Messy guest

[Jeremy1292]

Hey there. I’m newer at this and recently had a messy guest and I’m not sure how to handle the situation. 
they reserved as only 1 person but clearly brought a pet(left cat literally on floor) and a child(left baby wipes and baby shampoo and toys)my house is not child safe and I don’t even allow them at all. They took all of my shampoos, conditioners, body washes from the shower, left the dishes dirty with food in the wrong side of the sink, these are the main items I’m concerned with. Not sure how to handle this or or the review I should leave for them or if there should be an extra charge for the pet, extra cleaning? Any help is greatly appreciated   

[Malisa9 · Accepted solution]

Hi Jeremy,

First, take a breath. This happens to every host eventually. I now limit my guest to one dog because a past guest brought three dogs and a two day stay ended up being three weeks. It took me 9 days to get all the dog hair out. Learn from my mistakes.

The goal now is to handle it cleanly and protect yourself going forward.

You really have two lanes here: what to do right now, and how to prevent it next time.

1. Addressing this stay

Booking for one guest while bringing a child and an undisclosed pet is a clear house rule violation, and that's not subjective. It's your policy. If your listing states no pets and no children, you're within your rights to:

1. Request an extra cleaning fee
2. Request a pet fee or damage deposit (especially with evidence like litter on the floor)
3. Use the Resolution Center: not private messages. Keep it factual and unemotional: undisclosed pet, additional unregistered guest, excessive use of consumables, extra cleaning required. Photos and receipts help, but even written documentation is better than silence.

2. About the cleaning and supplies

Normal cleaning isn't the issue, dirty dishes are annoying but expected. Taking all the toiletries and leaving pet messes? That crosses into excessive use and additional cleaning territory. You're not being petty by charging for it. You're running a business, not a charity spa.

3. Your review matters

Be honest, calm, and unemotional. Reviews are for future hosts, not for venting. Something like:

"Guest did not follow house rules regarding pets and additional guests. The reservation was for one person, but an undisclosed pet and child were present. Additional cleaning was required. Communication was limited."

4. Going forward

Consider adding or bolding these in your listing:

• "Only registered guests are permitted — no exceptions."
• "No pets. Unauthorized pets incur a $___ fee."
• "Home is not child-safe; children are not permitted."

A doorbell camera (Ring, etc.) is worth considering; not to spy, but to remove all guesswork. Also, limit toiletries to starter quantities so no one cleans you out like it's Costco. Also, I have a welcome book that walks guests through all my rules, which has helped a lot.

I've had a few situations like this myself ; it's basically a rite of passage.

Stay firm, stay factual, and keep hosting like a pro.

[Shelley159]

Some things to keep in mind @Jeremy1292

(1) You cannot charge a pet fee afterwards if a pet fee wasn't listed at the time of the booking. If your listing didn't allow pets at the time of the booking at all, you can consider the presence of the cat a rule violation. Whether you act on it, is up to you.

(2) There's no option on Airbnb for a listing to ban children (this is part of the non-discrimination policy).

https://www.airbnb.co.za/help/article/2867

You may mark your listing as unsuitable for children and you may highlight this fact to a guest in messages. Children under 2 years don't form part of the guest count. Older children count as guests. So it sounds like this is a case of one guest (the child) not being disclosed.

(3) I understand what you mean by mentioning the consumables: that this guest was taking advantage. But I wouldn't bring this into the argument. I think if we choose to make consumables available to guests, we can't say they shouldn't have used all of it. It evens out over time - many guests use very little of what one makes available.

It seems you had some bad guests and you may be considering claiming money. If you do so, approach it carefully and strategically, as the guest will also get the chance to review you. I always feel the most important thing after a bad booking, is to think through how you can reduce the risk of those issues showing up again.

[Helen3]

When guests book always go back and confirm - say something  like 'thanks for confirming  on your booking that you are booking for one adult (or whatever number) and that you understand I have a pet free property which isn't suitable for children and only those on the booking can be at the property'  then if guests break your house rules it's easier to get Airbnb to cancel a booking .  @Jeremy1292 

only leave toiletries or kitchen supplies you are happy to guests to consume/take. 

please leave an honest review to warn your fellow hosts . 

[Jeremy1292]

Thank you for the help it is much appreciated!

[Tom4999]

Very annoying when this happens. If you let the guest know you are unhappy or looking for money they will 1 star you in reviews. And with AI now deciding to keep or remove reviews chances are it will stay. The bad guest cost you $10 extra in shampoo left a mess in areas you have to clean either way. I would suck it up and leave them an honest review. The extra bit of cleaning and consumables will be a lot cheaper that the mental drain and potental loss in bookings from a 1 star. That is just my opinion. 

[Jeremy1292]

@Tom4999 thank you for the help. Much appreciated!