Guest screening for small owners: simple steps that work

Airbnb says its screening is not guaranteed to prevent incidents, and it covers Airbnb bookings only.

The short answer: Guest screening means checking that a booking looks right before the guest arrives. Airbnb screens some bookings for party risk, but it says its tools are not guaranteed to prevent incidents, and they cover Airbnb bookings only. For your own bookings, set clear house rules, ask a few questions, verify ID with a trusted service, keep records, and screen on facts such as group size and booking pattern, never on who the guest is.

Most guests are lovely. But one wild party, one fake booking or one wrecked room can cost more than a month of income. The good news is that a few simple habits stop most problems before they start.

What does Airbnb already do to screen guests?

Airbnb's AirCover for Hosts includes guest identity verification and reservation screening. The screening uses machine learning and is designed to redirect bookings that may carry a higher risk of parties and damage. Airbnb says it is currently available in the US, Canada and Australia.

Airbnb is clear about the limits: these features "aren't insurance policies or guaranteed to prevent incidents." And they only cover bookings made on Airbnb.

There is another catch. Airbnb does not share a guest's government ID with the host when they book. A host may ask for ID later only if the listing said so at booking and it is needed for legal or compliance reasons. So on Airbnb you work with what Airbnb shows you, and on your own bookings you are fully on your own.

What are the warning signs of a risky booking?

Airbnb's own tips to prevent disruptive parties list these signs:

• A guest who lives nearby booking a stay close to home, especially around events such as graduation or prom
• A guest with little or no travel history
• A guest count that does not fit the size of your home
• A last-minute booking over a holiday weekend
• A guest who dodges simple questions
• A booking made for someone underage

No single sign proves anything. Look at the whole picture, and ask.

How do you screen guests in seven simple steps?

• Write clear house rules. Cap the number of overnight guests, set quiet hours, and say "No parties or events" in your listing. Airbnb suggests exactly that kind of short, direct line.
• Think about a 2-night minimum for weekends. Airbnb suggests it, because it makes one-night party bookings less attractive.
• Ask three questions before you confirm. Why this stay, how many people, and will anyone visit who is not on the booking? Airbnb recommends asking about attendance and visitors.
• Verify ID on your own bookings. Booking sites do their own checks, but on your website you decide. Stripe Identity, for example, matches a government ID with a selfie. Stripe warns that some honest guests may not want the extra step, so use it where the risk is higher, such as last-minute weekend bookings.
• Show your cancellation and damage terms before payment, and get the guest to agree. This also protects you against disputes (see chargebacks on vacation rentals).
• Take photos before and after every stay. On Airbnb, a damage reimbursement request must be filed no later than 14 days after the reservation ends, so photograph damage before you clean.
• Keep all messages in writing, in the booking site's app for those bookings, and by email for your own.

Screen on facts, never on who a guest is

Screening must be fair. Airbnb's Nondiscrimination Policy says hosts may not decline, cancel or treat guests differently because of protected characteristics such as race, religion, disability, gender identity or family status.

Airbnb says breaking this can lead to warnings, suspended listings or removed accounts. Local laws can also apply to your own bookings. So base every decision on facts you can write down: the booking pattern, the group size against your capacity, and how the guest answered your questions. This is general information, not legal advice.

How should you handle guest data?

• Ask only for what you need.
• Store IDs and photos safely, and delete them when you no longer need them.
• Tell guests what you collect and why. Privacy rules such as GDPR can apply, depending on where your guests live.

Where does your own website fit in?

A booking you take on your own website has no booking-site cover behind it. That is a good reason to make your own screening easy and automatic.

Autopilot connects a guest-screening tool (Truvi or Autohost) to your booking steps, so screening becomes part of how you take bookings. You pay the tool directly. On other plans it is a $300 add-on. Every plan gives you a booking website that is ready in 7 working days or it is free, and you pay the other half only when you go live.

Also read: do you need a channel manager, or just a website? and how much Airbnb really takes from you.

Common questions

What is guest screening for a vacation rental?

Guest screening means checking that a booking looks right before the guest arrives. It can include asking a few questions, verifying ID, watching for warning signs such as a last-minute holiday booking for a large group, and setting clear house rules.

Does Airbnb screen guests for me?

Partly. AirCover for Hosts includes guest identity verification and reservation screening for party risk, available in the US, Canada and Australia. Airbnb says these features are not guaranteed to prevent incidents, and they cover Airbnb bookings only. Source: Airbnb.

Can I ask guests for ID?

On Airbnb, a host may ask for government ID only if the listing said so at booking and it is needed for legal or compliance reasons. On your own website you can ask for ID during booking, as long as you tell guests why and handle the data safely. Source: Airbnb.

Is it legal to turn down a guest?

You may decline a booking for facts such as a risky booking pattern, but not because of protected characteristics. Airbnb's Nondiscrimination Policy forbids that, and local laws can apply too. Write down the facts behind each decision.

Sources and helpful links

• Airbnb: AirCover for Hosts — guest ID checks and reservation screening, and their limits
• Airbnb: verifying your identity — what hosts can and cannot see
• Airbnb: tips to prevent disruptive parties — warning signs and house rules
• Airbnb: Nondiscrimination Policy — what hosts must not do
• Stripe Identity — verify a government ID with a selfie on your own bookings
• Stripe: best practices to prevent disputes — identity checks and clear policies