I don’t use the quick booking feature to avoid a renter getting a booking without me knowing anything about them. I take all comers within my new rules of No Toddlers. But how do you screen out a guest who inquires to book, you look at their reviews or just who they seem to be, and don’t want them. Does all hell break loose on you if you simply refuse their request. Can they get back at you in some way and poison your listing? I have 3 years experience, and I now know a profile of who I don’t want in my home. Can I act on this by refusing requests, of should I try and hide behind “Oh, it isn’t available, even though the calendar said it was”.
Have any of you done refusals and gotten some blow back that hurt your listing. We are not required to take all comers, this is peer to peer rental. The renter must pass your inspection before your home is opened to them. Right?
What is the profile type of the guest you don’t wish to host? Do they just have access to a room? Do you rent to lots of other guests at the same time? And you do live in the same property - correct? I believe you were the one with the stinky diaper issue?
I rent out an entire home and am not on site (but do have cameras and guests are met upon arrival) so my screening process would be so different but I am sure some things would be similar. I have to weed out extremely carefully for a group who might be staying an entire week. No neighbors can view the property so I can only rely on cameras if I suspect something is going on. I never just say the property is not available due to the reason you mentioned about the calendar showing open. And then what if they get a friend to inquire and I accept? I know many hosts just reply with not availability and have no issues but I would just worry about the guest trying to book another way.
That’s the beauty of AirBnB. Cabin is right. Just decline. Doesn’t count against you. Don’t have to give a reason. I sometimes do… I just told a guest I couldn’t take her booking because I would be gone during that time period and needed longer reservations because I had to hire out the cleaning.
I usually take all comers. 
I have had some of my best GUESTS EVER among the newbies…They are still wide-eyed and not spoiled yet in many cases!
Of course if they have a bad review I don’t take them… but reviews don’t tell the whole story… (Caution: Some guests with bad reviews have booked under their friend’s name… so then the friend also ended up with a bad review due to their behavior… so it is difficult to suss out the ones who are bad because they are hiding behind a GF or BF profile. )
Agree with K. You don’t owe anyone an explanation. if you just get a bad vibe from someone just decline. It’s your home. You are under no obligation to take in people you don’t feel good about. You don’t even have to pretend your place is unavailable. Simply state ‘We are sorry we are unable to accommodate you on the dates requested.’ That’s it. Done.
After all, if we don’t screen our guests, it kind of defeats the purpose of having the ability to choose whom we invite into our spaces.
That said, sometimes I’ve got an odd vibe from someone, and almost decline them, but really want their money and so take them…let the chips fall where they may… and not only are they awesome, but they turn out to be my best guests ever!!! …Whereas the people who are nice when they write can turn out to be “meh.”
So you just never do know.