Guest re-entering home one day after check-out

[Jane157]

Hello hosts! 

I had an odd/uncomfortable situation occur today, and am wondering if anyone else has had a similar experience and how it was handled. We rent out a full garden-level apartment, which is directly below our house. We had a guest check out yesterday, who later wrote to say that he had forgotten something in the apartment. The next guests had already checked in, but I said that I would be happy to retrieve the item during the next turnover (which I said was today) and mail his things to him. 

He wrote back and said he was in the area, and could he pick the items up. I said sure - our cleaner will retrieve the items and put them in a hidden area on our front porch where you can access them. He then wrote back and asked if he could just reenter the apartment and retrieve the items. I replied that I preferred not, because sometimes the prior guest leaves late or arrives early - and I would not want the incoming guests to see prior guests in the space (I think if it happened to me, I would be really creeped out by that!). He said he understood. 

Our outgoing guests wrote to me early in the morning to say they had checked out. Our cleaner said she was coming late in the day for the turnover. Here's the kicker, I have evidence that someone entered the apartment in between those two known groups coming in and out. Curiously, the prior guest with the forgotten item wrote to me later in the day to say he was just going to double check his luggage to see if he had the items (whereas he had very specifically told me where the missing items were the night before). THEN he said, oh my friend had my items - I'm all set, no need to retrieve anything for me.

From the evidence I have and this person's change of tune, I'm 99% positive that he reentered our property (using the lockbox code which he knew from the day before) despite my request not to and offer to mail his items. I am not 100% certain, so I don't want to state as much in this person's review. However, I'm very concerned that someone would do this - not only to me, but to the potential guests on their way out (who could've been leaving late for all he knew)! 

Has anyone ever had something like this happen? If so, what did you do? Other advice also welcome from those who haven't had this happen. (Also, we have to date hosted about 150 groups - and have not had anything like this happen.) I don't want to unleash an untrustworthy person on the community, then again they were otherwise good guests. I would've been happy to host them again, if not for this issue. 

[Branka-and-Silvia0]

@Jane157

on your place I would contact my new guest immediately and ask if he can handle me this forgoten item or let me enter to take it. I would not let my previous guest wait until next day afternoon if he is in the area and is impatient to get it back. 

And I would change lock code after every guest. But that's me...

[Cynthia-and-Chris1]

Definitely consider creating a unique lockbox code for each guest. We use the last 4-digits of the guest’s phone number so it’s easy for the guest to remember and secure for us. 

[Jane157]

I love that idea, but I just don't know how to figure out how to do it everyday. We often have 5 turnovers in a week and hire a cleaner for this since we're at work. Do you use one of those electronic systems that you can change rememotely? 

Interestingly, at a host meet up in my area we heard that most people hardly every change their lock box. I found that alarming and thought we were doing really well! 

[Steve2743]

The one I use can't be changed remotely, but it takes about a minute to delete the old code, and enter the new one, so the cleaning person could easily do that for you. You can also enter multiple codes, so I'll usually enter the code for the next 5 guests, but not reveal them until the day before arrival, then delete them when they leave. Or course the one that can be changed remotely would be more convenient, but more expensive. 

[Jane157]

That is very cool! I have not seen that before. Love the idea of having 5 queued up in a row. Is it the kind of code system that's connected to the doorknob? 

[Lara16]

That is great advice!  Thanks for sharing!

[Amy150]

This just happened to me yesterday and I've been searching the forums for help.  Our nightmare guest checked out on time and then our cleaning service came and cleaned.  We had guests coming later that same day.  We also have a smart home system that tells me every time someone uses the lock code.  I give each guest a unique code, and usually disable it after they check out, but I was not quick enough for to prevent this lady from letting herself back in the house 3 hours after check out.  She did NOT notify me, just went back and let herself back in.  I am livid.  What an invasion of privacy.  And a trespass, to boot.  I'm waiting for Airbnb's proposed solution, but if it falls short of banning this lady from Airbnb I'll consider no longer using Airbnb.  

[Clara116]

@Amy150 WHY did she return??? did she take something????? 

[Amy150]

@Clara116 - I've got no idea.  We live in FL, and the house is in MA.  She didn't contact me before going back so I've got no clue why she returned.  She went back at about 2:30 and we had new guests checking in at 4, so it was a scramble to see if we could get anyone locally to go check the house.  We ended up not being able to find anyone to go see so I just gave the incoming guests a heads up that she went back and maybe had just forgotten something.  They told me there was no obvious damage when they arrived - but how embarassing it was to have to tell our new guests that this happened.  This guest was a pill since the moment she checked in and groused that the pool was closed.  HELLO!  It's October in Massachusetts, lady.

[Clara116]

@Amy150 Oh Amy that makes sense - surely she knows you are not in Ma - does your code box show also when that entry went out the door? Some systems do that..............would be good to know HOW LONG she was there. Lets hope she was checking to see what she might have forgotten. But, I don't know, sure sounds fishy to me. Good luck

I too am in Florida - Pensacola. 

[Amy150]

She was only there a few minutes.  Hopefully she just forgot something but definitely gave her a negative review.  First one in a year of hosting.

[Clara116]

@Amy150 got more questions..........I just looked at your fabulous listing. SO what did she go back to get - she must have

had a reason to return and I will just imagine she liked something and went back after check out and took it.  Plus, she knows a cleaning service comes so they don't check for all stuff - missing, etc. This is wild. Oh my, I too would be more than livid. 

[Amy150]

@Clara116 I'm just hoping that nothing was taken 😞 but I have no way of knowing.  Luckily we have a trip planned up there in a few weeks so we can check around but AirBnb has been very reserved about how they intend to handle this.  I understand letting her have a say, but I really hope they have a way of protecting owners from this sort of behavior.  

[Jane157]

I'm curious what your experiece has been with Airbnb so far on this, and I'd love to hear how/if it's resolved down the road. I am considering asking our guest somewhat directly if he was there and see what he says. But as mentioned in the original post, I'm almost certain it was him. It couldn't have been anyone else, and coupled with the change of tune about needing the thing he forgot... I'm sorry this happened to you, I know how it feels! Plus it would be a much worse feeling with a difficult guest.