How to ensure security of things when guests leave

[Zagy0]

Hey everyone im new on this platform and a new host as well. Please guide how to ensure our things are okay when guests leave in case someone leaves premises without intimation.

[Elisa]

Hi @Zagy0 😊, 

Thank you so much for asking this question here and welcome to the community!

Where are you hosting from?

I’m tagging a few hosts to see what advice they can offer: @Shelley159, @Till-and-Jutta0, @Helen427, @Tara0, @Shannon1151, @Hayley185, @Juan63 and @Oksana127.

Thank you in advance, everyone!

Warm regards 🌻,

[Zagy0]

I am hosting from pakistan

[Tara0 · Accepted solution]

Hi @Zagy0 I'm not 100% sure what you're asking, can you clarify? Are you saying you're concerned about guests stealing things? (I'm guessing this, because the other thread you posted asked about whether Airbnb check guests' police records - and the answer to that is no). 

Anyway, I've been hosting for over 10 years in the UK, and have never had a guest 'steal' anything, - most people are naturally honest -  just occasionally something random might go missing, I'm sure accidentally packed. For example, socket adaptors, and, recently a pair of kitchen scissors vanished, little things like that. 

I had a good look through your listing, and I recommend you create a much longer description. One sentence isn't enough. For example, where will the third guest sleep (you say you can accommodate three but say there is only one bed)? Is the apartment close to shops and good restaurants, etc? Have a look at other listings with good feedback in your area to get an idea of what to say.

I would also recommend you install smoke alarms and carbon monoxide alarms, and obtain short let insurance. The biggest risk you face when hosting is not the occasional minor theft, nor even guests who treat your property with disrespect, - it's the legal consequences if a guest is injured or dies due to host negligence. 

[Zagy0]

Thanks for your detailed and useful response.

[Juan63]

If I understand what you are asking, I record the property and its contents before the guest arrives. Phones nowadays have metadata that records the time and day of the recording, among other information.

[Zagy0]

Thanks brother

[Shannon1151]

If you have a good cleaning team and have provided pictures of how your home should look, what's in the cupboards they can do a quick check that everything is there ie TV remote, bath mat etc. It is good to check yourself from time to time because I recently had a guest tell me that there were only 3 forks! Yet when I started I had a full silverware set. So as @Tar0 said sometimes things mistakenly disappear but for the most part I don't believe it's on purpose.

[Fiona243]

Hi @Zagy0,

Like @Tara0, I'm assuming you're concerned about items being stolen.

In the 7 years I have been hosting, we've had the following items taken:

2 hairdryers, 1 iron, 1 linen bag (used to hold extra bedding)..

The hair dryers and iron were not returned (definitely not packed in error, i.e. stolen), the linen bag was returned after I asked  the guest about it (she had packed it in error).

We also had one guest raid our supply cupboard and take an unopened 12-pack of toilet paper! I gave him a suitably bad review, likewise the other guests who stole items. All in all, not a lot of theft, approx. 1 item every 2 years.

The main way to stop theft is not to allow potential thieves into your property. If you set up your listing to only accept guests who are recommended by other hosts, then this will help weed out potential bad guests.

[Enri1804]

I just have to add - because we will never know for sure, because a good booking guest can bring an unknown bad guest, and because Airbnb does not help - We Need to come together and demand Airbnb let us collect a security deposit. It’s a simple thing hotels have done forever. Airbnb not allowing hosts this is unfair and improper. People do steal. Everyday. Maybe the majority of guests don’t but 1 out of 10 is actually a lot for one host of one property and we do not have corporate insurance. If I was to file a claim through it, they would increase my rate or cancel me. Again SECURITY DEPOSITS is the best way. We must insist!