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Thanks – I’m fine to have a longer booking over the summer, more just wondering about this particular kid. [Our strategy was to get shorter bookings between now and May (we have 4 booked and think we can get to 8 or 10 by May) and then use the summer months to have someone stay for their internship. We are connected to dynamic pricing and no better utilization at those high nightly prices than 3 solid months over the peak period, particularly if by then I can command some choice and select someone with good reviews. We also will be in and out of town and not able to manage frequent turnover.]
Anyway, since mom booked, we’ve decreased monthly discount rate and added a code word to house rules. I’m also requiring government ID which he may not add. so I’m not sure he’ll “pass” the booking process anyway.
I wouldn’t accept either. Remember you have the student stay there for a longer period of time - it’s not a weekend or something. He is old enough to have his own ABB profile. There is something wrong here. You don’t know who he is. perhaps he is a good guy. Perhaps he is not. You don’t know.
If he creates problems for you you are stuck with him.
This explains 3rd party bookings and when they are allowed-
Third-party bookings are only allowed if the booker owns a business account. All other are a violation of Airbnb terms. So do not accept them. If a secretary is booking for employee: she also must use the companies business account, otherwise do not accept and point them to:
I got my first one earlier this month. The assistant seemed to just have a personal account with his own reviews from his travels. He said he was booking for a coworker. I rang up AirBnB to cancel, as usual when I get third party bookings. The CS agent said I couldn’t cancel because it was a business booking. I asked if this was a business account or if anyone could just list “business” as the reason for travel. She reassured me it was a business account though I never could find where on this guest’s profile it said so!
I hosted the business guest and all went well. Mutual glowing reviews were left.
However, I wish I’d thought to ask if the Host Guarantee would be honored. I can’t say this enough: CS agents will encourage you to accept non-business 3rd party bookings but if you press them they’ll admit you’re on the hook for any damages.
In my experience, the CS agents will encourage you to keep the 3rd party booking or ask the guest to cancel, but you are in every right to insist the CS agent cancel the reservation for you. You are under no obligation to rebook under the son’s account.
I understand you might want long-term renters during certain times of the year, but I was to reiterate I recommend using Craigslist or Furnished Finder to get tenants for 30+ days. You can then run a credit check and do a lease. AirBnB requirements are much more lax than what a landlord looks for in a tenant, even on a month-to-month lease. AirBnB won’t help you if you end up with a squatter. We’ve heard stories here of professional squatters seeking new AirBnB hosts to take advantage of.
@Xena: Well that answers a question I was trying to find answers for as well. Does the account identify as a Business Account? Apparently it does not. Good to know.
@johnF, sure this is true about any guest, but this in particular will stay a loooong time.
I wouldn’t advice any host who just started out to host long term people, especially in their own home.
So if I were the host I’d probably won’t accept this guy. I personally accept 99% short term bookings. In the rare cases I do accept long term I have to be 100% sure the guest is not someone who’s going to destroy my place or not follow the rules.
@deraj Devi, I regularly have children booking my place for their elderly parents and I’ve had no problems at all. There are many reasons the guest may not be able to book; for instance, the guest’s credit card’s maximum credit is X, lower than the booking cost of Y; or the guest’s parents have made a commitment to pay for that particular expense because the guest himself is paying for the tuition.
Sometimes a company is paying for a trainer to deliver training and the company is paying for the stay; I’ve had the university pay for researchers to stay in my place. I don’t consider third party booking a red flag.
