Airbnb: Which Types of Renters Do Owners Reject?

Airbnb: Which Types of Renters Do Owners Reject?

Property Owners Have Become Particularly Cautious About Renters for Various Reasons

Approximately 43% of Airbnb property managers have faced complaints about noise at their rental properties, and in 25% of cases, the police have been called due to noise disturbances.

These statistics clearly indicate that property owners have become particularly cautious about renters for various reasons. Here are some examples:

When a woman in her twenties requested to book Vicky Borman's one-bedroom cottage in the English village of St Neots last summer, Borman felt something was off. The user had no reviews on her Airbnb profile, so Borman, a "Superhost" on the platform, conducted a social media search.

She found an advertisement on the woman's Facebook profile for a party in St Neots. The intention was clear: the party was planned to take place at Borman's cottage. She declined the request.

Half an hour later, Borman received another booking request through Airbnb, this time from an older woman inquiring on behalf of her son. Borman was suspicious, checked their social media profiles, and concluded that the son was friends with the would-be party host Borman had previously rejected. She denied this booking as well.

This experience made her more selective about who she allows to stay at her cottage, Borman stated. She said she feels justified in scrutinizing potential guests' social media profiles if she believes their stay might cause issues.

"I know there are some Airbnb hosts who literally monitor every guest. I wondered if I was becoming some kind of super detective, but I'm certainly not that kind of person," she noted.

"If someone has good reviews, I don't feel the need to do anything other than ensure they have a pleasant stay. But unfortunately, in recent years, there have been at least three occasions where I felt the need to pre-check people's social media," she remarked.

Social Media Checks

A survey by home security company Minut of 247 rental property managers from the UK, the United States, France, Germany, and Canada shows that Borman's instinct was right, according to CNBC.

However, Borman belongs to the 8% who reported checking guests' social media profiles before accepting a booking. It is a crucial part of the screening process for Sebastian Long, CEO of Texas-based company Lodgeur, which offers short-term, fully furnished apartment rentals throughout Houston.

"We delve into social media as a more advanced check when we have suspicions about someone," he said.

Long also mentioned that he conducts online news searches for potential guests to check for negative headlines or even arrests.

Stolen Credit Cards

Long stated that his company takes these measures to address one of its biggest problems: people using stolen credit cards.

"There are many people who stay a few days and then leave before the actual cardholder has the chance to dispute the credit card transaction," he emphasized. "One of the things we look for is whether the person making the booking is using their own credit card."

Long reported that Lodgeur's screening process resulted in the exclusion of about 2% of nearly 1,200 bookings—a small but crucial step in its commitment to uncovering credit card fraud. The company's efforts have led to approximately 10 arrests out of about 9,000 guests over the past five years.

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