So you finally made the decision to become an Airbnb host. Excited, you start a host profile, set up your listing, take your pictures, and you wait… Days pass and a message appears from an inquiring guest. Ecstatic you have your first Airbnb guest, you dismiss the idea of guest screening and instant book. The check-in day comes and your guest arrives. Everything is quiet over the course of the stay, so you assume all is well. Check-out day arrives and the guest drops off the keys. Ready to prepare for the next guest, you arrive to your residence in shock. You open the door only to find your property has been damaged and trash is everywhere. Now what originated as a great asset to make extra money became an unfortunate liability. You have just experienced your very first AirBnb horror story.
Yikes! I hope this is purely hypothetical and does not accurately depict your story. While Airbnb can be an amazing experience, without properly conducting guest screening, it could easily be a miserable one. Don’t fret! Today, we’ll go over how to properly vet your prospective guests so you can avoid this situation a lot of hosts find themselves in. Afterwards you should be equipped to enjoy your hosting while maximizing the probability of good guest experiences.
What is Airbnb Guest Screening?
Also known as guest vetting, screening is the process of interviewing your potential guests prior to accepting their reservation request. This is beneficial because it allows you as the host to know what kind of guest will be staying at your property before accepting which saves time, heartache, and money. House rules are helpful but guest screening gives you a more hands-on approach in your Airbnb, ensuring the best possible process for booking guests.
First it must be stated, that when vetting guests you should never discriminate against a guest on the basis of race, color, ethnicity, national origin, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity, or marital status review AirBnb’s Nondiscrimination Policy.
In order to properly screen your guests, frame the questions you ask around how you envision your ideal guest. This allows you to have direction and know wha type of guest you’re looking for. Does your ideal guest bring a pet with them? Can they throw a party? Are they more of a homebody or do they go sightsee and only come home at night? Are they more independent or do they want you to show them around town? You don’t have to know everything, but know what qualities in your guest are important to you.
Questions To Ask When Screening Guests
What is your reason for travel?
I know asking your guest questions feels awkward at first, but as you get used to it, trust us it gets easier. This is crucial to get a general gauge of what type of guest is coming to stay at your property. If they are coming from out of town to explore they will most likely leave less of a footprint then say someone who is looking for a place to remote work meaning they’ll be home more often.
Do they expect you to take a more hands on approach? Some guests want to experience the city from a local perspective, so consider this depending on what you expect to do while your guest is in town. Is your guest local and just looking for a night out? Ask more questions because sometimes locals want a place that’s not their own to party, and let’s be honest, no one wants to deal with that headache. Communicate your expectations as a host with your guest clearly.
What are your plans for this vacation?
What does your guest expect from their trip? Is it to relax, explore, party, eat? These things may prove helpful to know your guests expectations, for example if they want to sightsee, you can provide recommendations as to top excursions or sights in the city, or if they’re a foodie maybe cater to their interests to score some extra brownie points. If a guest becomes defensive when this question is asked, consider this an opportunity to reconsider whether they would be the best fit. Ultimately you want a guest who is honest about what they’re going to be doing during their stay.
If applicable, can you explain past negative reviews?
Another helpful tip when vetting AirBnB guests is to review their profile. Just like in social media, a profile says a lot about who we are. This is great because it allows you to gain another perspective on who you’re speaking with and how other hosts experiences with them have been in past stays. However, what happens if your guest seems great, and all of a sudden you notice a less than stellar review on their profile? While 5 stars is great, realistically no one can please everyone. So if there is a small amount of negative reviews in proportion to the positive ones, then asking for an explanation would allow them the opportunity to disclose what may have happened in that situation rather than automatically disqualifying someone who might’ve otherwise been a fantastic guest.
Will anyone be staying with you during your visit?
This may sound like a redundant question, but sometimes guests may bring someone with them without bothering to tell the host. This can be problematic if your expectations are for one person, and they bring four others with them. Whether it was intentional or not, this can cause liability for you as the host, and so make it good practice to ask this question to provide clarity.
Do you have any questions for me after reading my house rules?
Lastly, open up the floor to the guest. Ask them if they have any questions regarding your rules, the stay, the area, expectations, etc. This helps them feel like they are participating in a conversation rather than an interrogation. Also it’s important you make sure they have read and reviewed the house rules. They are one of the most crucial components of what make the AirbnB world function. In the unfortunate case that a dispute with a guest occurs, asking this question provides protection. It makes them liable to your house rules when broken and makes the resolution process easier.
If your guests are hesitant to answer any of these questions see that as a red flag, and save yourself the pain.
Bonus Tips for Airbnb Guest ScreeningÂ
   1. Require a profile picture
One great deterrent for bad guest experiences is simply requiring an ID authenticated by Airbnb for all your prospective guests. This provides reassurance that the person on the ID will be the person who shows up at your property. No one wants a guest that can’t be bothered to get verified by Airbnb, trust us!
   2. Research Airbnb’s insurance
Airbnb provides hosts with two programs that can aid guests, Host Protection Insurance(Host Protection Insurance), which covers up to $1000 in liability coverage and Host Guarantee(Airbnb’s Host Guarantee) which provides property damage insurance of up to a million USD
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   3. Keep address hidden until booking
Please, please please. Giving out your address to a guest considering booking with you may not seem problematic, however it’s always important to only reveal your address after booking confirmation. This protects you as the host against any potential danger from anyone unstable. Also it simply avoids having any unneeded information out there.
   4. Ensure House Rules Are Updated
House rules are not just a list of dos and don’ts but they help provide clear rules for each guest. House rules must Should a problem arise, from a guest, house rules are then used to help resolve the incident. Always reach out to the guest first to try to reconcile the issue. If the issue persists, contact customer service. You will have a higher likelihood of resolving the incident in your favor, if a violation of your house rules occurred. In case an incident occurs not covered by the rules, use this an opportunity to update your house rules to ensure if it occurs again, you are protected.
Now that you know what Airbnb guest screening is, the next step is to simply take action! By asking your potential guests the right questions you will set your AirBnb up for success. Guest appreciate clear communication and knowing you care. Even if it feels awkward to ask them questions initially, setting clear expectations will go much further in resulting in your next 5 star review. Good luck and happy screening!
