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Right, but to @humblehaven 's post:
While I’ve read here of many hosts who require to see ID, or even submit it prior to check-in – and some localities require this – I would think that the guest in another thread who objected to a text message off the platform would likely object to showing their ID.
So even though most if not all hotels require IDs (I think it might frequently be a legal requirement (?)), I wouldn’t start in this environment requesting to see IDs.
Don’t know if you’re aware, but there are many countries which require hosts to provide ID of their guests, which has to be registered with the local police.
Personally, I don’t require guests to show me ID, as I only host 1 guest in my home, but I see nothing wrong with a host requesting ID on arrival. If guests don’t want to comply with that, they can book elsewhere. “Best practices” also includes a host doing whatever they can to protect themselves and their property. If some guest steals the TV, it doesn’t do much good to tell the cops it was “some guy named BJ”.
My ‘?’ was to the variation in local requirements; there are none that I’m aware of in MA.
I understand and don’t disagree. But in a tough market a Host might well choose not to introduce a requirement that their marketplace doesn’t impose.
I agree. I don’t know what Airbnb would do in that situation. Our rules include the following for that reason:
“Guests agrees that Airbnb will release their address and all and any information in its possession relating to the identity of the guests in the event of a dispute.”
You contradicted yourself by asking for a requirement that the market does not impose. Please explain.
It seems absurd to me that Airbnb doesn’t provide hosts with the legal name and home address of guests. Like we’re supposed to be okay with accepting a guest who lists their name as “S.” or Mickey Mouse.
I absolutely agree with you. Big time.
Here it is: I’ve added a rule that won’t come into play if/until a dispute arises, when I will want to assert the rule.
We have never yet had reason to assert the rule.
BUT, if I require an ID EVERY TIME I have a guest, then this issue arises ALL the time.
Please know that I have no quarrel with Hosts who do – for whatever reason – impose it every time. I would like to join them! But because I don’t see that requirement in my marketplace AND because that rule would become in their face with each rental I have not (yet) required it.
Does that make sense to you and resolve the apparent contradiction?
But you can’t “assert the rule” because you can’t dictate to Airbnb that they have to release the information and they won’t. So it’s a pointless rule.
Yes, I understand that.
That’s why the rule says – Oops! My bad – I forgot to include the rule:
"Guests agrees that Airbnb will release their address and all and any information in its possession relating to the identity of the guests in the event of a dispute. ’
My bad here (ACTUALLY NOT as I included it above, but might have gotten missed). I’m not asking Airbnb to agree. I asked no one, but told the guests and included it in house rules.
Yes, I understood that. But you can’t make a rule about them agreeing to Airbnb releasing their info- that would be an Airbnb rule, not a host rule. I could see guests getting up in arms and asking Airbnb if they really release all personal info to hosts on request.
You might be right. My thought is that the listing’s rule say the the guest agrees (not Airbnb, but the guest) that at least the guest does not object to Airbnb releasing identifying information.
Would this rule ‘work’?
I don’t know.
But, faced with either confronting EVERY guest with an ID request OR going with a possibly unenforceable rule, I’ll go with the rule.
It’s not perfect. Not at all.
I recently had a guest whose profile photo was a comic figure. Of course I didn’t see it until I had already accepted. I immediately wrote to them and said that unless you provide a proper photo I will need to contact Airbnb and have this reservation canceled. They immediately changed the photo. I thought that these photos were vetted by Airbnb so that the host has the assurance that the name and person are the same but apparently not.
No, they don’t even require the name and location on the profile to be real or accurate. Even as a host, I could go change my name and my location on my profile to something completely false or completely made up. I could do it once an hour if I was so inclined because they don’t police those.
Just got another Request with “Phone number not available” on the profile. 2nd time in 2 weeks.
The phone number isn’t shown until the reservation is confirmed. It always says “not available”. Or do you mean it was like that after you accepted the request?
After. But like the last one I got, she was forthcoming when I asked for her number. Seems that Airbnb is no longer requiring guests to provide aphone number?
They have to verify a phone number. It’s a requirement to book. But in the account settings, they can choose how it is used, e.g. whether or not it’s automatically to shown to hosts.
The first one who had no number shown doesn’t check in until the 24th but this one checks in on the 15th. I’m going to ask her why she chose not to show her number, I’m curious.
Let us know what she says please!
Will do. I can think of two possibilities- guests are either wary of putting their personal info out there online in general, or they actually a bad experience of a host phoning or texting them excessively. But of course it could be something else.
And guests probably don’t know that a host would only be shown their phone number after confirmation.
This guest’s profile does indicate that she provided Airbnb with verified ID and a phone number.