I am New to Airbnb. Just listed my place this week. Woke up this morning and saw a confirmed reservation from a guest that was requested and confirmed at 1am this morning while I was sleeping. I did not confirm it. The guest has 10 positive reviews on his profile. Should I be concerned?
Hi Greg
If someone has ten positive reviews it is a very good sign (presumably you have read their reviews).
You have Instant Book turned on, which means anyone can book your place at any time.
Turn it off. Then put your listing on hold. (Search ‘snooze’ on the Airbnb Help Centre) while you get to know how Airbnb works.
Read through Airbnb Help Centre? - this gives you information on key areas such as Instant Book, Cancellations, Payment, what to do if a guest damages your property etc. And read the host information on Airbnb’s website.
Good luck.
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I would not be concerned with a guest with 10 positive reviews. Very rare that I see that.
Thanks for your reply! I do not have instant book on - that’s why I’m concerned.
I have never heard of this happening. It seems the guest will be fine but it seems you should call Airbnb and confirm that you don’t have instant book enabled…
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AIRBNB warns that if you turn off Instant Booking that the guest may just go elsewhere.
Yes, they want everyone to be on instant book and they want everyone to have a flexible cancellation policy. I have IB on so it’s not a concern for me but if @Homerhorton doesn’t want it on he should do something about it. I suspect it’s on and he doesn’t realize it.
OK - Thanks all! I double checked my listing and I don’t have IB turned on.
Then call Airbnb and ask them what has happened.
I didn’t have it on for a year and a half and got all the bookings I wanted.
If you let us have a link to your listing we can double check for you.
Thank You!!
Instant book is turned on for your listing. You see the red BOOK button? That means I can book your place instantly. If someone doesn’t have instant book the red button says “request to book.”
Next it’s spelled FRIENDLY. Your listing says you’ll have to bring towels and linens. Starting in April I believe you will have to provide these, they are considered essential amenities. If you don’t provide them and say you do to meet Airbnb requirements you’re going to have pissed off guests and bad reviews.
If you are worried about partiers you should install a Ring or other wireless camera so you can monitor remotely who is arriving in your place.
It doesn’t seem like you are quite ready for prime time so to speak. I don’t mean to be rude, I want to be helpful but…
One more thing, I notice you are using the realtor’s watermarked photos. Does the rental actually still look like that, decorated in the same way, etc. If not, you will get people who will mark you down on accuracy. I know it seems crazy, but they do. If it looks like this it looks very nice. What’s up with the summer? People have to check in and out on a Friday and the minimum stay is a week? And people can check out Friday morning and you’ll have the whole place cleaned before the next group checks in that afternoon?
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THANK YOU! I appreciate your feedback!
I was not aware of a REQUIREMENT by Airbnb to provide linens. I have seen other listings that also say they do not provide linens. Under Amenities, where you list what you provide and don’t provide, there’s a box to check/uncheck for Essentials - Towels, bed sheets, soap, and toilet paper. But I do now see on Airbnb that I should provide these.
We bought the place in December as is - Everything was included so the place pretty much looks as it does in the pictures.
Thanks again for your input! Very much appreciated!!
This is new.
We’ve said it before, read the Airbnb site. You are expected to be familiar with all of the policies and if something bad happens (and it seems 90% of the bad situations are entire places like yours where the host isn’t onsite), ignorance is going to be costly, not an excuse. For example, on another thread someone was complaining that the guest damaged his rental and he didn’t know he had to submit the claim before the next guest checked in (a ridiculous 30 minutes later). So he’s out a lot of money and no one has any sympathy.
You didn’t answer my question about the back to back Friday to Friday bookings so I’m just going to assume the answer is yes. I would warn against that, especially since you are a new host. If someone damages the rental to the extent you can’t host the next guest you are going to lose out. You will need time for cleaning and sometimes maintenance and repairs.
Maybe I don’t know what I’m talking about maybe everyone does Friday to Friday rentals in your holiday location but in most places those restrictions would cause you to lose out on bookings.
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I would remove the caveat about no high schoolers. You don’t want someone to accuse you of age discrimination. If they are under 18 they can’t be a guest anyway because they can’t legally sign a contract. Just make sure to vet them really carefully. Don’t allow anyone not named in the reservation to be on the property or in the condo.
You do have to provide linens. I know some east coast VRs had traditionally been self catering. But yes, Airbnb just required this so you have to do it. Go make a trip to Ross or Marshall’s, 
I also agree you should snooze this until you are ready. You don’t seem quite ready yet.
I would outfit it and take New photos without the watermarks. If I were a guest I’d be a bit put off by that.
Have checked and you definitely have it turned on. Why do you think that you haven’t?
You have had really useful feedback already.
I would really recommend you pause your listing until you read up on and comply with the basics Airbnb require.
You may be able to plead for mercy with Air and ask them to cancel your booking since you are brand new, and obviously this goes on by default. But honestly, you are going to be in a heap of trouble if you don’t turn off IB right now. Not trying to scare you, just sayin.
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All, I really appreciate all the feedback. I know I had IB turned off because I initially had it turned on and had to go in and turn it off. I must have turned it back on by mistake. I just checked it and it is definitely off now!
I’m OK with the guest that booked last night - 10 good reviews. I was just concerned because I thought I had IB off.
I will have to rethink the linens. Guess customers will just have to pay a higher cleaning fee
Dusty - We were not crazy about Friday to Friday, but the area is so busy we haven’t been able to find a cleaning service for Sat to Sat. We’re going to rethink this.
This forum has been very helpful!! Happy I joined!
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I think your rate is too low too. Add a cleaning fee. Most guests don’t question it.
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