Review a resident profile before accepting

When a request comes in, the resident's profile is your main signal for whether they'll be a good resident. Here's what to look at and how to weigh each piece.

What you see on a resident profile

Verified identity — green check means we've verified their ID and matched their selfie.
Verified email and phone — green checks for each.
Profile photo — clear photo of their face (not a logo, pet, or scenery).
About me — a short bio they wrote.
Why I'm moving — their reason for this specific booking.
Occupation — what they do.
Languages spoken — relevant for community fit.
Age — approximate or exact, depending on what they shared.
Past Coliving.com bookings — count and review summary if any.
Reviews left by previous hosts — if any.

Green flags

Identity, email, and phone all verified.
Clear face photo.
A complete About me that reads as a real person.
A specific reason for the move ("new job at X starting in June", "moving to Berlin for a 3-month research project").
Past bookings with positive host reviews.
Profession matches what your space tends to attract.

Yellow flags (ask follow-up questions)

Empty About me or generic ("digital nomad looking for a cool place").
Vague reason for move.
No past bookings AND no other context (everyone starts somewhere — just ask more).
Asking unusual questions before booking ("can I have an extra resident stay?", "can I bring my dog?") — answer in the Inbox and decide based on the response.

Red flags (decline or dig deeper)

Identity not verified after multiple days.
Profile photo isn't a face.
Past Coliving reviews from hosts mentioning rule-breaking, late payments, or property damage.
Reason for moving makes no sense for your space (e.g. they want a tourist stay and you require 90+ days).
Asks about off-platform payment, alternate payment methods, or "discounts" before booking — strong indicator of fraud.
Hostile or pushy tone in pre-booking messages.

How to ask follow-up questions without scaring them off

Use the Inbox. Keep it friendly and specific:

"Hi! Thanks for the request. Before I confirm — could you tell me a bit more about what you'll be working on while in Berlin? Our space tends to attract people working remotely or studying, so I want to make sure it's a great fit for you too."

Most genuine residents answer warmly. Evasive or annoyed responses are themselves a signal.

What you can't use to decide

You cannot decline based on protected categories: age (within legal limits), gender, sexuality, race, religion, national origin, disability, family status. If you reject for a protected reason, you can lose your account.

You can decline based on:

Fit with the community (e.g. you mostly host quiet remote workers, the resident mentions wanting nightlife).
Stay length not matching what you offer.
Specific behaviour signals (unverified, hostile messages, past negative reviews).