Risky Guest Warning Signs

[Selena Walsh]

Hi all - Thought I'd share some of the "red flags" or warning signs I consider when accepting bookings at our vacation / short term rentals.  If several or most of these are present, I won't hesitate to deny or cancel the booking. And all of our "horror stories" can definitely be mapped back to these warning signs. Based on "learning the hard way" I've since updated our settings on Airbnb and Homeaway to pre-empt these when possible. 

Curious what others have observed??

1. Last minute booking (1-3 days in advance)

2. Empty profile - no pic, no personal info, minimum verifications

3. No reviews + New account (typically created same month as booking)

4. Local guest

5. No message with inquiry/booking

[Luke Carl]

They’re all a problem