Who does the best guest screening: Airbnb, Vrbo, or Booking?

Listing on major OTAs will boost your bookings and income. But, these channels also present a security risk for property managers.

The screening processes of Airbnb, Vrbo, and Booking.com are far from adequate and property managers can be vulnerable to damage, fraud, and complaints from neighbours.

In this article, we’ll explain the screening policies of Airbnb, Vrbo, and Booking.com, and show you the best way to boost your security.

Why guest screening is crucial for safety

In a recent Vacation Rental Success podcast episode, vacation rental CEO, author, and blogger Heather Bayer spoke about the importance of guest screening for vacation rentals.

After 20 years as a property manager, Heather explained that:

“It’s not a matter of if, but when, something goes wrong. And, if you aren’t prioritising the safety of your business, you won’t be able to survive the difficult times.

Heather went on to say:

“Guest screening is such an essential part of safety. It’s all about keeping hosts and managers safe, and looking after our businesses.”

She also explained how screening guests is much more complicated in today’s world where bookings are made online, and people are hesitant to give out personal information.

Guest screening: a side-by-side comparison of each channel

Here’s a rundown of the key differences between each channel and what guest screening and safety features they offer.