How to Vet Airbnb Guests

Airbnb is a well-known business platform that connects owners and guests for short-term stays. Even though the company has yet to release official statistics on security, it's widely assumed that Airbnb stays are more secure than traditional hotel reservations. However, hosts must remain vigilant when it comes to their guests. Check out this to learn about successfully vet airbnb guests.

Why Do You Need To Vet Airbnb Visitors?

According to Airbnb's report, there has been a significant increase in reported complaints and incidents against hosts over the past few years, so guests are becoming more demanding. The report suggests that hosts should consider this when vet airbnb guests. Here are some of the common reasons why you may need to screen your Airbnb guests:-

1. Safety: Airbnb is an online marketplace where you can find numerous private properties that guests can rent. It may be hard to assess if a potential guest is psychotic or behaving dangerously. So, it's ideal to vet airbnb guests thoroughly before they visit.

2. Fraud: Airbnb users might be interested in renting a property but want to come up with a fake name. Using an invented name would be easier for them, and it would also feel like having an actual guest instead of renting a property.

3. Hiding a Bad Reputation: A good reputation is important for an individual to get a job. This is why you may need to vet Airbnb guests thoroughly. If you find someone with a prior criminal record, you should be cautious about pursuing the matter with Airbnb since getting the wrong person in your house may even lead to legal issues for yourself.

4. Vandalism: Even if you've found an Airbnb guest with a perfect history, there is a possibility that he/she may end up causing damage to your property. So, it would be smart to ask for past house pictures from the guests to compare the before-and-after situation in case of any damages.

Therefore, you must rely on Airbnb's built-in system that screens the guests, or Opulence if you don't want to expose yourself to disruptions, vandalism, and fraud.

How Does Airbnb Vet Guests?

According to company policy, hosts are not obligated to vet airbnb guests, but they can choose to do so. While Airbnb performs some visitor screening, it mostly aims to prevent fraud.

In your reservation requirements settings, you may specify that visitors must reserve your property with a "Verified ID" badge. They will next be required to give Airbnb official identification—possibly including a current photo—which Airbnb would confirm through background checks.

But as stated by Airbnb themselves:

"Please be aware that completing this procedure does not imply that any Host or visitor is recommended, that someone is who they claim to be, or that communicating with them will be safe."

Therefore, even if Airbnb verifies visitors, the process is not flawless, and guests might even get around it by having a third party book on their behalf.

After this, we'll talk about how hosts should conduct more rigorous screening procedures for all visitors.

How to Effectively Vet Airbnb Visitors

When it comes to screening visitors, there are various ways in which you can go about it. Some of these methods are:

1. Examine their Airbnb Profile

Once you have booked your property, you will be able to see if the guest is verified or not. You can verify their identity by checking out their Airbnb profile, including information about them and photographs.

Airbnb is a trusted source of information, which means they have access to many profiles with valid personal details. Therefore, even if someone claims that they are John Smith, but there isn't any John Smith listed on Airbnb, you might want to reconsider renting your property.

2. Check the past feedback on the profile

If you are not convinced after viewing the potential Airbnb guest's profile but want to verify their reputation, you can always check out the reviews. This feedback is usually very useful in helping you decide while determining if they are worth renting your property.

3. Engage in some online stalking (lol)

There are times when you might want to know about someone without letting them know about it. When it comes to Airbnb guests, there is a possibility that you may want to know more about them (for example, if they are married or living with someone). You can easily get information about the potential guest's social media accounts using Google and other search engines. Check out their Facebook profile, Twitter account, etc., if they have one.

4. Prepare a list of inquiries for Airbnb visitors

If you plan to vet your Airbnb visitors, you should prepare a list of questions that will help you get relevant information about them. For example, suppose your property is in an area that tourists typically frequent. In that case, it'll be easier to ask them about their plans for the area without raising any suspicions on their part.

Bonus tips:

5. Leverage a Short Term Rental Property Management for Guest Screening

For all the reasons mentioned above, hiring a professional property manager such as Opulence is extremely important if you want to effectively screen Airbnb guests. You may have a great guest list or home, but there are times when they can unknowingly reveal information that will compromise your security. By getting in touch with our management team, you will be able to get expert advice on how to screen your visitors efficiently.

Opulence: A Short-Term Rental Management Company

Lastly, we would like to give you another reason why hiring Opulence Short-Term Rental Management for guest screening is the best idea. We ensure that good guests are entering your home by utilizing the screening process listed above. If there's a potential guest that's not the right fit for your home, we'd rather not accept their booking and instead accept a guest who will take care of your property.

Conclusion

This article is designed to inform you how to vet airbnb guests while staying in your property using Airbnb. As you can see, the company has a way of differentiating its genuine guests from those who may come to harm. But your decision will be yours.

However, if you have chosen to rent your unit through Airbnb, make sure that there are no major flaws in your guest list—especially regarding background checks.