High usage guest code

[Laura2592]

Any thoughts on how you would word a review for guests  to indicate much higher than average amenity usage? Otherwise good guests, just really cleaned out everything we offered and two loads of laundry,  two FULL dishwasher cycles from a 2 night/2 person stay? 

I only care because I have to plan to replace a lot more things for the next person and the cleaning crew can only stick around for the first cycles of laundry/dishes. As a host I would like to build in extra time for this sort of guest. What's some coded language that might help to convey this without blasting the guests? 

[Emilia42]

@Laura2592 You say that you would have wanted to be warned about these types of high-use guests. I think that the only way that would have happened is if a past host reviewed them bluntly. No secret code. If it were me, I would write "XX offered thorough communication (if true.) The house was left clean. Extra time was needed to turn over the space before the next guests as many products and amenities had to be replenished and/or replaced."

Personally, I would not welcome these guests back. I understand what others are saying here, but I agree that you really can't help but feel that these guests took advantage of you and your hospitality. 

[Laura2592]

@Emilia42 that is the direction my husband was going in after hours of getting the space ready yesterday. Just be honest. He also thought they were pleasant to communicate with and was very surprised by the issues we encountered. 

As I say, I am just so thankful to get anyone who isn't a total pain the the tookus that my first instinct was to sugarcoat or look for some kind of coded response. But the more I have been challenged here/asked to examine what happened, the more I think I don't want to deal with these folks again. 

We all try to be clear on expectations and easy to deal with. Its true I didn't say "don't use all the body wash in the upstairs bathroom." I didn't even realize everything that was gone until early this morning when I went over for one last pass and trip to the local mini mart. So perhaps the answer is to be blunt. I am still mulling this over. No one has left a review yet. There's not any rush. I have appreciated the input.

[Brian2036]

@Laura2592 

I’m wondering if you had more guests in there than were registered.

Or possibly they brought their laundry with them and spent much of their time cooking next week’s meals to take home.

You might note that “cleaning and restocking costs were double what we expected.”

[Laura2592]

@Brian2036 that was my first thought but no. The Ring showed one car, two people and the neighbors said they only saw a couple with a dog. 

I think they went "shopping" a bit at our place. There is no way all of the items that were missing/used could have been done in the course of their stay. 

As I say, they were nice. So much so that we offered them a late check out as our cleaner would not be there until hours after anyway. We do this often with guests who seem to be enjoying the space-- most will hang out for another 20 minutes, but these folks didn't budge for an hour and a half and messaged that they "regretted leaving" even then. Lol.

My objective is not to malign them but only to leave an honest review. I did not expect to have so much to restock and take care of. But that is on me, of course-- every time you walk in after a stay it s crap shoot. Again, its the old "all you can eat" Simpsons episode. Some people will stay until the seafood buffet is literally out of food and then go fishing!

[Mark116]

@Anonymous  @Sarah977 @Laura2592 I guess technically, yes, everything in an Airbnb is for the guest usage.  But, I can guarantee you that if every guest 'used' entire rolls of plastic wrap, tin foil, plastic bags, whole jars of spices and condiments, emptied huge 32 and 16 oz bottles of shampoo and shower gel and 20 or 50 tea bags...

Then I would no longer be able to provide those unless I raised the price by $20 or $30 a night.

Yes, certainly, some guests use more stuff than others, some people cook a lot and so will use up all or most of the olive oil and cooking spray, some use all the mayo, etc.

But when entire boxes/jars of items are 'gone' I would say that is a guest who is abusing the hospitality that has been extended.  Of course I guess how much is too much is subjective, you know it when you see it.

[Laura2592]

@Mark116 right. Its the 'reasonable use' idea. I don't think any of us can afford to provide a shopping experience for short term guests who may have run out of shampoo at home. But cultural and social norms may differ. 

I am obviously still trying to work out how to manage this after 3 years lol. I don't like the idea of rationing every single item but I have started cutting way back on what is available to guests. Even still you occasionally get the outlier. 

So the question is, would you want to know that in a forward facing review? Would you just leave private feedback for the guest, or no review at all? If you did review, how would you word it? Do guests who consume everything and then some rank as poor guests? Or do you ignore that if they are otherwise fine?

Interesting discussion, even if we don't all agree.

[Mark116]

@Laura2592  Yeah, pre-covid, I stored all of the extra packages of toilet paper, paper towels, tissues, and toiletries in one of the hall closets.  Given the weird supply chain+hoarding of certain items, we now store all of this excess elsewhere in the house, same for cleaning supplies.

I think Colleen's language about enjoying every amenity to the fullest is something close to what you should say.  I wouldn't bother giving any private feedback to them, usually the kind of people who will use/take everything that isn't nailed down are entitled and calling them on this will only anger them.  

The only review tool other than the write-up that really applies is the would not host again, since over use/taking of supplies doesn't fall into any of the star categories.

[Michelle53]

@Laura2592  The thing I'm troubled by is that, if they were shopping at your expense, saying nothing might embolden them to do worse next time, if they get away with it. 

Of course, you have to worry about them living not too far way, but my bed linens thief was a local resident, and never came near me again.  I believe the unreported guest of my guest was local, too.  Never heard from them again, either. 

Was any pattern discernable in prior reviews ?

Maybe this is new territory for them, maybe not. 

I do have folks that drive in take all the snack items for the road home. Since those have to be eaten because they eventually expire, that's ok. But I would consider larger scale shopping at my expense intolerable and reportable.

And thieves can disarm you by appearing to be the nicest people.

[Laura2592]

@Michelle53 they are new guests, no reviews. So it could be that they just don't understand how it works. And it could be that they know exactly what they are doing. I just have zero idea. As I say, I had a positive experience otherwise and don't want to blast them. I always try to leave honest but diplomatic reviews. 

[Brian2036]

@Laura2592 

Yes, I definitely would appreciate a hint that a prospective guest cannot be expected to exercise common sense or decency.

We buy consumables in quantity and keep them in the chalet so that we don’t get late-night calls about toilet paper.

It takes half a day to go to Walmart for supplies and we don’t do it often.

 We have hosted nearly 100 guests over the past three years and NONE of them have mistaken extra supplies for gifts.

If I had fair warning I would remove the extra stores.

Firewood, however… that subject makes me see red. For some reason a significant minority feel that it’s OK to steal that.

A half a dozen sticks at Walmart costs $6.95 so I guess they can’t resist it. 

I either cut my own or pay $50 a rick for it, but either way it’s a whole lot of work and I’m thinking about telling them that they have to come down to my house and haul their own up the mountain if they want more than I would use in a couple of days.

We heat our house with wood too, and typically use less than half of what guests use, or steal.

They’re generally too lazy or ignorant to clean out the ashes, so it’s obvious when they take more than they burn.

[Laura2592]

@Brian2036 we can't leave firewood and stay in business. We have had guests steal it (one of whom we caught selling it online with an ad that said "leftover firewood from my Airbnb stay-- took more home than I need. Bundles $8"), run through incredible amounts of it creating dangerous situations with an old chimney, and complain when they thought they were not given enough. We no longer allow wood in our indoor fireplace and leave a Duraflame for each stay from Oct 1 through March 31. We leave instructions on where to get more firelogs nearby. Guests who want to use the outdoor firepit can BYOW (or BTOW as is more grammatically correct...)

We have had one or two guests grumble about the insistence on a firelog indoors instead of the roaring fire they imagined but we blame it on safety. 

[Lenore22]

Duraflame log is a great solution!

[Anonymous]

@Lenore22  Duraflame? Funny that you mentioned.... https://community.withairbnb.com/t5/Host-Circle/The-honeymooners-helicopter-mom-and-the-fire-log/m-p...

[Brian2036]

@Laura2592 

I guess I have to add a note to the guest book:

”It’s nice that people appreciate our seasoned oak firewood, but they should understand that in the Ozarks, it is considered equivalent to a utility such as oil or electricity.

If you want to take some with you we will charge you $1.00 per log. Kindly pick it up and pay for it at our home.”

For hosts who seem to think it’s OK for guests to grab anything they can get their hands on, I guess they wouldn’t mind if some thrifty opportunist decides to fill up a couple of drums with the host’s heating oil and take that with them also.

[Laura2592]

@Brian2036 I have a friend who hosts in rural Montana. She is brilliant-- she actually found a newspaper box-- the kind that you put coins into to open and grab your paper. She keeps it stocked with firewood. I think she said its like $1 to open the box, so its not a lot, but it also doesn't fit a lot of logs. It definitely drives home that this is not a free for all while not gouging the guests. I have been looking for a newspaper box ever since she did this.