The Hidden Risk of Booking.com for Property Hosts: Fraud, cleaning, damage, and Zero Accountability

If you’re in the short-term rental game, you’ve probably dabbled with different platforms: Airbnb, VRBO, Booking.com. On the surface, Booking.com seems like an easy win - a wide audience, no listing fees, instant bookings. But dig a little deeper, and you’ll find it’s a minefield for hosts.

In particular, Booking.com’s lack of guest verification is costing property owners thousands.

Here’s the issue in plain English: Booking.com does not require ID verification from guests. That means anyone, including those using stolen credit cards, can book a property at the last minute. And they do.

We've had multiple cases where fraudsters booked a stay, checked in, enjoyed the property, and left. A few weeks later, the rightful cardholder disputes the charge. Result? The payment is reversed, and the host is left holding the bag. No money. No compensation. No apology. And if using a third party management system to coordinate platforms, you are responsible to collect payment and will need to fight for a refund of the commission booking.com takes whether payment is received or not. This is a time consuming process.

To add salt to the wound, Booking.com gives hosts little to no control over guest screening. There's no communication before booking. No security checks. No accountability. You can't require photo ID, selfie verification, or even a refundable bond before accepting a reservation. You’re basically flying blind.

Airbnb at least attempts to protect hosts with its ID system and damage policies, not perfect, but miles ahead.

So what’s the takeaway?

If you’re going to use Booking.com, proceed with caution:

·         Disable last-minute bookings where possible (I couldn’t via Guesty)

·         Avoid instant bookings without payment protection (I couldn’t via Guesty)

·         Consider dropping the platform entirely if fraud becomes a pattern

As always, protecting your asset is more important than filling a weekend gap. Sometimes, the booking you turn down is the one that saves your bacon.