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Have you heard about Airbnb guests throwing noisy parties and leaving not-so-pleasant rubbish in the building or about neighbours complaining after confronting drunken guests? Don’t worry and stay tuned, our tips to vet your Airbnb guests can prevent such events from happening!
Make your terms as clear as possible
Ask your guests to review their rental agreement – this is the key to protecting your property! Once they have signed the agreement, they have accepted all the conditions. The agreement should include all the appropriate information such as the guests’ names, check-in times, the rules of your apartment, and what you expect from your guests. Remember, the more information you present at this point, the better!
Double-check that everything matches
Besides setting clear terms, make sure that the guests’ contact details and their credit card details match the information you received from them. Let’s say Mr. B. Smith is renting your property and a payment from m.newman@email.com is taken, be careful and ask questions as this could potentially be dishonest! You can also go one step further and check their Facebook, LinkedIn or other social media profiles to be 100% sure about who you are about to let into your home.
One can never be too sure, so ask for extra information
For example, in case of fraudulent payment, it can take the real cardholder several weeks to find out that their credit card was misused. Due to this fact, chargebacks can happen even after your guests check out! Ask your guests for additional proof of identification such as a driver’s license. Personal check-ins are also a good way to avoid chargebacks!
Get a deposit
Keeping your terms clear will make you and your property safer and more protected from damages! Additionally, asking for a deposit will certainly make your guests feel more responsible. Let them know about how and when you plan to reimburse them and clarify the circumstances under which the deposit will not be returned in the rental agreement!
Read their reviews and references
After you’ve checked your potential guests’ profiles, descriptions and photos, go through the reviews from their previous hosts as well! This will give you an idea of what you should expect and if they are suitable guests for your home.
Guests who belong to a generation with higher expectations
As the business world is inevitably familiarising itself with the millennials’ desires and is adapting to their demands, it is still the baby boomers who are the driving force of the world’s economy. Many of them have adopted and taken a great liking to the sharing economy. However, when it comes to accommodation and amenities, this generation often has higher expectations. As they have stayed in hotels for most of their travels, they might be more likely to complain about the insufficient cleanliness or the stay not meeting their hotel quality expectations.
Take advantage of technology
Benefit from 21st-century messaging platforms such as WhatsApp, Facetime or Skype and use them to welcome and also vet your potential guests! Although you won’t be always able to do personal check-ins, using these apps is quite simple and you can talk to your guests face-to-face from almost anywhere!
How does City Relay protect your home from troublemakers?
“We screen every single one of our guests. When we receive a booking, we check all the small details. If it’s a last minute booking, we often don’t confirm reservations immediately as troublemakers tend to book last minute. Then we check the client’s address, the contact details and cross check that the credit card matches it. We also check our guests’ social media profiles etc. In addition to this, we require all guests to show a proof of ID both upon the reservation creation and upon check-in to complete that screening of the guests.
Until we are comfortable with a request, no payment will be taken and the booking will not be confirmed.”
– Miguel, Reservations and Revenue Assistant Manager, City Relay
By implementing our tips to vet your Airbnb guests, you’re on the road to safer hosting. Is this too overwhelming for you to handle, or do you not have the time to properly manage your property? Becoming a host is quick and easy, simply click the button below and fill out your details to view your property’s earning potential!
