HI everyone,
I’m a newbie here and learning very quickly! we listed last weekend and are solidly booked until the end of next week. An entire holiday home on our acreage property, suitable for up to 8 people but we are targeting families. I have just received a request from a guest who has asked me to reserve 2 nights for her next month, 6 adults and she has no verifications and doesn’t seem to have booked anything at all (according to her profile)…Friday to Sunday, she looks early 20’s in profile and has asked me to reserve the nights until she gets paid Monday next week!! I obviously have some concerns, and I also think its pretty cheeky to ask someone to reserve a holiday home for a week…6 adults, I am thinking parties (and yes no parties or events are in the house rules)
I am not sure what to do, I want to say no but in the nicest way 
any advice would be greatly appreciated
Just say no. And that if it’s still available when she is in a position to book you will be happy to accept her booking.
yeah, most ‘enquiries’ never materialise. Put your official holiday letting company head on, and tell her you aren’t able to do that, but hopefully everything will be available when she’s paid.
You’d think out of the 6 adults, one of them could lend her the money.
I reserved a week for someone who was waiting to be paid. The week was a couple of months away, in an empty month, so I didn’t mind. Her payday came and went, so I messaged her, she said “oh sorry, I forgot, give me a couple of days…”
I gave her a couple of days, then a couple more, then messaged her again. She paid, but the effort was not worth it. It was one more thing to keep in my head!
If they’re not ready to pay and book, they’re not ready to stay. You need a responsible capable person to look after your property. Leave your dates open and hope for a better booking.
How will getting paid help? She needs a valid credit card that Airbnb can charge. Absolutely say I’m sorry but I can’t hold days open for you.
I doubt she’ll get verified by air anyway.
This might be an attempt at a scam of some kind and/or an attempt to go around air by paying cash. Hard to tell. If I had this request I’d not accept this guest.
JUST SAY NO. If you must give an excuse, say that it’s against Airbnb Terms of Service.
As @Maggieroni says, the guest needs a valid credit card to charge, not a payday deposit in a bank account.
Already the Inquiry sounds “sketchy” and those red flags would have me declining any Request to Book, with the valid “I Don’t Feel Comfortable With This Guest” reason. No penalty for the occasional Decline on your part…
I personally would decline her request. If she has to wait to get paid, that means she is living paycheck to paycheck. In addition, seems like she does not have a credit card. Sounds more like a college student that wants to party. Too many red flags.
Thanks Helsi, I think you’re right
Absolutely definitely not. And there’s no need whatsoever to be polite when you respond.
I would never list a Holiday Home on AirBnb, I would want a real Security Deposit.
I assume most guests pay with a credit card so not sure when she gets paid is relevant.
As a general comment AirBnB is a first come first served system.
This is where you start to be a proper AirBnB host and thank her for her enquiry and say “No, sorry we do not hold bookings but the property will be available for booking unless someone else books it first”. That last bit is obvious (unless you block her) but looks like you are doing something.
Thanks for all of your contributions everyone I really appreciate it, you all confirmed what I was thinking!
No. The most powerful word a host has.
This must be part of a trend. Had the same enquiry yesterday, pretty much word for word, point by point.
i tried shining her on, but when she insisted I blocked the dates.
Maybe it’s a new scam of some kind to work outside the system. You block the days, they ask to pay cash and it’s not that difficult to send contact info that Airbnb doesn’t catch. Phone number as words and numbers, etc. I’ve had that a few times. Just sayin’!
You’re right. even laid on the pity party angle about a broken ankle with no place to go.
The hospital? 
too simple. when in doubt, work host guilt.
She could be using a debit card. Most Americans no longer write checks, they just use the debit card, but it only works if you have enough money in your bank account.
My recommendation is not to reserve or block off any date until you are paid.
We all have to put things on hold till we can afford them. You are not in the business of extending credit. Think: would a hotel do this?
On thinking it over, you now have a can’t really afford this type guest who will now be looking to you, and probably future hosts -
for favours.