I’m not really an Airbnb guest nor do I intend to ever be one in the future. I recently tried for literally two hours to book one of their properties. I was repeatedly asked to verify my phone number and email, which I did without a problem. They also asked for a photo. I’m thinking: “What? Who do they think they are?” But I sent one in. Then they wanted a copy of my last credit statement. This is after providing verification several times and spending hours doing so. This was the final straw. I have done business for years with both VRBO and Homeaway, without needing to provide pictures and credit card statements. To verify our credit card, all they needed to do is run it. Ultimately, we made other arrangements, through a competitor. The end result? Airbnb lost a potential customer who uses similar services 2-3 months a year and the associated rental fees, but most importantly, the host lost the chance to book their property. We will do business where the process is simple and our platinum credit card is honored. It was pretty poor customer service. I hope this isn’t a publicly traded company because with this business model, they probably don’t have much time left before bankruptcy.
I too, had this recent frustration and the decided not to use Airbnb while traveling anymore. My account was blocked because I logged in from my cell in a foreign country and in order to unlock it they wanted everything but my first born. Photos of my passport and driver’s license needed to be approved and were declined repeatedly. I thought what an idiot I am for even giving them this information and I wiped it all from my phone and used Booking and Expedia and private websites to make all my arrangements. F these people. Quite frankly, I am surprised this forum is requiring my name and personal email address in order to post.