Guest requests for people not on the reservation to visit

Answered!

Guest requests for people not on the reservation to visit

Greetings,

 

I am new to hosting and just had a guest text me asking if her daughter-in-law and her parents could "visit" my home while the paid guest is there.  Any advice on how to reply. My rental is a house with full kitchen, and I am concerned the guest will use it for family dinners/parties. Would you advise that I say only registered guests can use the house?

 

Christine

Christine
Top Answer
Linda108
Level 10
La Quinta, CA

@Christine3190   What is your hosting situation?  Are you nearby or are you a remote host? What is your maximum length of stay?  I ask these questions to blend the feedback of both @Sarah977 and @Lorna170 .  First you need to add no unregister guests to the house rules and be sure to reinforce that in your messaging to the guest.  Secondly, if you have the ability to connect in person with the guest or have the means to be notified of other people entering the home, you might be able to flex your own rules.  Thirdly, if a guest is staying a longer time, it would not be uncommon for them to want to invite someone to the listing so you should also have the discussion with the guest.  That this guest asked in advance is a good sign about that guest.  

6 Replies 6
Sarah977
Level 10
Sayulita, Mexico

@Christine3190  Your concerns are valid and I would say no, that only registered guests are allowed. 3 more people, even if they don't have family dinners, would all be using the amenities you provide- toilet paper, towels, coffee, hot water, etc. And guests tend to take advantage when you are too easygoing. The "just an afternoon visit" turns into them staying for dinner and then, "Well, they had a bit too much to drink (or there was a snowstorm, or whatever) , so it wasn't safe for them to drive so they spent the night".

 

You don't have to take a total hard line all the time- if you have a nice, respectful guest in residence who asks if their sister could come over for coffee, you can decide that on a case-by-case basis. 

A friend who hosts a private suite in her home has a retired couple who book every couple of months to visit their daughter and grandkids. They visit in the daughter's home, but are friendly with another retired couple in town they like to have over some evenings to play cards with. That's fine with my friend- they are repeat guests, quiet, and as the suite is in her home, no one can pull any funny business like they could in an entire place with an off-site host.

 

And when one of my guests told me she had come to see her grandchildren, I told her if she wanted to bring the kids over sometime, that would be fine with me. She never did, though. But I'm a home share host, so again, no funny businesss can take place.

Sarah,

 

Thank you for the advice. I told her the rental was for registered guests only and she was fine with that.  I appreciate the wisdom of your feedback.

 

Christine

Christine
Lorna170
Level 10
Swannanoa, NC

@Christine3190   Your listing is very cute and is for a max of 4 persons, so I can understand why your single guest thinks she can have 3 guests for dinner.

 

I have a small self-contained property which is often rented by a couple who then ask to have friends over.  Because it is a whole property rental, my booked guests receive a rental agreement that outlines a guest limit of two additional daytime guests who cannot stay overnight (amongst other limitations).  This agreement has benefited me in that the guests know the expectation; yes, you can have friends over for dinner or to sit on the deck, but they go home.

 

If you don't want to field the question of guests having guests, put it in your house rules that only the registered guest may use the property.

Lorna, 

 

Thank you, great advice!

Christine

Christine
Linda108
Level 10
La Quinta, CA

@Christine3190   What is your hosting situation?  Are you nearby or are you a remote host? What is your maximum length of stay?  I ask these questions to blend the feedback of both @Sarah977 and @Lorna170 .  First you need to add no unregister guests to the house rules and be sure to reinforce that in your messaging to the guest.  Secondly, if you have the ability to connect in person with the guest or have the means to be notified of other people entering the home, you might be able to flex your own rules.  Thirdly, if a guest is staying a longer time, it would not be uncommon for them to want to invite someone to the listing so you should also have the discussion with the guest.  That this guest asked in advance is a good sign about that guest.  

Linda,

 

Thank you. All excellent points you make. Your comment about making sure it is in the house rules is a great point.thanks for the guidance to me as a newbie.

 

Christine

Christine