, I could’ve said, “This guest stayed here and ignored my rule to clean his own hair from the drain in the shower catcher.” or “This guest stayed here and did not read or follow all my rules.” This guest could’ve come back with, '“This host is fat and chain-smokes and doesn’t look like her photo.” What’s the point?
Also, the reason I’ve become obsessed is because my vacation insurance through CBIZ said that each guest must electronically confirm a rental agreement by staying here and that I should have that language about liability in my listing.
I guess the difference is that the guy not cleaning up after himself negatively affects the host. Howver, the host being fat doesn’t have any effect on the guest’s experience. As for the chain smoking, it is listed as a smoking rental, so they can’t really complain about something that was disclosed before they even decided to book.
Maybe I should just simplify the listing, hit em w/ the house rules and requirements during their request, and decline if I don’t hear back. Is that how other hosts do it?
I just edited my profile. Am I guaranteeing that no one will ever book here again by sounding too crazy?
Welcome to my Airbnb! As much as I like meeting people and utilizing the extra space in my home for rent for people who need them at a price considerably lower than a professional establishment, I have to screen guests thoroughly as this is a private, SHARED home. If you want to book here I need to ask you uncomfortable questions like, “Do you have bedbugs?” and “Have you ever been convicted of a crime?” or, “Are you addicted to drugs and alcohol, or do you believe women are inferior to men?” because Airbnb does NOT screen members of its community for that. Hosts OR guests. You are welcome to ask me these same questions before booking. If you are the type of guileless, trusting traveler who doesn’t care about these issues, by all means try an Instant-Book listing instead! You lays your bets and you takes your chances.
I’ve shopped lots of listings, and I can say I would not understand what you are saying in that line - it’s a bit confusing - and so different from other listings I could understand guests not ‘getting it’. Plus, to fine the ‘other things to note’ section really takes some doing, even from a laptop. You have to really dig for it. I imagine most people are scanning listings to get basic info - if it’s so important, put it at the top of the description, and again at the top of the detailed description.
But again, since the ‘other things to note’ is so hard to find, I’m not sure people will even understand what you are saying.
Perhaps you could change that to “When requesting to book please include your full legal name and a clear photo”?
Hmm. Actually, I like it. It sounds like someone who is saying what she means. Having said that, it is probably isn’t good business. If that’s what you are after. In this business, I think you are (probably) best off sounding sweet as some suitably sweet pie. Key lime, perhaps.
But I’ll get out of the way and let the pros give you their opinion.
You could keep it simple and say, “I can only accept high quality guests. If interested, please send a booking request. I will then send you a brief application to fill out.”
That should be the first paragraph. Then go on to list the basic info about the rooms.
Some will be deterred by having to fill out an application. Others will rise to the challenge. The application can include your questions about bed bugs, drugs, etc and you can also ask them if they read and understand you rules. Finally, you can get them to sign it, which will keep your insurance company happy.
This way you are not wasting any time communicating with people who didn’t fill out your application. All you have to do is send anyone who contacts you the application, instead of answering dumb questions or pulling your hair out because they didn’t read.
