We live in a world where we are constantly warned to keep away from strangers. So, the idea of letting one into your home without conducting an Airbnb review on guests can be somewhat daunting, and a risk that hosts should not be willing to take. This article focuses on how to screen Airbnb guests.
There is no doubt that Airbnb provides a steady income for thousands of hosts around the world. This is why taking necessary precautions to protect your safety as well as that of your family is of importance.
With the short-term accommodation industry, screening Airbnb guests is vital for ensuring responsible hosting. While it may affect the number of bookings you receive and be slightly more time-consuming, the results offer you as a host peace of mind and, in turn, makes the experience enjoyable for both parties.
As a host, it is vital you learn how to screen Airbnb guests before welcoming them to your property.
Read more about the importance of screening: https://www.airbnb.co.za/trust
Why Screen your Airbnb Guests?
Hosts who choose not to conduct an Airbnb review on guests may leave themselves entirely vulnerable to problems. Potential Airbnb problems include:
- Fraud
- Damage
- Disturbances
- Theft
The advantages of conducting an Airbnb review on guests include:
- Saving money in the long run
- Protecting your listing’s reputation
- Decreasing wasted efforts
- Protecting yourself from criminal activities
How to Screen your Airbnb Guests
Airbnb Guest Profile
The most favorable guests will often have a completed Airbnb guest profile. New guests and hosts can complete the necessary required information or add additional information to their Airbnb profile. Read more here about the why guest profiles are essential.
If the Airbnb guest profile is incomplete, you, as a host, can ask them to fill out the rest of their profile in order to accept their booking. Most of the time the guests will comply. If a guest does not want to fill out the preliminary information, you may just be dodging a bullet!
As a host, you’ll want to choose guests who took the time to supply most or all of their information. Potential guests who have successfully completed the majority of their profiles have factors below in common:
- Such Airbnb guests are likely to be more invested and comply with the Airbnb rules and processes.
- A complete Airbnb guest profile shows they are open to sharing information about themselves. This not only helps the host to screen Airbnb guest more effectively, but also shows the guest is not trying to hide anything.
- Guests who took the time to upload their personal photograph helps to ensure that the person checking in is in fact the person who made the reservation.
Airbnb Guest Reviews
Beyond reading the information the potential guest has provided, you will want to read any reviews that they may have on their profile. This is an extremely important to check out any reviews that are available! Reading Airbnb reviews on guests can help you determine if they will be problematic or not.
For the most part, Airbnb reviews are truthful, and they display both the good and the bad. Not only will you see praises, but you will also see how the other party handled the compliment or criticism. To read more about how the Airbnb review system works, please check out our article “The Airbnb Review Process Explained“.
While accommodating an Airbnb guest with no reviews can be risky, bear in mind around 70 percent of people actually complete Airbnb reviews, meaning that there is a small percentage of people who will not have reviews on their guest profile even if they have stayed at Airbnbs in the past.
Typically, people are inclined to do so when the experience has been really great or really bad. Anything in the middle may not prompt someone to take the time for a review.
A way to safeguard yourself is to take the time of year and any local activities into consideration. For example, the holidays may increase the chance of a paraty at your listing. This is something to think about when accepting guest reservations from those with no reviews.
Airbnb Guest Social Media Accounts
New users have the option to link their social media accounts such as Facebook pages and LinkedIn profiles to their Airbnb guest profiles. Read more about linking social media accounts to Airbnb profiles here.
As a host, you’ll have more information about potential Airbnb guests at your disposal. Reviewing their social media profiles can help to provide a clearer picture of just who will be renting from you.
Many potential guests will not have their profiles connected to their social media account. This by no means should be seen as a red flag. Not everyone likes to mix business with pleasure – and they should not be expected to.
Conduct an Online Search
Should your potential guest not have their social media profiles linked to their Airbnb account, you can Google them using their basic information such as their name and location.
Google searches often reveal social media profiles such as LinkedIn, Blogs, Twitter, and Facebook.
If you click on the ‘news’ option under the Google tabs, you may be able to find out if your potential Airbnb guest appeared in any news articles. You can never be too careful, right?
Just beware because you never know what you may find!! There was an occasion where I googled the guest during their stay. This was not too smart!
The guest that was staying with me was a bit of an interesting character. You can read all about this unique experience on our post “Crazy Airbnb Hosting Stories“. Let’s just say, I wish I would not have learned this information when he still had 2 weeks to go at my place.
So just remember, either Google prior to their arrival or not at all!
A Side of Precaution when reviewing your Guests Online –
Researching a potential guest’s social media may help to paint a more accurate and realistic picture of your potential guest. Just know that there is a downside. When you look someone up on their social media account there is the danger that cookies may lead back to your personal account. What this means is that you may show up in your potential guest’s “People you may know” section on Facebook.
This could be pretty embarrassing if the guest figures out you have been cyberstalking them so proceed with caution.
Airbnb Guest Purpose for Travel
An essential part of how to screen Airbnb guests is finding out the reason for their travels. In other words, what are they visiting for? Finding out your guests’ plans beforehand by asking subtle questions will help you get a better sense of what type of person they are and practically what type of guests they will be.
Once you have this information, you can clarify your expectations and house rules to ensure that both parties are on the same page.
If another host posted a negative review and a response was not available, you can e-mail the Airbnb guest and ask for their side of the story.
Tips to Remember when Screening Airbnb Guests
- Check where potential guests are coming from and why there are choosing your area.
- Pay attention to the questions they are asking. Too many questions about security and the neighborhood presence could be a red flag.
- Those who are apprehensive about answering your questions possibly have something to hide. This, however, depends on the kind of questions you may be asking. Questions that come across as to person may put potential guests off or make them think that you will be a hassle when they do arrive at your home
- Beware of guests who attempt to contact you off the Airbnb platform. They are generally bad news, and such practices encourage fraudulent behavior.
In Summary
This article discussed how to screen Airbnb guests. Overall, it would help you to think twice before hosting suspicious guests. Do not ignore your instincts and consider the long-term implications, such as getting a negative review from a bad guest. Along with your reputation, your property could be in danger as well.
Looking up Airbnb reviews on guests is one of the best screening processes that hosts should conduct. Not only will it give you peace of mind, but it is the best way to protect yourself against any liabilities.
It is essential to consider that even a single incident with Airbnb hosting could have a severe impact on your reputation. Not only do you have to consider yourself and your family, but you need to keep in mind your future as a host, your relationship with your neighbors, and your own sanity if you are dealing with troublesome guests.
So, why take the risk? Be sure to know precisely who is renting your property.