No cable available. Would you refund?

[Donna249]

I have a cottage on the ocean water it's very well kept and not fancy but very clean very beautiful big windows peered and I'm a super host

I had people book in there for 3 nights without asking any questions in advance other them whether the dates were available. They arrived they haven't even stayed one night and they're already asking for a refund for the next 2 nights because there is no cable and they want to watch the basketball tournament.

It does state there is ATV but no word do I say I have cable. I've never had anyone ask for a refund before for this reason most people ask a lot of questions before they book.

What should I do? Any advice is appreciated

[Katarzyna45]

@Debra300How is everyone checking everyone else's listings? I'd love to see and learn from what others are offering. Thanks!

[Mike-And-Jane0]

@Katarzyna45 click on the persons picture, then click on their profile. you can then stalk their listings to your hearts content.

Its actually useful when a host complains and then you see its their listing at fault (Not in the case of the TV here though I hasten to add)

[Donna249]

I did just that. There were  Not a lot of comments about the complaining party however they had high points for cleanliness and respect of the property but they had really low points for communication. I think that was the case in this issue. Prior to their arrival all they had asked was where the dates available. They didn't inquire about the cottage television cable service is needed. So I took at that their bag communicator and hence  So they often end up in these situations. Thanks for you feedback and support

[Katarzyna45]

Thank you! It worked! @Mike-And-Jane0 Your play on words made me laugh.

*feeling mischievous

Bucket list check - take up stalking as a hobby

[Huma0]

@Robin4 

Thanks for this info. I did not know about it at all.

How recently was this change made, because I update my amenities every time I'm prompted to and did so only a few weeks ago. I did not see this option there (I had TV and cable TV both checked). Now that I look at it again, there's a bunch of other stuff...

Now I can see that it is asking which BRANDS of shampoo, bodywash, conditioner etc. you supply (Why???). I'm not filling that in because the brands I choose vary. Then there's what type of bedlinen you have, e.g. cotton, Egyptian cotton, silk etc. etc. Well, I have different sets, sometimes 100% cotton, sometimes Egyptian, so not really wanting to fill that out either. It all seems a bit corporate to me. WiFi speed has also been added and what type of heating, which I guess is a bit more sensible.

Now there is a box for 'private living room', but I'm sure it used to just say 'living room'. Well I want to say there is a living room that guests have use of, but not that it is private and give them the impression it's just for them. 

It's not just annoying that Airbnb makes these changes without informing us, but that you lose some of your previous settings when you do. I check certain boxes, e.g. shampoo, and then come back to find they have been unchecked.

[Huma0]

Also, what does 'pour over coffee' mean? Is that the same as instant?

Why do we need to put what brand of stove we have and whether it is stainless steel or not? I can understand why it asks if it's gas or electric but how many guests need to know the brand of your fridge, stove etc.

I'm all for giving guests plenty of info, but this seems a bit OTT to me. On the other hand, I suppose the more detail there is, the more a host is covered when a guest complains about something already specified on the listing.

That being said, if we choose not to go into those details, does the guest then have a legitimate complaint? No, I don't think so. 

If I don't specify that my linens are Egyptian cotton, then the guest can't expect that, even though I didn't specify they were just 100% cotton. Likewise, why should @Donna249 be penalised for not having cable when she specified no such thing? Just because there is an option to specify it? If the listing doesn't say there is something there, a sensible guest should assume it's not there. I don't expect a hot tub that's not listed  just because I want one.

[Sarah977]

@Huma0  Those new specifics on the amenities are absurd. Why indeed would a guest need to know what brand of stove the host has?

All this is, is a way to encourage guests to be fusspots and have more ammunition  for complaints. 

[Huma0]

@Sarah977 

No, I honestly can't imagine any guest asking what brand the stove is (unless they really like it and want to buy one). Actually, a lot of guests comment on how great my stove is (it's a range), but no one has ever asked about the brand.

I wonder why Airbnb didn't ask for brand of toilet paper though?!

[Mark116]

@Huma0  Yeah, I now check amenities for changes every couple of weeks and I hadn't seen the TV stuff.  I'm not filling in the brands for shampoo, we supply mostly The Body Shop, Crabtree & Evelyn & some Trader Joes stuff, we like it to be a nice surprise that you're getting a good product.

Similarly, some of our sheets are 100% cotton, but not all of them, so I'm leaving that blank.  Also leaving Wifi speed blank, it's too much of a 'gotcha'.  But then how exactly are the guests going to know if the sheet is cotton or Egyptian cotton, are they going to start dinging us on thread count next?

I took pour over coffee to mean a French press or similar.

[Huma0]

@Mark116 

Yes, I guess we have to just keep checking back over and over to see if Airbnb has changed something again.

With you on the WiFi and the sheets. Likewise, if you supply fancy toiletries, great, but should we be expecting this kind of expectation if we're not charging prices accordingly? Do enough guests using Airbnb (and in my case booking a room in shared accommodation) want to pay more for these kinds of amenities? I'm guessing not.

Anyway, I started a separate thread on the subject as I think it's really important.

Thanks for the heads up  on the coffee. Well, I have a traditional type coffee machine to make espresso etc. I have a French press. I also have instant if people can't be bothered with that. I have an electric filter model if people want copious amounts of coffee. Still, I got a complaint from one pair of guests that I didn't have a stove top one like they had at home...

[Sarah977]

@Mark116  Pour over coffee isn't a French Press, I don't think. I think it refers to those cones that you put a filter in, set on the top of the cup and pour the water through. But honestly, I've never heard that term before. It's ridiculous that Airbnb comes up with terms almost no one understands.

[Ann72]

@Robin4 @Huma0 @Mark116 I did not know either that they had drilled down to this extent.  Is this part of the roll-out of verified listings?  https://www.bbc.com/news/technology-50315546

So yes, the more detail, the more defense we have against a guest's complaints, but the more detail, the more we're vulnerable to a guest's complaints.  Pantene shampoo is on sale so you buy it and tick the box, then Dove is on sale when you re-stock and forget to tick the box.  Guest booked chiefly because you had Pantene and threw a fit when it was Dove.

Let's work on this a bit more and give product feedback, shall we?

https://www.airbnb.com/help/feedback

[Linda108]

I agree with that there are listing edits you should do to make it more clear about the TV situation which will be pertinent in terms of any refund/cancellation.  Now that you have experienced a guest complaint, your proactive communication about your listing could include questions about why they are visiting and emphasize the low tech aspect that allows a disconnect experience.  Meanwhile, no refund is due these travelers IMO.

[Pete69]

Yet another disclaimer to add to your listing. List channels included. Then maybe say "TV provided as a courtesy only".

[Katarzyna45]

Data, Data, Data! Have you ever filled out a survey? Bingo! Welcome to Airbnb selling intimate information about our collective listings, or worse, about everything that happens in your listing. "No! They wouldn't do that!", you say? What's to prevent them??? Didn't you offer that information to them free of charge? Imagine that data over a 5 year period. GOLD!

My suggestion is do not fill this stuff out! Ever been to the zoo? Do NOT feed the animals. Those signs are there for a reason due to expert knowledge of what happens if you do. Today they don't sell you out, but tomorrow they do after they slip in some change in the agreement. You would have agreed to have your collected-over-time-data to be fed, without realizing, to some third party [even if the data stays in Airbnb -same problem]. Want freedom to privacy? Then don't hand it over on a silver platter. Don't feed the robots!

NO - no guest needs to fuss over brands of stoves and shampoos. Everyone collectively has agreed on that point [how over-the-top and ridiculous the request for these details are] within the previous comments. So this "fill in the boxes" exercise/homework has nothing to do with protecting hosts nor attracting guests [although it may be disguised as such]. No, this is just data mining; and I suggest to everyone to stay out of it because you never know when you will step on a mine in the future and it blows up in your face. I've been employed as an information analyst. I know what I'm talking about. Don't make out these surveys to be innocent questions!

If you want to be protected against petty requests and demands from the guest, then work out a contract [with help of a lawyer, or not] and have your guests agree that by booking your place they accept your place as-is! And that you will not be held to account for events out of your control including unavailability of amenities, weather-related disasters etc... And Airbnb will abide by your 'legal' contract and make your guest too. Get familiar with rent laws in your area - those usually give a 3 day period to fix broken down amenities. An Airbnb is also a rental - the law permits you the same grace period. Airbnb hosts pay hotel taxes, but private homes are not a hotel, so don't let the guest demand the same services of you. Private homes do not have staff on stand-by. You are welcome to offer services - it's your business and run it like you want - but don't let just any random guest try to take over that role for you, force themselves into the driver's seat, and force you to drum to their beat! If you don't offer cable; then you don't offer cable - period! Your response to guest, "Thank you for the suggestion to have cable at the home. We do not at this time plan to offer this service". And per another host's shared quote, @Ann72  "Never complain, never explain". You owe no guest an explanation. There is no reason to be apologetic. You are offering your home. The IRS will agree that your shampoo or the brand of your stove are not in the least part of the legal description of running a short term rental business - but the rental structure is. Provide bells and whistles only if you want, but never because someone who has no stake in your business demands it. And don't reward nosy businesses [Airbnb] with information about your business [brand of shampoo].