TP, Food Snatchers: How to review?

[Julie1467]

We recently had guests in a private room in our home (all other spaces are shared). We know they helped themselves to a few food items (stored in separate pantry from their own TWO cupboards). They arrived Sunday evening, and I pointed them to the nearest convenient store that was open and pulled out some staples (rice, noodles) to help them get by that evening. During the week they were here, they helped themselves to some onions, peppers, bacon, and some cheeses that were clearly not theirs. We know this because they told us about the onions after the fact and we saw the peppers go missing and end up in their cooked meals. We're not too worried about the $10 or so, but the brazenness of it seemed like they thought it was okay? I also noticed about 4 missing rolls of toilet paper and two missing glass lid-lock food containers go missing - these I cannot say 100% were this specific guests as we had other guests staying in a second guest room as well (but do know the food snatchers were using said containers). 

We've only ever had this happen one other time (a guest came home drunk late and helped themselves to an opened bottle of wine, apologized and replaced it). So anyhow, I'm not sure how or if I should say something about the food items in a review? They were otherwise really nice to talk to, young and starting as students. It's just such an odd thing to help yourself to someone else's food? It'd be one thing if they asked the first night before they had a chance to go to a grocery store, then replace items, but they helped themselves even after having plenty of their own food (the new boss brought over a large food basket of fresh garden veggies for them on day 2).

[Charles224]

@Julie1467 , from past conversations on reviewing the consensus is that an accurate review is the best. And then, if you click "No" for re-hosting, they can't instant-book. 🙂

[Kenneth12]

There's always calling the police ... 

[Fred13]

Tricky @Julie1467 . IF they only helped themselves to a few items like onions, etc then I would not make issue of it; since you are not sure about the other items, then can't go there.  I would not deduct anything for such a small issue, granted very tacky.

IF the whole scene bothered me then I would change my approach so it doesn't even happen in the future, and there is certainly always a way to accomplish that. An ounce of prevention is always worth more than a pound of cure, specially in hosting.

[Ann72]

@Julie1467  They have boundary issues.  On their first night you pulled out items from your own pantry to tide them over.  I'm sure you said, "Here are some of our things, just for tonight; your own things will go over there."  But they ignored your boundary.  That was ill-mannered of them but perhaps it looked watery to them.  People like that aren't usually offended by directness; I think they're actually pushing along looking for clear boundaries.  They're hard to deal with because the rest of us have no trouble seeing the boundaries that they're missing or ignoring.

[Fred13]

And @Ann72 they put us in the position to be 'heavies' when that is the last thing we want to be. That is why I have never gotten swimmingly with cheap people, I feel I need a shower after dealing with them.

[Ann72]

@Fred13   Exactly!  Then when we are forced to point out the things that any well-mannered person wouldn't need to have pointed out, they're churlish.  We see eye-to-eye on cheapskates.

[Colleen253]

@Julie1467 Were they new to Airbnb? If they were, and are young, I might just address these things in the private feedback, especially if they were good guests otherwise. If you want to address it in the review, perhaps start off by sharing what was positive about them, and then mention the inability to adhere to the boundaries you set regarding food in a shared space.

[Helen350]

@Julie1467 Were they from another country/culture? - My ethnically Chinese ex-husband caused enormous distress to my mother in the early days, by helping himself to things from the fridge, plus half a bottle of her whisky. To an Englishwoman of her generation, that's just not done, it's stealing! (Even I never helped myself to anything, in my entire life!) - But to my Chinese ex, such things are normal; if someone has invited you into their home, they expect you to help yourself freely to anything, as part of good hospitality (so he said!)

[Laura2592]

So when the pandemic panic began and people started hoarding toilet paper we were still able to host in our state.  The guests who stayed stole every last roll of toilet paper. The solution was to buy commercial rolls through an office supply online (these were not sold out. So if this happens again, everyone take note.) I bought a box of 12 and each roll was equivalent to 5 rolls. 

I then made a nice display of the gigantic roll with a calligraphied note saying "We understand your concerns, but please do not hoard our toilet paper. As you can see we have plenty for you to use." Guests really got a chuckle out of it and the theft stopped. The problem is now I still have several rolls of gigantic toilet paper I have to get through. We have moved them to our house. I was giving them away as gifts at one point. 

Making a sign with a little humor can help for future guests. For this one, I would say something like the following:

"So and so was pleasant and left the place clean (if they did) and communicated well (if they did). We had some minor household items leave with this guest and they made use of our produce during their stay. We are not sure if they misunderstood the house rules. Overall a good guest and recommend to other hosts (if you do). Future hosts may want to clarify what is available for use with this guest. We would have them back again (if you would) and make sure we were more direct on that topic."