Getting Around the “Blocked Inquiry” Issue on Airbnb

Hello hosts! 

You may have come across this issue before. You see a booking request come through, perhaps with a message from the guest. But there’s something weird about it. The reservation request has been blocked! You’ll see that the calendar is still available, and this message accompanies the booking:

This can show up even when a guest has had their identity verified or have all positive reviews. Even if you trust the inquiry, there seems to be no way around it. It can be frustrating for you, as an owner or manager, especially if you still have availability and it’s not too far from the arrival date. So what gives? And how do you get around this?

Why The Blocked Inquiry Notification Shows Up

Over the last few years, Airbnb has not always had the best press. You have probably seen news stories of guests hosting unauthorized parties in vacation rentals they’ve rented or other disruptive activities taking place.

Owners responded by asking Airbnb for better protection. AirCover is a different story altogether, but let’s focus today on blocked inquiries. It seems that this issue pops up more frequently around holidays and high volume travel dates. 

Airbnb’s algorithm looks at a few factors that causes certain requests from being blocked – and claims that it is for your protection. Some of the things the algorithm considers are: 

• The booker’s age 
• Whether the booker is a local 
• Whether it’s a last-minute reservation, and 
• If they are booking an entire house. 

Since it’s a proprietary algorithm, we don’t know all the factors that are included, and Airbnb will never release that information. However, we can reasonably assume that these are included in the equation based off patterns that we see and what they tell us.

But why does Airbnb do this? The company has incentive to continue this way whether you like it or not. If they block parties from being booked on their platform, they pay out less Aircover claims for damages, and there is less negative press in the news. Essentially, Airbnb’s algorithm looks at the ‘risk factor’, says it’s not worth having them as a guest, and denies the booking request on their platform. 

This is pretty unique in the OTA world. Airbnb takes a much more active approach in managing the guest/owner relationship than more traditional OTAs like Booking or Expedia. This is likely due to the nature of hosts having less resources and generally being less experienced than the hotels they compete with.

What Airbnb does not consider, however, is the disruptive nature that this can cause for a small-time host. Perhaps you are listed only on Airbnb or are a new host still learning the ropes. This can seem like an impossible issue to get around, but by using a little bit of intuition and strategic planning, you won’t be at the mercy of Airbnb’s algorithm.

Expand, expand, expand

You may trust a blocked inquiry coming in, or want the revenue, and are trying to figure out how to accept the reservation. However, Airbnb does not allow you to go directly through them. Once the inquiry is blocked, it will forever be blocked. Even when you contact Airbnb’s host support line, they will tell you that there is no way around it. But there is. My number one recommendation to skirting this issue is to expand your reach. This is not just smart in terms of skirting around this issue, but in general, so you won’t have to depend solely on Airbnb to capture your reservations.

Book the guest directly. 

If you don’t have a Property Management System (PMS), it is a smart move for you going forward. By having a PMS to help manage your calendar and bookings, your unit becomes much more versatile and you can respond to changes much easier. You can book guests directly into your property, and by doing so, you have the benefit of not having to pay commission to Airbnb when you have direct bookings not made directly on the platform. 

You can also connect your software with other websites, like VRBO and Booking, and suddenly, you’ve expanded your reach considerably. Couple this with a smart marketing program and personalized webpage, and you are in a great position to improve your occupancy and performance.

Many Property Management Systems also allow you to take payment on reservations (you will need a valid credit card from the guest and a payment gateway), so you control the inflow of funds from your direct reservations.

Some people are concerned about the costs associated with a property management system for their small time vacation rental, but there are many reasonable solutions out there today that are affordable. The benefits will outweigh the costs!

If you are interested in help selecting or configuring a Property Management System (PMS) for your unit, reach out to me directly using the contact us form below and I would be happy to help you!

Send the Guest to Another Website You List On

If you don’t have a PMS, you should at least be listed on other websites like VRBO or Booking and manually manage your calendar. Guests inquiries that come through other websites shouldn’t end up blocked and they should be able to reserve your unit.

Putting It All Together

It’s important that you don’t have all your eggs in one basket. Just like with your investment portfolio, you wouldn’t put all your money in one stock. It’s too risky.

Similarly, by listing only on one website like Airbnb, you’re fully dependant on any changes that they end up making — and the change may not be in your favour. If Airbnb’s algorithm changes one day, favouring your competition, you might end up in a tricky or disadvantageous position.

By increasing your reach, you can have confidence that you’re being seen by more guests, which is never a bad thing. This is especially important in a competitive hospitality landscape, where having more people see your property increases the likelihood of getting booked. You may even find that, by being seen by more guests, you are underpriced – but that is a blog post for another day!

I hope that this has given you some food for thought as you consider improving the strategy around your vacation rental. You should never feel that your bookings or calendar are being controlled by Airbnb! Your vacation rental is yours. Ensure you are in charge of it, not Airbnb, and always ensure you’re a step ahead of everyone else.

Having a strategic partner to help guide you through your hospitality journey is a smart choice as you learn how to beat your competition. Luckily, you don’t need to do it alone! Discover more about our services by clicking on the buttons below or reach out today for a free 15-minute consultation to see how we can improve the health of your vacation rental today. 

Happy Hosting!