Airbnb requesting photo identification

[bjmarren]

Hi all,

We've used Airbnb a number of times and have been very pleased with them. We're in the process of booking places in Ireland for a trip next month and my wife was asked, by airbnb, to authenticate her identification by providing a a photo copy of her ID. Has anybody here had a similar experience?

Brendan

[Itsallaguess]

We've used Airbnb a number of times and have been very pleased with them. We're in the process of booking places in Ireland for a trip next month and my wife was asked, by airbnb, to authenticate her identification by providing a a photo copy of her ID.

Has anybody here had a similar experience?

There was a thread a while back regarding AirBnB and photo identification, so it might be worth checking to see if your situation is related?

Link to the earlier thread here -

https://www.lemonfool.co.uk/viewtopic.php?f=9&t=10026

Cheers,

Itsallaguess

[bungeejumper]

Yes indeed, we had that earlier this year. Apparently, hosts can request it. TBH, if I were in a remote location, I'd probably want to know in advance who was coming in through my door.

As outlined in the thread, the deal killer for us was that the only way you could provide your photo ID was with a webcam (which we don't have) or by using a certain type of mobile phone. (Our Windows phone wouldn't do it.) We got round the problem by googling the owner and making direct contact. Sorted.

BJ

[didds]

... which then rather assumes the person making the booking is the person turning up.

Our daughter booked an airbnb on behalf of my wife as a surprise Xmas present for me... so had my daughter supplied photo ID for the booking the hostr would have got a surprise when a mid 50s bloke turned up instead of the late teen age girl in the photo...

didds

[JohnB]

I provided a passport scan for someone a few years back, but my stock photo on the system is of me as cherubic 5 year old. I do get remarks that I've changed a bit in the last 45 years....

[bjmarren]

Hi all,

Thank you for all your replies. We've established that it is airbnb that is asking for this and not the host. The decision about whether a person is asked to provide this can be as a result of the country you are coming from, in our case Bulgaria, according to airbnb's info on this, so it doesn't seem to ensure that the host can verify the guest on arrival. There is a option to delete this information from their site, but only 90 days after the visit. I've set up a new account in my name, the previous one was in my wife's name, and we've got around it that way.

Brendan

[bungeejumper]

We've established that it is airbnb that is asking for this and not the host. The decision about whether a person is asked to provide this can be as a result of the country you are coming from, in our case Bulgaria, according to airbnb's info on this, so it doesn't seem to ensure that the host can verify the guest on arrival.

Suggest you take a look at this (https://community.withairbnb.com/t5/Hel ... d-p/264791), which confirms that there are several different reasons for a Photo ID being requested.

The first being that the host requests it, perhaps because it makes them feel more secure. The second reason (as you suggest) is likely to be that certain countries (Slovenia, Spain, Portugal etc) always insist on a photo ID by law - although I'd imagine that we're talking about hotels etc here, rather than private householders letting out the spare bedroom?

Anyway, we are English and the Airbnb that requested the photo ID from us this year was in Wales. AFAIK, Wales does not regard the rest of the UK as a security risk. Even if it does make us pay to enter its sacred shores via the westbound Severn Bridge, but lets us escape back eastbound to the mother country without charge.

BJ

[bjmarren]

Yes, it is obvious that hotels would want to check IDs, either as a result of the law of the country but also wanting details of a guest should they do a runner or something like that. We booked an apartment in Portugal last year for 10 days without any such requirement from the owner, but if you've paid up front it's unlikely they would want confirmation probably. Obviously if someone is renting something for a longer period then evidence of identity and a contract would be the norm.

Brendan