Airbnb - not sure about this guest request

[GhostCurry]

Hi! Am I in the right topic?

Anyway, we live in a city centre and I've decided to airbnb our place while we are away this weekend.

I've had a request from someone who is "verified" - has 6 verifications actually, but no reviews, and her photo is a cartoon.

My rule is usually to be wary and decline any requests I'm not sure of. But I'm just wondering, what is a verification?

They have uploaded a picture of their passport or linked with their Facebook page to airbnb. Use the airbnb community page for host/guest advice.

community.withairbnb.com/t5/Community-Center/ct-p/community-center

It just means her profile has been linked to Facebook etc or that she has shown government ID.

it depends on how much you need this booking. TBH if it unsettles you I'd err on just saying no.

Coincidently I tried to book a place recently and got told that it wasn't available (despite still showing as available online). I think he didn't like my profile - I'm a normal person with nothing outrageous on there - just positive reviews from family hols - I was oddly put out by it!

Moreisnnogedag this is it, I don't want to offend her! She could be totally legit.

But I want other reviews from other airbnb hosts, not a scan of a passport. I can't even read her FB page (if it were available for me to view?) because it's in another language with a non-roman alphabet.

Cruciatus thanks for the link. Checking it out now.

I just like hearing from MNers though somehow I trust ppl on here more

If everyone would only accept reviews from other air b n b owners then how would anyone go about getting their first let? We looked at bookings for next weekend but didn't actually see anything which met our requirements. We would have been first time bookers though so now wondering how we would go about it?

"If everyone would only accept reviews from other air b n b owners then how would anyone go about getting their first let?"

Exactly - I'm conscious of this too.

I guess one option could be staying in a rental where the 'landlord' is present, somewhat - like in an adjoining property, as sometimes happens in the country.

In our case, we would have to leave a key and there would be no crossover at all. So I want someone who has some recommendations as it's our home.

By "in the country" I mean in the countryside.