I booked an Airbnb outside of Fredericksburg for a weekend next month.

After booking they have been sending me texts like once a week with a link to https://guest.staytexas.com

They want me to make an account there. Upload my driver's license, a bunch of info, then pay a $50 non refundable "damage waiver" by submitting my CC info. No option to pay with PayPal or similar.

I am 100% against giving some random website all of this personal data. The way this reads it sounds like they are going to withhold check in info until I provide the info

Quote:

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Verification is pending
Your information has not been verified. Please contact your property manager, or click here to complete your pre-checkin details in order to view your check-in information.

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Anyone run across something similar?

I'm tired of the Airbnb bs, this might be my last time.

I did similar but it was for a much more expensive place in Jackson Hole. Does the $50 fee reduce your price for the stay? If not, i dont think that is allowed by airbnb as you already pay for a similar insurance as a line item baked into each stay through airbnb similar to cleaning fees.

I prefer Vrbo now over airbnb unless there is zero available in it comparable.

Depends on the name of the street that you grew up on.

I mean, this place wasn't exactly cheap. But probably not quite Jackson hole lol

But no, I do not think it reduces anything. But looking at the receipt I don't see a line item specifically for cleaning fee, just "taxes and fees".

Now I see hidden way at the bottom of the listing

Quote:

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This property has special local compliance requirements which include a signed rental agreement, ID verification, and a security hold of $1,000 (which is not a traditional security deposit, just a pending transaction). As an optional alternative to the security hold, you may opt in to purchase a non-refundable damage waiver provided by a third-party insurance company. The optional damage waiver is $59.99 for stays up to 10 nights, with an additional $1.5 per day for stays longer than 10 nights.

Damage waiver purchases are optional

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But secondary website asking for $50 non-refundable isn't mentioned

Tell them if they charge you the extra fee you are going to expose all their hidden cameras,

FatZilla said:

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I would ask airbnb about it then, that last clause says you dont need to purchase the third party one. Forcing outside of airbnb charges for a rental is against tos i think. Airbnb gets no cut of those, hence the against tos part.

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Agreed. I was thinking about contacting them and at this point it's worth it

Ginormus Ag said:

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Tell them if they charge you the extra fee you are going to expose all their hidden cameras,

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Hell yeah, now we're talking

Ginormus Ag said:

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Tell them if they charge you the extra fee you are going to expose all their hidden cameras,

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Starebnb

IIIHorn said:

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Ginormus Ag said:

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Tell them if they charge you the extra fee you are going to expose all their hidden cameras,

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Starebnb

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Is that the Bucees version?

Contact AirBNB

AgsMyDude said:

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I mean, this place wasn't exactly cheap. But probably not quite Jackson hole lol

But no, I do not think it reduces anything. But looking at the receipt I don't see a line item specifically for cleaning fee, just "taxes and fees".

Now I see hidden way at the bottom of the listing

Quote:

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This property has special local compliance requirements which include a signed rental agreement, ID verification, and a security hold of $1,000 (which is not a traditional security deposit, just a pending transaction). As an optional alternative to the security hold, you may opt in to purchase a non-refundable damage waiver provided by a third-party insurance company. The optional damage waiver is $59.99 for stays up to 10 nights, with an additional $1.5 per day for stays longer than 10 nights.

Damage waiver purchases are optional

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But secondary website asking for $50 non-refundable isn't mentioned

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I'd phone the "local compliance officer" to verify.

"Trust, but verify. "

A lot of times, especially in heavily touristed areas, an AirBNB will be managed by a company (in this case it's Stay Texas). You can usually find out by seeing who is hosting the property on the AirBNB website. What I have done multiple times to save a couple hundred dollars is to see who is hosting a property on AirBNB, then find the website of the hosting company. They often have the same property listed on their website and booking there is cheaper because they don't have to pay the fees to AirBNB.

Regarding that fee in particular, I've never run across something like that. I don't like the concept of them nickel and diming you like that, but I don't think it is a scam.

Yeah maybe scam was the wrong word

I just don't like submitting my driver's license to some random website

I plan to contact Airbnb support tomorrow