If I'm set for Keysafe, can I do a last minute Meet & greet?

[Ruben306]

Hello community, I come to you since I can't find anything online regarding this.

I'm new to airbnb hosting, been hosting an apartment in Portugal since Dec 20th, 2019, and finally got my first booking (so happy :D). I have a keysafe option on the listing to avoid late meet & greets but since they are arriving at noon on a Saturday, I decided to tell them that I would meet them at the property (so I can  know them and to get some experience in meeting guests). My surprise, the guest got mad because I decided to meet them and is threatning to cancel the reservation because it's not the conditions he have chosen and that he specially looked for a property with self check-in option.  Not really sure if this reaction is normal or not, but since I've been reading about guests' scams  in the past few days, a lot of thoughts have come to mind such as: is he who he says he is? the apartment has 2 bedrooms and can accomodate up to 4 people, yet the reservation is for a couple, is it normal for a couple to rent a 2 bedroom property to use only one bedroom? or perhaps more than 2 people will be staying at the property? I live by the beach and it's winter in this region so prices are low, but still..

I read somewhere online (on this forum or perhaps on Airhost forum don't remember and I can't find the post) that if I'm unsure about a guest, I'm within my right to do a key exchange in person even if I was set for remote access, but I've been looking the Airbnb policy  and on Google to find information regarding this and can't find any, perhaps m,y search keywords are not the best, I don't know. If anyone knows if this is actually in Airbnb's policy or if you could send me a direct link to the policy that talk about changing last minute property access from keysafe to meet and greet, I would really appreciate.
Thanks

[Larry339]

In my listing description, I advise guests that they have self-check-in, but I want to meet all guests to show them the amenities, help with luggage and then they are on their own. 

They are sent a message before arrival, also confirming that I will meet them upon arrival to show them around and answer any questions.

I think it is about setting expectations with guests and after all, I am sharing my home, so I want to confirm that the person that booked is the same person showing up

[Ruben306]

Thank you for your reply. Yes, perhaps I set the wrong expectations on my description, after all I won't be able to meet any guest during week days. What make me wary is the reaction, I know I'm a noobie hosting but I've been a guest using Airbnb for a few years now, and it is as you said, other people opened their homes for me.

[Colleen253]

@Ruben306  Touchy situation for sure. Such an out sized reaction would set alarm bells ringing for me too. Did this guest instant book? What is their track record re reviews from previous hosts?

I'm a little confused though, as you don't appear to have an active airbnb listing...

[Opal22]

HI Larry,

Totally agreed with you, that's the norm for me

Regards

Opal

[Paul1255 · Accepted solution]

Hey @Ruben306  I hope you are well!

I advertise my listings with check-in in person, and if guests are arriving late or I am not available then I set them up for self check-in.

Never had an issue doing things this way round, but I have seen a post on the CC previously with an issue like yours, where the guest thought they would be self checking in but the host decided to meet in person and they weren't happy.

I don't believe there is a specific policy around moving from one option to the other, it's your choice how you check your guests in after all- but some guests prefer the ease of self check-in so they don't have to worry about being on-time etc etc, and if they realise down the line that's not what they're getting they may be upset.

Yes perhaps they want to check in more guests than booked, (do you charge an additional fee for more than 2 guests?) maybe they now don't feel like you trust them- maybe there is a reason behind that.

I feel a lot more comfortable setting guests up for self check-in when they have a positive track record of stays on their profile and they have communicated well in the run up to their trip.

Paul.

[Ruben306]

Thank you for your reply Paul and for your insights. Yes I now believe that it's expectations that have been set wrong, I mean, I know perfectly that I'm new in Airbnb playing as a host and sooner or later will do something wrong. But, I don't know, the reaction of threat to cancel the booking just because I want to give them the keys in person. It's weird to me. I'm going to comply with the guest to avoid getting a bad review with my first guest, yet I don't feel confortable. I will rewrite the description from scratch following your advice. Thanks

[Paul1255]

@Ruben306 

Their reaction does seem a little over the top- I suppose it's all in relation to their intentions.

You may well get a negative review anyway, if this has happened and the stay hasn't even started yet.

Airbnb want us to be compliant in order to get good reviews- and this is where hosts come unstuck, they want to please their guests at all costs and when they don't feel comfortable.

If you insist on checking them in in person, and they cancel their stay how would you feel about it? Have you got more reservations coming up?

[Colleen253]

@Ruben306 No need to completely rewrite your description. Just add a prominent note that, while self check in is in effect, as a courtesy, you may also be there to greet guests on check in as your schedule allows.  Honestly, the overwhelming majority of guests would not have a problem with what you've proposed to these guests. Their reaction is a tad suspect.

[Rowena29]

@Ruben306 

Firstly a head's up - when you are replying to someone on these forums it's helpful to tag them with the @ symbol and then their user name - it will usually appear in a drop down bar - then thy'll get an alert.

I was in exactly the same position as you when I started hosting and I had similar experiences adn got similar advice re this from @Paul1255 

I had "self check in" selected as my option and a line saying I would be there in person if I COULD. I naively believed being  there in person was the more desirable, attractive option to guests.  I learned VERY quickly this was not the case.  First of all guests don't read and most of them hadn't seen the sentence that I would try to be there.  

There is a certain type of guest who very definitely does not want to interact. There is also a certain type of guest who sees self check in, no security device, remote host and begins to make plans....  These are not the sort of guests I feel comfortable having in my place.

On the basis of @Paul1255 's advice I changed my listing from "self check in" to "I would be there" and added a sentence saying easy self check in was available on the rare occasions I couldnt' be there. I clarify which way it is going to be after the booking has been made depending on my commitments. 

Since I did that my type of guest has on the whole been utterly different. Previously they were almost sullen at check in, now I get a much friendlier more "airbnb" style of guest.

the only downside is that my listing now can't show on the work collection because I don't have self check in selected  ( another restriction of the platfrom  - it can't conceive you can offer  BOTH it's only one or the other)

The reaction of your guest would really be ringing alarm bells for me personally  - I'd be wondering what they were up to.  I personally would be cancelling - trust your gut - if it seems off,  it almost certainly is.  You dont' need the anxiety you'll have leading up the booking as well as during the booking wondering what they are up to.  Plus it doesn't hurt this type of person to discover they don't hold all the cards - it might be a good wake up call for this guest to find his booking cancelled.

If you dont' already, Id suggest getting a monitoring device ( be absolutely sure you disclose it in the "other things to note" section of your house rules).

The combination of "host will greet in person" and "security recording devices present" go a long way to eliminating those guest who deliberately search for places where they can take advantage.

Just my thoughts

[Paul1255]

I thought I remembered a post from you @Rowena29 about the very same thing, but I wasn’t 100% sure it was you 🙂 

[Patricia2677]

Hi @Ruben306, Thanks for your really helpful and detailed response 

I'm just starting out and I spotted two things in your reply that you might be good enough to help me with 

1. "The work collection" - I've not heard of that. Can you elaborate please?

2. "Monitoring device" is that not an invasion of privacy?

Thank you in advance 

Patricia 

[Colleen253]

@Ruben306   Sometimes the cost is greater than the payout. I agree with @Paul1255 that you are very possibly now in for a less than stellar review if the stay goes ahead. The problem with this is if you have no Airbnb reviews at all for this listing (can't tell, because you don't have a listing attached to your profile). It may be better to let this guest cancel than take the chance of saddling your listing with low star rating and bad review right off the bat. There is also still the reason behind their apparent outrage on having you present at check in. What further problems may you be in for with this guest? Who knows?? Do you want to take the chance?

[Trevor243]

@Ruben306 

"Not really sure if this reaction is normal or not" .... I say no, it's not normal behaviour and that would ring alarm bells for me .... and when the alarm bells ring, you just know that guest is going to be a pain or will give a really bad review .... personally, I would just cancel .... sure, you lose that booking, but you save yourselves a lot of trouble ..... and the bad review will cost a lot more bookings than you lose by cancelling this one

" is he who he says he is? " .... you never know unless you meet them and check IDs and whatever, and even then you don't know if they have a criminal record or anything .... the overwhelming majority of our guests through all OTAs and direct bookings are no problem, they're happy .... but we all get "that one" who causes a lot of problems .....

"the apartment has 2 bedrooms and can accomodate up to 4 people, yet the reservation is for a couple, is it normal for a couple to rent a 2 bedroom property to use only one bedroom?" .... yes, perfectly normal .... sometimes, couples sleep in separate rooms because one snores .... sometimes a booking for 2 is father and daughter or mother and son .... sometimes it's 2 friends who don't share a bed .... it's not really any of our business what their relationship / sleeping arrangements are .....

"or perhaps more than 2 people will be staying at the property?" .... that shouldn't matter if you've set up your property for a fixed price per property, regardless of how many people come .... of course, some hosts charge per person, so are discounting for when it's only a couple, and then the host complains when a guest books for 1 person and turns up with 4 .... or the guest books for 2 and the host only makes one bed, assuming the booking is for a couple, only to find the guests are not a couple and want to sleep in separate beds and are unhappy because one room is locked or the beds are not made up .... so far better to save yourself a lot of hassles and just set a price for the property .....

But .... as per my response to the first part, if alarm bells ring, I would just cancel .... no messing about, just cancel ....

[Colleen253]

@Trevor243 re "personally, I would just cancel .... sure, you lose that booking, but you save yourselves a lot of trouble ..... and the bad review will cost a lot more bookings than you lose by cancelling this one"

Just to clarify, a HOST cancel would sound the death knell for @Ruben306  's listing. He needs to make sure the GUEST cancels, if that's the route he's choosing.