Guest Details Don't Match (Country / Nationality)

[Andy48]

Hi - We had a guest first request our property with a discount stating she was "two students at Harvard University trying to escape Massachusetts cold".  Once she booked, her details were from Poland  - her past stay was in Kenya - and her phone number was in California.  Nothing matched up with what she stated.  As the stay began, she pressured to refund the first night when the electric company was doing maintenance and there was no power for the day (somewhat understandable).  

Once she booked the stay, there were zero messages returned by any communication medium and she checked-in with the building's reception (which requires passports).

How concerned should I be about what appears to be mis-represented details in her message?  I wish I had cancelled this before the stay but am now worried about the stay and has already been issues in the first 24 hours. 

[Colleen253]

@Andy48 The information on a guest's profile is often out of date. And Airbnb requires very little of guests to sign up and book.

https://www.airbnb.ca/help/article/1170/what-are-the-requirements-to-book-on-airbnb

You can always ask to see ID at check in. Also can set the requirement of the guest to go through ID verification before they can book with you, which in reality does not offer any assurance whatsoever, but is a somewhat useful added step in the guest vetting process.

Most hosts will tell you that a guest who asks for things, such as a discount, is going to be trouble of some sort or another. Asking for a refund for something like a power outage which is beyond your control is not reasonable (if this was the case), so I guess your guest may have now proved this to you. This kind of guest is rarely worth the payout and is usually best declined. By the way, never cancel a confirmed booking because you'll be penalized by Airbnb. Best to decline a booking before it's made.

[Gordon0]

The guest didn't ask for a discount (which I agree is a red flag), @Colleen253, but compensation for the no power issue. I don't agree it doesn't warrant a refund of sorts - as I wouldn't be satisfied without power for a day. Regardless of fault it's a significant inconvenience. That said, a full refund is a bit harsh.

As for the mis-match of details, @Andy48, it seems commonplace these days. Many of my overseas guests have a smörgåsbord of details from which to choose from. 

Good luck in grinning and bearing these guests until they're gone!

[Colleen253]

@Gordon0 I read “We had a guest first request our property with a discount” as guest asked for discount. As for “she pressured to refund the first night...” I am all for compensation of some sort, depending on circumstances, and absolutely assisting the guest in all ways possible to minimize discomfort etc , but a refund of a night is overboard. Asking for a discount and pressuring for a refund speaks volumes about the attitude of the guest. 

[Sarah977]

@Andy48 This guest sounds like trouble. But apart from that, when something essential goes wrong, like the electric being out, even if it's something you have no control over, you should get out ahead of the game by offering the guest a reasonable discount for inconvenience. Don't let the guest gain the upper hand by demanding a discount or refund first.

If it's just a minor thing, like the electric being out for an hour or two, don't bother offering monetary compensation, just empathize and maybe do something extra, like drop off some nice pastries.

Also see if a guest needs anything, like a battery powered lamp or a flashlight if it's dark. I have a little USB battery pack that I or guests can use to charge up phones, laptops, etc, should there be no electric ( happens not that rarely where I live). Loaning a guest a cooler with a block of ice so their food doesn't go bad if the fridge isn't working is also a helpful gesture.

The electric being out all day would be considered an inconvenience that warrants offering a slight discount for that day maybe 20%, I don't know. Many guests are easygoing and wouldn't make a big deal of it, knowing it was outside your control. But there seem to be a lot of guests these days who expect hosts to throw money at them or give full refunds for any perceived inconvenience.