Managing Guests on Airbnb: Messages, House Rules and Reviews

Who Can Book: Airbnb's Requirements and Yours

Airbnb sets a floor for every guest. At minimum it needs a full name, email address, confirmed phone number and payment information. Depending on the booking, the guest's location and any anomalies Airbnb detects, it may also ask for a legal name and address, a photo of a government ID, or a selfie.

You can add two optional requirements in your booking settings:

• Good track record: the guest has completed a stay without incident or bad reviews.
• Pre-reservation message: a set of questions the guest answers when booking.

Airbnb notes that you must turn on Instant Book to add these requirements. Other booking settings are covered in managing a home on Airbnb.

A pre-reservation message is useful in New England: ask how many people and cars are coming, whether they are comfortable with a steep driveway in winter, and whether they plan to bring a boat or trailer to the lake.

About ID. Airbnb does not share a guest's government ID with hosts at booking. If your listing states that ID is required for legal or compliance reasons, you may ask for it after booking, and the guest can choose to share it through Airbnb messages.

House Rules

Airbnb's standard house rules cover:

• pets;
• events;
• smoking, vaping and e-cigarettes;
• quiet hours;
• check-in and checkout times;
• check-in method;
• maximum number of guests;
• commercial photography and filming.

You can add additional rules for anything else, but Airbnb says they "shouldn't contradict your standard house rules, such as check-in time." Guests must agree to your house rules before booking, and the rules appear in the listing description, the booking terms, automated emails and the Arrival Guide.

Airbnb advises keeping rules focused on local customs or health and safety. For a New England home that might mean: no fires in the fire pit during a burn ban, how to use the woodstove, where to park during a snowstorm, how the septic system limits what goes down the drain, and lake rules on the dock and life jackets.

Airbnb also says hosts should not charge fees or penalties for failing to do specific cleaning or checkout tasks, so keep checkout requests reasonable and do not attach charges to them.

Messages That Send Themselves

Airbnb's scheduled quick replies let you write a message once and have it sent automatically before or after events such as a new reservation, check-in or checkout. Examples Airbnb gives include a message shortly after booking, one a couple of days before the trip, and one the morning before the trip ends.

Points to know:

• Messages can pull in details such as the guest's name, check-in date and your house rules.
• Once scheduled for a listing, they apply to current and upcoming reservations.
• You can skip, edit or send any message early, and messages go out in the listing's time zone.

A sensible set for a ski home: a booking thank-you, a pre-arrival note on snow tires and the driveway, check-in instructions, a mid-stay check, and checkout steps that cover thermostat and trash.

Automation handles routine notes. It does not answer "the power is out" at 9 p.m. in an ice storm, so decide who covers those messages.

Reviews

Airbnb's review rules for homes, as of October 2026:

• Both guest and host are prompted to review on checkout day.
• Each side has 14 days after checkout to submit.
• Reviews post only after both sides submit, or once the 14 days end, whichever comes first.
• You can edit your review until it is published.
• You can post a public response to a review you receive, as long as it follows Airbnb's reviews policy.

A calm, specific public response to a fair complaint ("the hot tub cover was stuck; we've replaced it") reads better to future guests than an argument. For a slipping rating, see dealing with bad reviews.

Parties and Disturbances

Airbnb's Community Disturbance Policy prohibits open-invite parties, disruptive gatherings and other community disturbances, and does not allow listings advertised as "party friendly." It lists signs of disruption including excessive noise, trash, trespassing, smoking and parking nuisances, vandalism and reckless behavior. Airbnb says it screens reservations for disruption risk; lesser problems may bring warnings, while repeated or severe ones may lead to suspension or removal.

Your house rules on events, quiet hours and maximum guests are the first line here, and your town may have its own rules; check permits and licenses. If guests break them, Airbnb says to contact it or request payment for damages through the Resolution Center.

How New England Host Co Handles Guests

Guest messaging and support, booking confirmations and reminders, and post-stay follow-up and review management are part of New England Host Co's full-service package. See guest communication, or go back to the owner hub.

FAQ

Can I Require Guests to Have Good Reviews on Airbnb?

Yes. You can add a "good track record" requirement, but Airbnb says you must have Instant Book turned on to use guest requirements.

Can I Ask an Airbnb Guest for ID?

Airbnb does not share government ID at booking. You may ask after booking if your listing says ID is required for legal or compliance reasons.

How Long Do Guests Have to Leave a Review?

14 days after checkout. Reviews publish when both sides have submitted or when the 14 days end.

Can I Reply to a Bad Review on Airbnb?

Yes. You can post a public response to a published review, following Airbnb's reviews policy.