Air B and B strange question? Why?

look 171 · 02-23-2025, 01:04 AM

I have never stayed in one and this is my first time booking one in Vegas, going to a Kitchen/bath and construction convention. They can't confirm my reservation unless I provide my social media profile. I have none and now they have to discuss this with their team? What and why is this important to just rent a fooking condo for a couple days? Is this computer siht gotten this complicated?

unclebilly · unclebilly's Garage

I think they want to know you are a real person and get a feel that you aren’t going to use their place for illicit purposes.

Don’t forget air b&b places are private residences rented to strangers.

KFC911 · 02-23-2025, 01:47 AM

^^^ This. Point 'em to PPOT .... tell them you can monkey roll

Arizona_928 · 02-23-2025, 03:34 AM

Weird request. Probably to profile you for some reason or another.

I think it’s easier to book a hotel since air bnb starts to charge you for everything, with no real difference in price between a hotel.

Tervuren · Tervuren's Garage

They might want to look for people that have trashed other stays.

Cajundaddy · Cajundaddy's Garage

After having guests trash their condo with wild parties a dozen times they get a bit more particular about who they will rent to. They want to know if you are real, stable, and not going to destroy their place.

When buying/selling on FB marketplace I always look over their FB profile. It's not unusual to see stories about how they "screwed over someone in a deal". We won't do business.

look 171 · 02-23-2025, 08:16 AM

Oh, I was thinking places like Facebook, Linkin or some professional site which I do not have. I should just give them PPOT, you think that should work? If so, what do I do, just give them the website or do I need to give them my screen name too? What a PITA.

This is a last minute thing, all the hotels are booked and are getting up there in pricing 300 bucks or more a night. Plus, they all charge for parking, 20 every time you go in and out of them.

Bowling · 02-23-2025, 08:24 AM

Might be a Las Vegas market thing. I have used both Vrbo and Air B and B, never been asked to provide a social media profile. I see the party concern.

Alan A · 02-23-2025, 09:44 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by look 171

I have never stayed in one and this is my first time booking one in Vegas, going to a Kitchen/bath and construction convention. They can't confirm my reservation unless I provide my social media profile. I have none and now they have to discuss this with their team? What and why is this important to just rent a fooking condo for a couple days? Is this computer siht gotten this complicated?

Tell them to pound sand.

It’ll be to make sure you aren’t going to have a house party and wreck the joint, but still I’d be NFW. I’d book a hotel before I did that.

speeder · speeder's Garage

At least not for AirBnB, it's SOP. It's a safeguard for renters to see who they are renting to, if you are a liar on your application, etc..

I have a couple of friends who used AirBnB to rent out their places in the past. One absolute hard and fast rule they have is that they will only rent to travelers, not locals. There is a HUGE risk of someone trying to scam and squat in your place as it is, they only want legitimate visitors and they want to see if your story matches up, ie. you have a job/life/family somewhere else, etc...

One of my best friends was doing it, (renting out his apartment), until fairly recently. He has been in NY for quite a while and has a nice empty place here. He had great luck for a while with a couple of traveling nurses who booked it for 2-3 months at a time, (they are the ideal customer), then got a real psycho dude who would not communicate once in the apartment, acted incredibly strange and turned out to be a serial AirBnB renter who moved from one place to another and claimed that he was just in town visiting.

Why does this matter, I'm sure someone is thinking? I hold the keys for my friend and hand them off to the renters for him, I also help out when he needs someone to stop by the place for any reason, etc. He is one of my best friends and is extremely generous to me, (free digs in NYC for me, as an example). When I give the keys to the problem guy, I accidentally left the mailbox key on the ring and he would not give it back. Under no circumstances do you ever allow a short-term guest to receive mail at your address, it is one important step that a squatter or scammer can use to establish "residency" and not be removed without an arduous court process. It's a living nightmare for the rightful owner. He was of course getting packages and mail everyday and lied repeatedly to us wrt returning the key. I finally had a time set up to go by and collect the key, he texted me that he was stuck in traffic and not home, that he would let me know when he was available. I went over and knocked on the door, of course he was there. He became hysterical and made a scene, threatening my friend's tenancy in his apartment of 30 years. It goes on and on, it was a lot of drama and I came thisclose to throwing the guy out the window, (6 stories down to cement). We got him out but my friend has not rented it since and is eating thousands in monthly rent rather than deal with AirBnB people again.

That is why they want to know who TF you are.

speeder · speeder's Garage

Quote:

Originally Posted by Alan A

Tell them to pound sand.

It’ll be to make sure you aren’t going to have a house party and wreck the joint, but still I’d be NFW. I’d book a hotel before I did that.

I understand your POV completely but this is why hotels are a better choice a lot of the time. If someone is staying in my home, (which I'd never do), you can be damn sure I know as much about them as reasonably possible.

Alan A · 02-23-2025, 02:01 PM

I’ve used both AirBnB and vrbo plenty of times. I’ve never been asked for anything more intrusive than how many staying, how big is your dog, and what’s your credit card number.

Sit and swivel would be my answer to anyone on either platform that said give me your social media details.

Jeff Higgins · 02-23-2025, 02:12 PM

A motorcycle group that I travel with uses Air BnB. Since I have no social media presence, I'm never the one who has to book it. From what my riding buddies tell me, though, they can get pretty invasive with regards to all of this. I guess I understand where they are coming from. A few bad experiences would probably drive anyone to it, or to removing their property from the market for this.

The other side of this is the Air BnB that allows, or even seeks out and advertises for, the big parties. There is one locally that has become rather infamous. Owned by a former NFL player, located in an old, established beachfront dead end neighborhood. There have been hundreds of "guests" on some weekends, parking the streets full, blocking emergency access, and all of that. And the noise. All weekend long, music at full volume indoors and out. Drug paraphernalia littering the streets in the morning, obvious hookers stumbling around totally whacked outa their minds, etc. Neighbors call in noise complaints, cars get ticketed and towed, but since it's a new crowd every weekend, it has become "wash, rinse, repeat".

This self serving ass hole washed up NFL player simply does not care. The place is a gold mine for him. Granted, this is an extreme case, but this is one aspect of the Air Bnb business that doesn't get mentioned much. They can be a real problem in any neighborhood.

HobieMarty · 02-23-2025, 04:57 PM

They may need a social media profile in order to rate or leave a review about you when your stay is over. A bad review could affect your future Air BnB rentals.

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onewhippedpuppy · 05:47 PM

We rent with both ABNB and VRBO regularly. I think I had to provide ABNB with a copy of my driver’s license to set up my profile and I assume verify I’m being honest about who I am. Also common that the rate will include insurance that covers the owner for any damage incurred, which I get. I don’t recall ever being asked for a social media profile, and I have six lake weekends booked for this summer through ABNB.

look 171 · 02-23-2025, 05:55 PM

Yep, they wanted my photo too so I send it .

They finally emailed back and say they will go through with it with all their rules about no parties and not speaking with anyone on the property about said rental. OOOK, sure I replied. Why the hell would I jsut talk to a stranger about the rental? I have always rather stay in hotels, much simpler. Plus, they clean the sink, shower and make the bed daily.

onewhippedpuppy · 02-24-2025, 04:16 AM

Because you’re dealing with the owner, maybe they’re just paranoid because they got screwed in the past?

Alan A · 02-24-2025, 04:20 AM

It’s an illegal rental then. I’d call the city right as I’m leaving.

Dixie · Dixie's Garage

Quote:

Originally Posted by look 171

Why the hell would I jsut talk to a stranger about the rental?

Because most people will mention in passing, "oh, I'm just renting for the weekend." That's a problem when short term rentals are forbidden by the hoa, municipality, or county.

oldE · 02-24-2025, 06:30 AM

My son is renting a basement apartment which had been student rental through the school year and Air B&B in the summer. The householder, who had met my son and knew he was moving, finally got tired of the "surprises" and asked him if he wanted to move in for a while. That was 7 years ago.
It certainly isn't for everyone.

Best
Les