So frustrated right now!

[Kia272]

Guest makes a reservation two months ago. 

"My daughter and I are looking to get away for few days this summer. Your place looks like a great place to spend that time in the Laurel Highlands. Thank you! "

There are two guests on the reservation. She's got 9 5* reviews. Perfect. 

I sent check-in details 4 days prior to the reservation. 

Guest: 

"Is there room to park more than one vehicle? We have two vehicles and my brother will be visiting for part of the time from Accident MD."

Me: Can you provide a bit more detail about your brother’s visit? I’m just not sure what part of the time entails. I’m usually happy to let guests have visitors if they make a request, but I would just like to know how long he’ll be on the property. Thanks.
There is plenty of room to park, but I ask that nobody blocks the driveway.

She says overnight from Monday to Tuesday. I allow up to 4 guests at the same price, so I ask her nicely to just add him to the reservation and modify the number of guests. She says sure, no problem. I'm confused about the two vehicles, but A- I don't know how old her daughter is, and B- does she mean her brother's vehicle?

Guest-Hello, No problem at all, I added him and also sent a request to change the number of guests.
Thank you so much for your flexibility

So I thank her, and when the request to modify guest count comes through, I just say yes, without really looking. I assume she's added her brother, as we've just discussed. 

They pull in right at 5:00 on Sunday. There are 4 people in the car, and I can see that the brother is not among them. It's 3 generations- her parents, her, and her daughter- around age 12. I'm a bit taken aback. I was expecting two, with the brother as a 3rd. I welcome them and then explain that I didn't understand the 4 guests as well as expecting a 5th. She had never mentioned bringing her parents. I ask them to get settled and then ask her to come talk to me after that. She's very nice, and we more or less work it out. I explain that had I known there were 4 coming (there were not at the time she asked about her brother), I would have said no. My capacity is 4- that's it. Too much strain on the septic system, small cabin, etc. 

I tell her I'll allow it because of the misunderstanding, but I'm going to charge her for his stay. She says fine- she obviously feels really bad. I tell her it's a misunderstanding and to let it go. Don't ruin her vacation over it. We chat for a while and all is good. 

I send a request for extra funds the next morning, and she accepts it. It's under $40- just 1/4 of the nightly price. 

Late yesterday I have to leave for Washington, DC. I tell them I'll be gone, and to enjoy the rest of their stay. I meet the brother when he arrives and all seems good. 

I turn the security cameras on tonight. I want to see that the brother's car is gone. Except it's not. I'm kind of pissed. I'm going to see if it's there in the morning, and give her a chance to fess up. 

Okay folks, so here's a seemingly real 5 star guest. Really great reviews from all former hosts. Who genuinely didn't seem to know that bringing another person to the property was not okay. And then neglects to mention adding two more people to the reservation after me asking her to add the brother to the reservation. I'm so confused. 

[Colleen253]

@Kia272 I'd be confused too - I mean, she says right in her booking message "my daughter and I'. Then manages to mention the brother, but still completely forgets the parents. Ugh. Maybe this supposed 5 star guest was another case of

 https://community.withairbnb.com/t5/Hosting/Asking-for-and-giving-5-reviews/m-p/1479316#M349851

Have fun with this review!

[Kia272]

@Colleen253  it's just so strange. She seems genuinely nice and sincere. I spent a while speaking with her to smooth over the whole awkward arrival thing. She did feel really bad. But if she doesn't fess up to the brother spending another night (or just doesn't get that he shouldn't!!) I'll be pretty upset. I'll be upset either way because I gave permission (under duress) that he could stay the one night only. 

Ugggh. I just don't need the stress right now. 

[Colleen253]

@Kia272 I was thinking maybe, when she booked, it was  just the two of them. And then over the course of time, plans evolved to involve the other family, but it never ocurred to her to contact you about the change. But then during your discussion on extra guests, somehow she still managed to skip completely over the fact that her parents were now part of the trip, and went straight to the fact her brother would be visiting🤔. Head scratcher for sure.

You have to at least mention communication issues in your review. 

[Inna22]

@Kia272 @Colleen253 people love to pretend they are oblivious. Do we really believe she would have brought her parents without verifying that there is a place for them to sleep? Of course she checked the listing and of course she could see how many it sleeps. I get it when people just put 1 person for head count instead of the accurate count (there is a glitch in the app when you book after clicking on multiple properties and some people might choose other filters and forget to change the count completely). She bothered to count, just did so in her favor

[Kia272]

@Inna22  Maybe I'm naïve, but she seems genuine. That's why I'm at a loss for an explanation. I'll see how it plays out. The review will be a challenge. Uggh. 

[Helen3]

Sorry she knew exactly what she was doing and deliberately didn't tell you as she knew it would take you over the limit for your place and won't accept. This is substantiated by the fact the brother stayed longer than she stated.

And she made no mention of the grandparents at all. @Kia272 

[Kelly251]

People just like to push the boundaries to see what they can get away with, until they get caught 😊

[Kelly251]

My drama yesterday, guest advises that she will be showing up 1 hr early , 3 hours prior to our scheduled checkin, I advise sorry not expecting you till 4 as I am working and have a conference call booked. She shows up anyways , messages me and wants to be let in to our lower level self contained apartment , then she realizes I have mistakenly left the door unlocked and she helps herself and enters after I sent her a note that she must wait then outside till I can show her in. 😡

[Laura2592]

@Kia272 I just did a thread about a similar incident where the guest booked for 4 and 7 people stayed. I had a conversation with her about additional charges, that we don't allow parties (they threw a bachelorette party and the bride and her 6 bridesmaids were guests.) Like you I tried to be flexible. Like you I found that the guests took advantage. They left me a review. I am waiting to leave mine. Though the conversations were all pleasant this guest did violate our rules fully apprised of what they were.  Its very annoying. My pet peeve is when guests lie about numbers.

I think the true solution is for ABB to come out with something that indicates that guests cannot bring extra people unless the host has explicitly agreed. But they won't. They want guests to "live anywhere" with all their family and friends no matter what the cost is for you to clean up.  What we plan to do is re-work our house rules and check in information to state in no uncertain terms that guests exceeding the number on the reservation will be asked to leave without a refund. 

[Colleen253]

@Laura2592 

Ugh, so it was a bachelorette party. Well, she’ll pay for her deception with a less than stellar review. Going to go check out the ending to your post….

“What we plan to do is re-work our house rules and check in information to state in no uncertain terms that guests exceeding the number on the reservation will be asked to leave without a refund.”

I can confirm this works. 

[Kia272]

@Laura2592  I agree that Airbnb should come up with some hard and fast rules. As it is right now, it’s lose-lose for the host. If we kick them out for breaking house rules, they get to leave a review, as they’ve already checked in.  I’ve been fairly spoiled with good guests, but now I am going to have to toughen up a bit and look out for myself.

I do address the issue in my booking message, so it should be very clear to prospective guests, and well within the cancellation period if they get that message and decide that their plan won’t work. I don’t think it’s necessary to outline every property rule in the listing. It’s off-putting to guests, and these things can be made clear in subsequent messaging. 
I’m feeling angry and betrayed right now. 

[Anonymous]

@Kia272  I read through your listing description and House Rules, and while I can see that the maximum occupancy is 4, I don't see an explicit mention of your stance on unregistered guests and visitors. Since the text very thorough about everything else, I can see how a guest might have overestimated your flexibility on the extras when they booked. 

The best way I can think of to avoid this is to strictly require in your rules that all people who will enter the home be registered as guests before arrival. Registration would entail being included in the guest count, as well as a full name and perhaps ages if there are children (since that's relevant to your safety rules). It should be clear that no people who aren't on the register will be allowed onto the property, and that you may check IDs at check-in. I really don't recommend making any distinction between visitors and overnight guests, since that creates a loophole that you can't close until it's too late to maintain the goodwill of the group.

That might sound strict, but of course what's left unsaid is that you can always make exceptions after the guests have earned your trust. As a guest, I'd much rather know where the boundaries lie upfront than deal with the discomfort of knowing I've accidentally overstepped them. Some listings do go a little overboard with the rules and put me off booking, but the only people a registration requirement should put off are the ones whose intentions are dishonest.

[Kia272]

@Anonymous  My automated booking message asks that guests make sure that their guest count is accurate, and asks them to update the names and ages of all guests in the Airbnb system. I give directions to the menu and tell them to contact me if they have trouble. 
Regardless, there were two people on the reservation at the time she asked about a visit from her brother. At no time did she mention her parents coming. 
Sure enough, I just saw the brother casually pack up and leave. I’m pretty upset. I went out of my way to accommodate her, and she has now clearly taken advantage. 
I will lay low and be oh so sweet through check-out and until she leaves a review, and then I will give her a piece of my mind and an appropriate review. 
it is taking everything I have right now to keep my mouth shut. 
4 is 4 in my world, but I guess I may have to spell that out more clearly for those in stupid-world. 

[Cave0]

2.3 of the Airbnb Terms of Service: You may not exceed the maximum number of allowed Guests.

And by way of clarification of what "allowed Guests" means there's an image below of a conversation I had with Airbnb about this very matter but a few days ago.