Is Airbnb safe and reliable | My experience

Around 27 thousand people are searching for travel safety every single month. This shows how curious people are about their safety and of course, they should be. Whenever we plan a trip or travel somewhere, we can’t ignore the importance of airbnb as it is the first choice for most of us.

But how safe is airbnb? Are there any concerns about safety and privacy? How can we have a safe and hassle-free stay with airbnb?

So in today’s guide, we will dive into the sea and catch some fish. Besides, I have also shared some of the safety tips that I have learned in my 30 years of experience. So stay with Chris.

How safe is Airbnb for guests or is Airbnb safe for the guests? Yes, Airbnb is the safest and most reliable option for travelers, digital nomads, and anyone who is looking for peaceful and hassle-free rentals to stay at. Back in 2010, airbnb had a fair share of safeties to deal with. Now, They have done hundreds of measures to prevent scams and any act that can affect the experience of the guest.

Believe it or not, there are more than 6 million properties on the line which makes airbnb the most dominant player and favorite choice for all kinds of vacation rentals. It’s almost 80% of the market.

So the reason why I’m telling these facts and figures is to make your mind clear about safety concerns. So overall airbnb is safe and secure.

I’ve seen some stories where people got scammed and had serious concerns about the host and overall experience on airbnb. Of course, that’s part of it. There are more than 4 million hosts on airbnb, you can’t expect every one of them to be honest and friendly with you.

Some people just set up profiles to scam innocent people like me and you but the chances are less. Below I have shared the tactics that I use to find the safest and most reliable accommodations for the perfect stay.

As I said, Airbnb has introduced significant reforms to enhance the overall safety of the platform, but it’s still important for users to take some measures by themselves. Read reviews carefully, verify the authenticity of listings, follow the platform’s guidelines, and so on to have a secure experience.

Today’s friendly reminder is to communicate through the platform. It helps to maintain protection policies, as the company may be unable to assist if anything bad happens outside of the platform. This is equally important for renters and hosts.

Of course, it is safe for hosts. Like many reforms and policies made for the safety of guests, They have not ignored hosts.

There are a number of policies for the safety of hosts but The profile verification policy is an important feature that lowers the chances of fraud and any potential harm. All the users have to complete their profiles and verification processes via email, phone numbers, and even social media accounts.

Whenever you receive booking requests you can immediately review their profiles, who they are, what other guests experienced from them, and much more. That’s great!

From what I see, Any online platform that’s acting as a bridge between buyers and sellers always prioritizes buyers or the ones who have money in their pockets. The same goes for airbnb, Whenever the case goes to the resolution center it leans towards the guest.

That’s not something to worry about because we have a host guarantee program, which allows the coverage of up to $1 million in case of any property damage that is caused by the guests. It serves as a safety net for hosts in case of any accidental or intentional property damage. 

I have used the word “ intentional” There are some cases where the guests had a serious issue with the host and they got into fights causing serious damage to the property as well as to the host. That’s where the host guarantee program is quite handy and always beneficial for the hosts. Right?

Host Guarantee program

If you’re thinking, Airbnb has done everything for our safety and we just have to book and stay on as many of us do, Think again this might not be the right stand. There are a few steps that we should follow.

From the least to the most important ones, I have gathered a list of best practices with a twist of my personal experience. A traveler or a renter is always worried about three things and I divided this section as though. These are

1. Payment Security
2. Apartment Security
3. Keep your belongings safe
4. Safety amenities

1. Payment Security

Payments on Airbnb are always secure and encrypted. The main channels are credit cards and Google Wallet which makes the process even more smooth and trustworthy. There are different payment methods depending on the region. 

Although this is already secured, still there is a need to follow these steps.

Pay through airbnb

I never had a chance, someone asked me to pay outside of airbnb, but many of my fellows had. The first and most important rule to follow is never to trust anyone and make payments on airbnb. If someone asks you to do so, then you know what to do, Instant report. This is crucial for the safety of other people as well.

Cancellation and refund policies

Take notice of cancellation and refund policies, as these are set by the hosts. Each property comes with its own rules. Generally, there are three standards, Flexible, Moderate, and Strict. You may get a 100% refund if you have booked Flexible and Moderate, But it’s quite difficult to have that with strict policies even if you are in serious circumstances.

Read More: Airbnb Cancellation Policies

Have a separate payment method

This is what I do, I always back up with a separate credit card that I only use for making payments online, especially for airbnb. The biggest reason is that airbnb may charge through our payment methods automatically if anything goes bad. Yup, that’s true.

2. Apartment Security

After making a safe payment we may worry about the apartment and location, Will the apartment be the same as listed, what about the location? How’s it going to be? And many more questions pop up. There are some very simple and easy steps that you can follow to get rid of this hassle.

Related: What! The host is gonna stay with me?

Read reviews

This is the topic I talk about in almost every guide. If a listing catches your eye, the first step you’re going to do is to read reviews and see what others are talking about the host and property. Believe sometimes you will find detailed and long-form reviews that are going to be very valuable. 

There you will find in and outs and anything the host has not listed on airbnb. So make sure to clip and crop reviews before booking. Reviews are very handy, whether you’re on airbnb or willing to buy online read reviews first.

Related: Why reviews are important?

Check for cameras

Cameras are not prohibited due to security reasons but are not allowed in private areas such as Bathrooms, Bedrooms, and other spots where guests can expect privacy. I hate repeating words but here I have to.

On the other hand, If hosts want to install cameras then they should disclose it, even if the cameras are turned off or not working due to any reason. So before making a booking ask hosts about where the cameras are installed or if there is anything that can be not acceptable to you.

Secure Wifi

As an Airbnb guest, a secure Wi-Fi network is important for staying connected, conducting online activities, and assuring your personal data remains safe. Nowadays it is totally risky to use public wifi or anything similar to it. 

When I make reservations on airbnb, most of the time there is public wifi or a network that a group of people are using. That’s not secure because someone who has technical knowledge can change the servers and easily access the information on your mobile. 

So don’t hesitate to inquire about wifi setups and you should also avoid connecting to open networks that are without passwords as it can lead to cyber attacks. I hope I made it clear and easy to understand.

3. Keep your belongings safe

We often see in pranks and funny videos where a person is standing at the door, trying to unlock it, and suddenly their luggage disappears, funny hah! However, that’s not something that would happen in Airbnb. But keeping your belongings safe and secure is a worry, especially when you’re traveling.

When you arrive at your Airbnb, take advantage of the available safe storage options. If the property provides a safe, use it to store your valuable items such as passports, electronics, and jewelry when not in use. Besides, bring your own small travel lock to secure your luggage or use it in storage areas.

I’m too bad at organizing things and it leads to losing them and sometimes I even forget about them while checking out. So it’s also important to stay organized.

4. Safety Amenities 

This is something that most of us ignore. Safety amenities should be the first priority, to protect you and your loved ones. It includes smoke detectors, a first aid kit, a fire extinguisher, and emergency exit routes. Review the listing and look for these items and if you can’t see them there, ask the host.

Related: Can you smoke in an airbnb?

While it’s not wrong to say Airbnb is the safest and most reliable option for vacation rentals, some common scams are going on there. One is already mentioned above where hosts ask you to pay outside of the platform. Below I have discussed a few of them.

1. Fake listings
2. Pishing
3. Security deposit scams
4. Misleading amenities

Fake listings

You may have heard, trending on Insta, Trending on TikTok, and many more, like that Fake listings are trending on airbnb. You have to watch out. Take it seriously, do your research before booking a property.

For those who don’t know what fake listings are, This is a common scam where hosts copy images from different platforms and list them on airbnb with fake descriptions. To build credibility they may have fake reviews as well.

To avoid booking a fake listing, Always go for a property that has more than 20 or 30 reviews. Read all of them carefully and contact the host. Someone gave me advice, if a host replies with a few words, don’t go for it. Well, This can be true but not 100 percent.

Pishing

Pishing is like a robbery at night, you get scammed but you don’t know how and who did this. It involves messages, and emails asking for personal details and login credentials. Once you provide this information, scammers can get unauthorized access to your account and misuse it for unethical purposes.

There is another method that scammers use which is sending spammy links appearing to be safe but are actually not.

To protect yourself, avoid clicking on links that are sent by unknown persons and access airbnb through their main website or app. 

Security deposit scams

A while ago, I booked a private room on Airbnb and after clearing all the payments the host asked me for a security deposit, I said to him you have not mentioned that anywhere in the description or even in policy guidelines, The answer was I forgot it. I immediately asked for a refund but he was not happy with that and tried to convince me not to refund.

This is called a security deposit scam, Hosts are not allowed to ask for any kind of security deposit, this is because if a guest does any damage to the property they will be charged automatically, as their payment method is attached. 

Misleading Amenities

A smooth experience is impossible without amenities. On airbnb hosts should list all the amenities accurately. If that’s not done correctly then we can call it fake or misleading amenities. Those who do these acts are looking for short-term profits by scamming people and being kicked out by airbnb.

For instance, The listing shows a large flat-screen TV in the living room that looks perfect. However, when you settle in, you realize there’s no TV at all, and you’re left without the entertainment you were expecting. That’s frustrating.

So, It could be a good idea to go and ask the host about amenities that are important to you and that you can’t survive without.

Related: Towels and sheets at Airbnb

Superhosts are the rockstars of airbnb. This is a badge or you can say level that can be achieved by providing top-notch services and experiences to the guest. It includes taking care of their safety, belongings, privacy and also providing useful tips on local attractions.

If you’re concerned about safety, you can stick with superhosts. As they are verified members with a track record of professional hosting. They offer valuable insights into the neighborhood, including safety tips and recommendations for nearby amenities. Whether it’s the best restaurants, safe transportation options, or must-visit attractions, superhosts will take care of you.

If you don’t want to take any chances, choose a Superhost on Airbnb. Superhosts are special because they’ve earned their title by being really good at what they do and making guests happy. They get lots of bookings because people love staying with them, meaning in their properties, not with them.

That’s why they can charge a bit more for their rentals. It’s like when a famous ice cream shop sells ice cream for a little more because everyone knows it’s the best, the same goes here.

What is an Airbnb bait and switch?

An Airbnb bait and switch comes into play when a host advertises their rental property with appealing images and descriptions, but when guests arrive, they discover the reality is far different from what was promised. It’s like ordering a delicious pizza with all your favorite toppings and getting a plain cheese pizza instead. 

That’s funny and also horrible. So to avoid bait and switch scams, Spend a few minutes verifying listings and have a safe stay. That’s so simple mate, just 10 minutes can save you from a headache.

FAQ

Are there any safety concerns with shared accommodations?

I’m not a big fan of shared accommodations or where guests stay in a room with the host or other guests, because It might raise safety considerations. If you also feel uncomfortable or unsafe, consider booking a private listing.

Related: Booking private rooms on Airbnb

What measures does Airbnb take to prevent scams?

Airbnb made a lot of efforts to prevent scams. However, staying alert and informed is still very important. Prioritize verified listings, read reviews, and communicate openly with hosts to have a secure and enjoyable experience on the platform.

What if a listing seems too good to be true?

If a listing appears too good to be true or if the host asks you to pay outside the Airbnb platform, exercise caution. Stick to official Airbnb communication and transactions to minimize the risk of potential scams.

Can you catfish on Airbnb?

Yes, Catfishing on Airbnb is a practice where hosts use fake photos and descriptions to trick guests into booking their properties. It can result in a loss of money, safety concerns, and a poor vacation experience.