This forum is dedicated to connecting hosts with other hosts. Sign up to get the latest updates and news just for AirBnb hosts! Note that we are not affiliated with Airbnb - we are just passionate hosts!
Hi & good morning,
I am a new Airbnb host from Dubai. I have been reading on this forum for some months, and I have just listed my apartment (1 BR) last night and already got 1 booking (instant book) and 2 requests.
The first request is totally in order, I am just a bit worried about the second one and would like to know your opinion about it:
Profile with email/phone/facebook verification, no reviews, no text, ‘3 French students’ asking for a 2 month stay for an internship at a lower rate (approx. 85% of my normal rate).
The rate would be OK for me, but I doubt the internship a bit…because it would be during a time of the year (Ramadan) where usually nothing is happening over here, banks/authorities/companies have limited business hours, it is very unlikely to be an intern exactly during this period of time.
Also, the missing verifications etc. do not make me feel good.
What would an experienced host do in such a situation? Decline? Ask for more verifications, personal introduction?
(They initially asked to book ‘outside of Airbnb’ which I declined.)
I would ask for more verifications, personal introduction, and why they would like to rent your place. New Airbnb-users need sometimes a bit help (I mean the guest). Just explain them why you want the verifications etc.
I don’t accept not verified guests…The option is there , there is no reason why they should not verify themselves.
I would ask them exactly what you doubting about. Why internship if they are coming during month when nothing functions.
I’m with @Yana_Agapova, don’t accept unverified guests, especially not over long periods of time - it is a risk. Start a conversation with the girls, you’ll find out soon enough if you have a ‘good’ feeling or not. That being said, 2 months is very long IMO. Perhaps they can rent for 3 weeks, and if it goes well, extend the period overall?
If you choose the box on the settings page, an unverified guest won’t even be able to contact you with an inquiry.
You wouldn’t be out of place asking them what company and job. A traditional rental situation would require some proof of income. When you extend a stay beyond 30 days, the legal relationship is quite different. You would probably wish to draw up a lease before engaging them in an offer.
Update:
At the end, she wanted to have a huge discount which I declined.
All in all, I am still not sure if she told the truth: 3 French female students who study “trade” and have to do their “first unpaid international internship” in a company in another part of the city (1 h drive, plenty of accomodation over there). And all of this during the month of Ramadan when, as I said, normally nothing is happening here. Sounds a bit weird, but who knows…
Well, it would seem they would require at least some sort of offline ID in order to be considered properly verified. Anyone can throw up a fake Facebook account.
Thanks for the update Tomdxb, first time guests think Airbnb is a good way to find a long term rental but it most of the time doesn’t work that way. They’ll be a lots of discount questions you’ll have to get use to. Come up with some firm ideas of your prices and haggle about prices less. I also lowered my weekly discount to 5% and monthly to 10%. Why offer 25% off, I could have just gotten a yearly tenant for that!
Tomdxb you should also build up reviews so taking shorter stays probably best for new hosts. It is also better to cut your teeth with many short stay so you begin to feel comfortable and develop your own set of red flags.
Just this alone would get them a decline from me. They sound like trouble!
Maybe it is just me, but I feel there is really no reason to give discounts for longer stays. If anything you should charge MORE!
I had few requests recently for 2 months also from French students, and all of them ask for a big discount.
Yesterday i was offered 600$ for a month, and the guy was very surprised that i said no. I explained that Airbnb hosts will not settle for such miniscule rent. And he also needs to approach those who do give long term discounts.
I would reject them out of hand, and explain that it was because they wanted to book outside of AirBnb, and that you do not want to deal with people who try to avoid the system. I did that about a month ago. I had an Indian “gentleman” contact me with an inquiry and ask for my private email and phone number to discuss things. I told him no, and then sent a note to AirBnb about him.
I refuse any stays longer than 3 weeks because I don’t want the tenant rights to kick in after 30 days. I’ve had nightmare tenants who I had to take to court to get them out. They know all the laws and how to drag it out so they get more free rent.They know they will lose in the end, but they just drag it out in court. That’s why I started doing airbnb – to get away from long term guests. I just started three months ago and already doing much better than I was renting long term.
I’ve seen and heard of this many times. For everyone, I’d recommend this:
At day 29, have them sign a “checkout” form, have them return the keys and then step outside. After 5 minutes, open the door, let them back in, and then have them check back in. In theory, someone could stay 10 years in increments of 29 days and never accumulate any “squatter’s rights.”
