Current guest asking for a discount --Feedback please

[Erika934]

Current guest with a booking from 1/4/2023-2/11/2023

I have a current guest who checked in late on 1/6/2023 and then went to go skiing in Tahoe (3.5 hour's drive) at a friend's house saying they would be back in a couple of days.

I got a message on 1/16/2023 asking me to give them a discount since they hadn't been at the house and would return on 1/17/2023.  Mind you they have spent one night and the place had toys about the house, the heater on, dishes in the sink, and an unflushed toilet all of this I left as is, when I dropped off a dresser on 1/8/2023 since they were renting it and going to be back in a couple of days. 

During this time I could not rent to others and they chose to go to Tahoe and chose to come back on 1/17/2023.  Yes, it is snow country but the roads were open and passable on 1/11/2023, 1/12/2023, and 1/15/2023.  

Looking for feedback

[Helen3]

Why would you offer the guest a discount it's irrelevant whether they chose to stay at the property or stayed elsewhere it is still occupied @Erika934 

[Tommy150]

Hotels don't care if you physically stay in your room or not. If your crap is there, you pay for it. People are unreal. 

[Helen744]

Erika , you can make it difficult or not. I would send a message to say , it has come to your notice that the heater was left on the entire time while they were not around and this is not only wasteful but could be dangerous , also that cleaning,or turnover is provided weekly and will commence after their return as you were not aware that they would not be at the property ,nevertheless it was booked for the whole of the period . also simply state that you are unable to offer a discount at this time as the property as far as you are aware has all of their things in it and an arrangement was not made either for storage or to allow you to offer the property to others which could have been organised BEFORE the booking commenced and if their property was removed. Unfortunately as this time is now past the booking has been taken by them . If during the rest of the stay they wish to go overnight to another place, then you are still unable to offer a refund as they originally signed a rental agreement to cover the whole of the period....It is their choice if they choose to use your home as a base ,but for the purpose of insurance coverage then you would expect to be notified ,but this will not attract any refunds....H 

[Erika934]

Thank you!

[Jill858]

I recommend always communicate kindly and respectfully (best way for AirBnB to support you should it get escalated), but the answer to the discount is hard "NO".  

It's a contract.  They rented the property; by doing so they reserve the right to come and go but you don't reserve the right to rent to others.  You are upholding the contract.  

Simple.

[Huma0]

@Erika934 

As others have said, no this guest is absolutely not entitled to a discount or refund, as they booked the dates and had their stuff there. What next? If a guest says, "But we spent most of the time out sightseeing, skiing at the beach, or whatever. Can you refund us the hours we were not at the listing?"!

Anyway, keep it all polite and professional, and keep it all on the Airbnb messaging system, just in case you have further problems with these guests.

I trust you had their permission to enter to drop off the dresser?

[Erika934]

Yes, they gave me permission to drop off the dresser at that time they told me they would be gone for a few days to ski in Tahoe.

Thank you for your feedback.  I did decline their request for a discount very politely, stating that I follow the Airbnb inclement weather policy.  I let them know they had already received the max discount for their booking (they received a discount through Airbnb smart pricing for stays longer than a month).  It all worked out.  

Thank you for your feedback.

[Bhumika]

Hi @Erika934 ,

Definitely, it would have been worrying to have something gone wrong just in case. Thank you for coming back and letting us know that everything eventually worked out for good! 🙂

Can’t find what you’re searching for? start a conversation