Recently we have been receiving requests for month to month rentals of our suite regardless of our cap of 3 weeks. On top of that, they request a discount. We are not interested in entering into a landlord/tenant situation. Will we be penalized for repeatedly declining these requests? It’s getting to be problematic as we’ve received 4 requests just in the past 3 days and at least once per week since February.
Are they Requests or Inquiries? These sorts of non-conforming messages usually come in the form of Inquiries. If so, you don’t need to decline. Inquiries only require a return message within 24 hrs.
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All but two have come with requests. One of the requests yesterday came with a request for 22 days, then in her message she asked for a stay of 1-2 months. I told her we can accomodate the 22 day stay (even though it was over our cap) and sent her the pre-approval but have yet to hear back. The other request yesterday asked for a 4 days stay but in her message she asked for two months - which I declined.
If you go to the place where you’ve set your maximum stay (3 weeks), there is a box to check as to whether or not you’re willing to accept requests for stays longer than your maximum. Go and uncheck that and it should help. Make sure to choose “No, do not accept requests”.
I had to do it recently because I was similar requests for a studio unit that doesn’t even have a stove. It’s not a legal long-term unit. But after I unchecked the box to allow requests beyond my minimum, I am no longer getting those dumb requests.
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You say it came as a Request but Requests don’t have “Pre-approve” as an option. Inquiries have “pre-approve”, Requests have “Accept”. So which was it?
Even if you pre-approve an Inquiry, you may never hear back from the inquirer. They have to take another step to go on to book.
If you “accept” a Request, Airbnb immediately goes on to charge the guest for the booking and it will be confirmed if the payment goes through.
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Perhaps they meant accept not approve.
RR
Yes, but it’s hard to give on point advice when people mix up terms, because you don’t know if they are referring to a request or an inquiry.
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Hell, I am mixed up all the time… now what did I just come into this room for?
Lol
RR
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I was just standing in front of an open refrigerator when I meant to go to the great room and get the cat.
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Thank you, I’ll do that!
You’ll still get people who put in less than your maximum but send a request anyway then ask for more days in the request; however, you can then contact Airbnb and tell them that you don’t allow requests beyond your minimum so they should pull the request for you.
But the easisest thing is to tell anyone who puts in a request that is outside your maximum is that they need to withdraw their request. If you have to you can warn them that if they leave the request and you accept it that they will be charged for it. And that it will only be for the actual dates they put in, not for the month or whatever. Go a little bit mobster if you have to, lol.
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Isn’t this also a situation where the “special offer” trick can be used. The host doesn’t “decline” they send a “special offer” at a price so high the guest won’t accept it. Then the guest declines or it expires and the host is off the hook? I think that doesn’t work well if you have to wait on the guest and it’s blocking your calendar though.
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I think so. I’ve heard of this trick but I’ve never used it. Most people are reasonable and will withdraw their request and the unreasonable ones tend to be very motivated about losing their money and also withdraw their requests. I don’t tend to be “indirect” but it may be a good one to use sometimes, may be faster in some cases. Has anyone here done it?
When they decline the special offer does it remove the request and open up the calendar?
@Debthecat advocates this strategy.
I don’t think I’ve ever used it. If so, it’s been so long ago I don’t recall.
Yes it does.
I only use this when they can’t get the heavy hint that I don’t think they are a good fit….
Can I have friends over?
Can I bring my dog/s?
Can I have an event?
Can I bring children?
Why do I have to pay for infants?
I tell them that there are fees and I will send them a very special offer for an enormous amount.
Never hear from them again and it times out.
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How long does the time-out take?
The usual 24 hours if they don’t respond.