First time hosting our brand new rental in La Quinta, CA. Guest wanted to originally rent for a full month. We were super excited. He mentioned he needed to be in town for a month and could he receive mail? Here it starts- and we did not know. We said, "Sure". Then he didn't book quick enough and someone booked in the middle of the time he wanted. He wanted to know why that was allowed to happen. We explained we could not "hold" a period of time. He would need to "book". So, he did. The first 10 days of the month. Day of arrival came, he asked if he could check in 3 hours earlier. Since this was the first guest, no one had been in there and it was just sitting we said, "sure". Gave him his check in code for doors. ( We now meet the reserving guest, check ID and walk through to make sure everything is "acceptable" to them, and then give them door codes.) We do not hear from our first guest(s) for 3 1/2 days. A Friday night at 5PM he sends a message saying he woke up w/ a bug on him.
We immediately apologize and ask if we can send pest control ( which we just had out every 3 weeks while we remodeled) the very next day. He agrees. (He then filed a complaint w/ Airbnb.) We send bug guy out. Guest says he will let pest control in. We get the report from bug co. and it sates "No bugs/vermon found" but they treated inside and out. We send all this information to Airbnb. Guest wanted to know if he could be compensated. We agreed to discount one full day off his stay. He wanted to know if he could have "additional time" instead. We said, "No". (Why would you want to stay if you're upset enough to file a complaint?) Two days pass and he sends msg at 11PM saying he thinks there are bed bugs. We respond that we will personally go there tomorrow and see what's happening. We get there the next morning (ask for his ID- he says he doesn't have his DL but shows us his passport- this is important because a passport only shows the city and state you are born in- and probably what he used to be verified through the site. He told us he had been living in Vegas and Florida when we met him, and he had an AZ license plate) and when we get there his guest, stays in the car (?). Guest walks thru house w/ us. We video everything along w/ conversation.
No bed bugs. We ask him "what is it you would like?" He would like to be compensated for 3-4 days. We say we will give you 2 days off your payment and we shake on it. He had one more day to go and we ask if he did in fact want to stay. He said yes. All good, we part all agreeing. He checks out the day after our meeting and his name falls off the guard gate list. I go to clean over the next 2 days and each day ...I see him. He keeps slowing down at the rental. I inquire w/ the guard gate and we come to find out he came back after midnight on the check out day and intimidated the guard who gave him a 3 day pass w/ our address under a fictitious name but same license plate# ! As I go to check the mailbox I find a ton of mail from the CA Employments Benefits. Our address number but addressed to all kinds of different peoples names. Of course we start sorting things out w/ our guard gate, HOA, contact CA Employment , authorities, postal service and at some point the FBI gets involved. ( who turned it over to state level). We put a stop on the mail and as of this writing we continue to get mail from EDD. These are checks and benefits being paid out to people. It was important this guest stay for a month, start saying he was having issues to gain more "time". It was a very good thing all communication went through the airbnb site. Airbnb was prompt in addressing and recognizing the situation. I will admit, our first time out was something that made me want to "Sale this place- it's not worth it!"...but we made it through. PLEASE be careful and aware out there. I'm sure this is NOT the norm but wanted to pass ALL this on to you guys. Good luck and stay safe.
