What is Instant Book?
Homes on Instant Book don't require pre-approval from the host before they can be booked.
For hosts, the benefits of Instant Book include:
More booking revenue: Homes on Instant Book get 28% more bookings
Less admin: No need to respond to every guest booking request.
More guest interest: Guests can restrict their search using filters to show only homes on Instant Book. Instant Book homes are the preferred choice for guests, as they can make firm plans further in advance.
Search placement: The Plum Guide actively promotes homes on Instant Book on the site. Instant Book homes enjoy a significant boost in our search results.
Turn on Instant Book for your listing(s) here.
How can I accept instant bookings with confidence?
The Plum Guide is partnered with Onfido, the world's leading identity verification engine. This is to provide added protection and reassurance exclusively for our Instant Book hosts.
This service is used by UBER, Zipcar & Couchsurfing and endorsed by the FT, TechCrunch, Bloomberg and Forbes.
ID verification offers full protection to Instant Book hosts by:
Independently verifying a government-issued ID submitted by the guest is real
Verifying the ID in question belongs to the user making the booking
Keeping the ID on record, which The Plum Guide has recourse to in instances of criminal damage or fraudulent activity
Hosts on Instant Book can choose to limit instant bookings only to guests who've successfully had their ID verified by Onfido.
What is the cancellation policy for Instant Bookings?
Official Plum Guide Selection celebrates the world's best hosts and represents excellence in hospitality. As such, we have a strict cancellation policy which applies to all bookings, whether instant or requested.
However, hosts never have to host a reservation they feel uncomfortable with - as long as the reasons respect our Anti-Discrimination policy.
For example, hosts can cancel Instant Bookings penalty-free if the guest makes it clear they are likely to break one of the house rules.
Hosts are entitled to 1 penalty-free cancellation on Instant Book if they make a mistake and double-book their calendar, if:
The host cancels within 24 hours of the booking being made
The host can show evidence of a calendar mix up
Please remember you may still be liable to our standard extra-charges where a guest needs to be re-housed as a result of host cancellation:
In the event you must cancel, we will work really hard to find the guest an alternative accommodation at the same price. However, if we can only find a viable alternative that is more expensive, you will be liable to pay the difference in per night accommodation charges (up to 20% above the price of their per night accommodation charges with you). In other words, if their per night accommodation charge with you was £500, you may be liable to pay up to £100 in cancellation fees. Note that we will try exceptionally hard avoid to this charge. You expressly agree that we are entitled to deduct the relevant monies from the credit card that you provided when your listing was created. Note we will not charge your credit card without notifying you first.
Plum Guide's Antidiscrimination Policy
Plum Guide hosts may not:
Decline or cancel a booking from a guest based on their race, colour, ethnicity, national origin, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity, or marital status.
Plum Guide hosts may
Except as noted above, Plum hosts may decline to rent based on factors that are not prohibited by law e.g. declining bookings from guests with pets, or guests who smoke.
Require guests to respect restrictions on foods consumed in the listing (e.g. a host who maintains a Kosher or vegetarian kitchen may require guests to respect those restrictions). These restrictions should be stated clearly in your house rules.
If a host gives us reason to believe his or her actions were motivated by factors prohibited by this policy, Plum Guide will take steps to enforce this policy and may remove the host and all relevant listings from the platform.
What happens when Plum Guide asks for an ID?
At Plum Guide, we want to create a marketplace that feels safe and secure for guests and hosts.
In order to book a home, guests must provide their full names and a confirmed email address. For homes on Instant Book, we may also ask for a government ID.
This helps us confirm it's really you making the booking. It keeps Plum Guide secure and protects our hosts against fraudulent bookings.
How it works
ID verification is quick and easy - and you can submit your documents with confidence. We've partnered with Onfido, the world's leading identity verification engine, and your ID is carefully protected by our Privacy Policy
All you need to do:
Upload or take a photo of your government-issued ID. This could be a driver's license, passport, visa, national identity card..)
Take a brand-new photo of yourself on your desktop PC / laptop / tablet / phone
Onfido checks within minutes that your ID is valid, that you're over 18 and that the photos match. If these criteria aren't met, your Instant Booking will not be validated and your host has the right to cancel the booking penalty free.
What gets shared with your host
If you're asked for a government ID, we may share with your host:
Your name
Your age
Whether your ID has been successfully verified
The photo you take of yourself
But we will never share the photo of your ID with the host. The information you provide will be protected by the Onfido Privacy Policy and the Plum Guide Privacy Policy
Please note: Onfido's sophisticated machine checks mean falsified verifications are extremely rare (0.01%), but we cannot offer a guarantee of someone's identity or that they are safe to interact with through document and facial similarity checks. Please always contact us if you are unsure about a guest.
What about the risk of double bookings?
If your home is listed on other websites, you can avoid duplicate bookings by syncing your calendars. It's easy - contact us if you don't know how
How do I know my guests are good eggs?
We want the hosting experience to be a positive one on Plum. Hosts should never host a reservation they feel uncomfortable with. That's why we've added extra question fields into the booking flow for Instant Book homes, partnered with Onfido to provide extra reassurance for our Instant Book hosts with full ID verification, and obligate all guests to contractually agree to your House Rules in order to book. If a guest indicates through this process that they are likely to break the house rules, or fail to reassure you about their intentions in their answers to your pre-set questions, hosts can cancel penalty-free.
How can I protect myself against anything going wrong?
Make sure you have insurance appropriate for short-term rental properties (we recommend Guardhog), a suitable security deposit in place, and up-to-date house rules.
What if I receive last minute bookings that I am not prepared for?
Don't worry, you won't be caught unawares by last minute instant bookings, as we have put measures in place so that guests cannot book a stay that begins today or tomorrow, so you'll always have plenty of notice.
Last updated on: 25/01/2018
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