To not email Airbnb host my photo ID?

[gillybean2]

Have stayed with Airbnb several times, both in UK and abroad. My account is verified with a photo ID.
I have just booked a couple more stays and received the following reply in response to one with confirmation of my booking being accepted and payment taken...

“Thank you for your reservation, as part of our checks please could you provide photo ID and confirm the names of all guests. It is a requirement under the hotel act 1972 to request this. If you could e-mail this to * ”

I have replied confirming I am the only guest and as I am a UK citizen/resident I don’t believe I need to supply photo ID.

There was nothing in the house rules to say this was a requirement of booking. I also am a little concerned from a GDPR and identity theft perspective. Anyone had this before as a UK resident staying in a UK Airbnb? Any hosts able to confirm that this is correct and my verified ID account isn’t sufficient? Should I look to cancel and book somewhere else in case they cancel on me?

AIBU not to provide it at all, let alone to a separate email address outside of Airbnb?

Yes we had this earlier in the year.

It's not unusual.

Thing is there is a photo/selfie on my account already which is standard, so I don’t think it’s the ‘brown face’ or otherwise. It’s also only a one bed flat but I guess you could turn up with a load of blow up mattresses and squeeze more in if you were so inclined. There is a security deposit of £200 on this place so sounds like they may have had damage or something before perhaps. I’d be happy to show my ID on arrival if required, but not happy to email to an unknown person not even within the Airbnb message system

Yes I’m a black doctor
Needed a place to stay near Surrey as I was on a course related to work and twice had my booking cancelled for no reason. Think it was because I’m brown.

Well, they didn't have email in 1972 so it can't be a legal requirement!

Well, they didn't have email in 1972 so it can't be a legal requirement!

where has anyone said that the email is the legal part? It's the information that is legally required and back in 1972 they had a physical register that every guest signed in order to collect that data.

The law is that hoteliers/proprietors have to keep a record of their guests. For home nationals it is their full name and nationality, for international guests it is that plus their passport number. This information must be kept for at least 12 months.

How that is recorded is up to the owner - they could just have a notebook with handwritten information if they chose, but most places prefer a more structured/official system. Back in the day it was the register you had to sign at the front desk, now they will usually just scan/photocopy your passport photo page and store it in a secure place in their office, complying with GDPR rules etc.

Stayed in Airbnb a few times. Was asked for ID a couple of times. Uncomfortable, but I liked the space and gave in.

Tell them you don’t have photo ID. Not everyone has a passport and photo driving license.

Thinking about this again.... there is a bit of an issue on Airbnb where a traveller gets their account verified then hands it over to someone else so they can book accommodation. So the person who books, and who arrives to stay, may not be the person whose ID has been verified by Airbnb. I know a couple of hosts who've had this happen. Maybe that's your host's issue? If you really don't want to email your ID directly to them, you could offer to show it on arrival to whoever checks you in. Otherwise, get airbnb involved.

I've stayed in many hotels over the years, and have never been asked for photo ID. I wouldn't email it either. As your photo ID has been verified, they can easily look for confirmation on the site
Every hotel,Airbnb andhostel I've been in over the last few years has asked for my passport. This is photographic ID.
It has always been on arrival though.

Unwanted guests' = People with brown faces.
Ffs, there are many reasons why a guest might be unwanted. Not everything has to be about racism.

I didn't even consider race. It just didn't even occur to me because I am not a racist. If I ran an Air bnb, I would want to know who was staying in it, and, as a business-owner would comply with GDPR. There is nothing to suggest this owner won't.

Just don’t stay there.

This happened to me at an Airbnb in Lymington. I refused to send in advance but was asked to provide on arrival and hosts were waiting for me to verify ID with no explanation. It was my first ever Airbnb so thought this was normal.

After I left I was bombarded with messages saying this and that was now “missing” and had I taken it.

Beware.

@notacooldad

I've stayed in many hotels over the years, and have never been asked for photo ID. I wouldn't email it either. As your photo ID has been verified, they can easily look for confirmation on the site Every hotel,Airbnb andhostel I've been in over the last few years has asked for my passport. This is photographic ID. It has always been on arrival though.

In the UK (assuming that’s your home country)? I have never had to provide a passport in the UK which is just as well as I would t have it with me while travelling in my home country...

The owner might be a single woman and only wants women to stay but obviously can’t say that. I doubt it is race.