Implementing a guest screening, or background check for your Airbnb guests is an efficient way to get to know who will be staying in your property. The important thing to remember when creating an Airbnb background check is to not be too invasive. The main information you should gain from a guest screening is the purpose of your guest’s stay, the number of guests staying, and a surface-level description of what the booking guest is like. This information will help indicate to you if you should require a security deposit for the group. Or, if you may even need to decline the booking. Asking the right screening questions will help you to gain the most important information.
The benefits of guest screenings
Implementing an Airbnb guest screening process offers multiple benefits to Airbnb operators. By vetting potential guests, operators can enhance the security and integrity of their property. Ensuring that only trustworthy individuals with positive reviews and verified identities gain access. This minimizes the risk of potentially disruptive guests, which protects the property’s condition. And, helps to keep the peace of the surrounding neighborhood. Additionally, effective guest screening enables operators to create a more curated experience for their guests based on their interests. This can lead to greater guest satisfaction ratings, positive reviews, and repeat bookings. Which ultimately contributes to the operator’s reputation and long-term success.
1. Please tell me more about yourself and your group.
This question might seem obvious, but it is a great question to ask your incoming guests. This is because your primary guest will likely mention whether they are a university student, if they are employed, or if they are visiting with their family. If your incoming group is made up of college students, there is a greater chance of your property sustaining damages such as indoor smoking or even broken furniture. However, a bit of an older group or a family minimizes the risk that damage could occur to your property. Of course, anything could happen no matter who is staying at your Airbnb. Conducting an Airbnb background check helps to mitigate that risk.
2. What is the purpose of your stay?
Understanding the purpose of your guest’s stay will also help indicate whether you should charge them a security deposit. If your guests answer that they are visiting to enjoy the nightlife or are on a bachelor/bachelorette trip, you may want to consider a refundable security deposit for your property. However, if your incoming guests are staying at your property to visit family or are traveling for business, a refundable security deposit may not be necessary. A guest screening will help you to determine this.
3. How many guests are you bringing?
It’s important to know how many guests are coming to stay at your Airbnb. And, implementing an Airbnb background check is a great way to find out. Part of the reason this is an essential question to ask is because of city regulations. Different cities have varying laws about how many people can occupy a short-term rental or Airbnb during a stay. Maximum occupancy limits are set to help control noise in buildings and ensure that short-term rental operators are abiding by fire safety laws. Knowing the exact group size can also indicate whether or not the group may be disruptive. This is because a larger crowd of younger people may be more likely to become noisy, even if it’s on accident.
4. Have you stayed in this location before?
Asking this question is a great way to discover how much your incoming guests know about the area. And, if they might need recommendations on what to do during their stay. Airbnb hosts can go the extra mile when hosting a stay by directing their guests towards the best restaurants and activities in the area. By doing this, you have the opportunity to personalize your guest’s experience and will likely gain positive online reviews. As you probably know, positive online reviews are imperative for the success of short-term rentals. If your incoming guests have been to the location before, you know to be more hands-off. Or, you can recommend any places in the area that might be new.
5. Do you agree to the house rules?
This is one of the most important questions to ask your incoming guests on an Airbnb background check. Having your incoming guests acknowledge your house rules is imperative if you ever need to prove that there was a breach of the rules. An example of this is if your property is non-smoking and you discover your guests are smoking indoors, you may be entitled to compensation to repair damages. However, to claim property damages, you would need proof that your house rules were broken. This can be difficult to do, especially when you need to prove smoke or noise violations. However, Airbnb room monitors can be a great tool to prove breaches of house rules. Usually, most guests follow house rules as they are laid out.
