Last Updated on June 16, 2023 by Rental Recon
There is nothing more frustrating than scouring Airbnb for the perfect listing, finally finding the rental available on your dates with all your desired amenities, and then when you are finally ready to book, you receive an error message.
Keep reading to find out why you may be receiving these error messages and what you can do to fix the problem.
Your Airbnb Reservation Couldn’t Be Completed: Here’s What You Do
Error messages appear on Airbnb for a variety of reasons. How you solve the issue will depend on why you are receiving the error. The first step you should always take is to ensure that all your information, like booking dates, is correct. Next, contact the host because they may have a setting preventing you from booking. If these options fail, reach out to Airbnb’s Help Center for more information.
Popular Reasons Your Airbnb Reservation Couldn’t Be Completed
Airbnb has the ability to block reservations for various reasons. In 2020, Airbnb implemented a new policy that banned parties or gatherings of more than 16 people. Due to these new rules, Airbnb began flagging reservation requests that look suspicious or indicate a potential party.
If your reservation request was flagged, you would most likely see an error that says:
Choose another place to stay– Airbnb prevents reservations for entire homes when a pattern of factors (like location or reservation time) suggests the booking may be unsafe. Please try a private room or hotel room instead.
Airbnb
Here are some reasons you may not be able to complete a reservation.
- You Are Under 25 Years Old
As part of measures to prevent parties, Airbnb has placed restrictions on users who are under 25 years old. If you are under 25 and meet other criteria that raise a red flag for Airbnb, you may not be able to complete the booking.
- You Are Booking Your Stay Last Minute
If you are trying to book your Airbnb for the same day, it can sometimes be flagged as a safety issue. Most travel plans are made in advance, so Airbnb may see this as suspicious.
- You Are Only Booking the Rental for One Night
Airbnb found that a higher percentage of parties happened when a reservation was made for only one night. For this reason, they flag these types of reservations as suspicious.
- You Live Locally
If your verified address is in the same town as the Airbnb rental, you may be flagged for suspicious activity. While there are reasons you may stay in an Airbnb in your own town, this usually indicates that the renter is trying to throw a party.
- You Have Received Bad Reviews from Other Hosts
If you have collected a series of bad reviews from hosts, your options to book may be limited. Hosts can leave a bad review for guests for various reasons, but most commonly, it is because the guest didn’t follow house rules, left the rental dirty, or damaged the rental.
- Your Payment Method Isn’t Working
If your credit card has insufficient funds, has expired, or has been paused for fraud detection, you will not be able to complete your Airbnb booking. Always double-check your payment method before attempting to book.
- Your Airbnb Profile is Incomplete, or You Haven’t Been Verified
An incomplete and unverified profile tends to raise red flags for both hosts and Airbnb. Some error messages will indicate that an incomplete profile is a reason for the denial of booking.
For more reasons why Airbnb won’t let you book a reservation, CLICK HERE.
How To Complete a Booking After Receiving An Error Message
Check Your Information
If you have received an error message, the first step is to verify your information. You should review your profile and make sure it is updated and complete. Be sure to check:
- Your name
- Your address
- The upload of your government ID
- Your profile picture
- Your payment method
Once you have verified all this information, you can try to book again. If you still receive an error message, your next step is to contact the host.
Contacting the Host
Inform your host that you are trying to book their rental, and be sure to include exactly what your error message said. Your host may be able to offer you an invitation to book or change a setting on their preferences to allow the rental.
It is important to remember that if you have bad reviews, an incomplete profile, or the host feels like you are being dishonest, they can also deny your reservation.
Reach Out to Airbnb Help Center
If you and the host cannot figure out the issue, your last resort is to contact Airbnb directly. Follow these steps to contact Airbnb for assistance.
Step 1: Log into Airbnb:
Navigate to the Airbnb website and log into your account. You will want to click your profile image on the top right of the screen.
Step 2: Select Help
From the drop-down menu that appears, select “Help” to be redirected to the Help page.
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Step 3: Navigate the Help Center
You will see that you’re on Airbnb’s Help Center Page. There are various topics available for you to learn about Airbnb and its policies.
Scroll down on this page until you find the box that says, “Contact us.”
Step 4: Message Airbnb
After you click “Contact us,” you will be redirected to your Airbnb messages, where you can type your issue to an Airbnb help bot. After the bot asks a couple of questions, you will be connected with an Airbnb agent who can assist you.
Final Thoughts
It can be frustrating when you are unable to complete a reservation on Airbnb. The most common cause for not completing a reservation is the new restrictions imposed by Airbnb to prevent parties at rentals. These restrictions will flag your account if you are under 25, renting in your local area, renting an Airbnb for just one night, or have negative reviews.
Unfortunately, if you are flagged for any of these reasons, there is usually no solution to the problem. You can verify your account information and contact the host. However, many hosts have reported that they don’t have a workaround to this issue either. If you cannot solve the issue, the best thing to do is contact Airbnb directly for additional information.
