The guest is to lazy to read the listing and then leaves a poor review!

[Jeremy100]

I have had two guests this year who were not happy with the stay because, without reading the listing and/or asking for any clarification, it was not what they had imagined!

Read the listing in full, look at the photos, any questions please ask.  Its not difficult.  
Would you go to a restaurant and order without looking at the menu? (Probably)

I imagine I drive a Bentley but in reality it’s a Skoda.  GET REAL

RANT OVER!

[Huma0]

@Jeremy100 

Yep, this is a pretty common problem. A lot of guests do not read everything. Often they just skim over the text at best. Hosts complain about this all the time.

When I started hosting, I assumed that people would read the listing because that is what I would do before selecting a place to stay, but soon learnt I was wrong.

I had guests who expected to get the whole house to themselves even though it's clearly listed as a private room in a shared house, and some who were very put out that I live here (not sure who they thought fed the cats). Others seemed astonished that I had cats, even though it's clearly listed. Then there are the stairs (there are even photos of stairs, so not sure how they missed this), or that their room faced the road (again, mentioned), or the size of the bed (specified on the listing) and on and on.

I got fed up. Now I INSIST that guests read the full listing and house rules before I will accept their booking. Of course, some will lie about that, which is why I have an Easter egg question in my rules that they need to answer. I will also reiterate a few key points from the listing to make sure they have understood. I want them to respond, in writing on the Airbnb system, that they understand and are okay with those things.

That's not to say you don't still get the occasional guest who still complains about something they said they were okay about (common sense is not so common), but it has greatly reduced them.

Sometimes I do have to resort to responding with, "Yes, as mentioned on the listing, the room is not suitable for light sleepers," when they act surprised about something they should have known. That usually nips that complaint in the bud.

[Jeremy100]

I’m going to add some FAQs ending with: if you are still confused or unsure please book somewhere else 🤣

[Marie6762]

Your place is stunning - what the hell is wrong with people?!

[Huma0]

@Marie6762 

Thank you! Well, the problem is that it's not for everyone.

You do not get a whole four storey, nicely decorated and furnished house in a fairly central location in London for the same price as a room, but some people seem to be under the illusion that you do!

Plus, it is a home, not a hotel. Again, some people simply do not understand this. 

In my house, guests will be sharing with me, my cats, and other guests. When I first started hosting, I thought all of this was clear on my listing and, indeed, it was. However, I quickly learnt that a lot of people simply do not read anything before booking a place. They see photos they like, a price they like (amazingly cheaper than the other listings they were looking at) and maybe, just maybe, look at the location.

You know the old saying, "If it sounds too good to be true..."? So, why they assume they get a huge house for the (already affordable) price of a room, I don't know. Common sense is, unfortunately, not that common.

[Janelle132]

Being that I am playing the "stupid" guest and the host, I can understand how words fail in capturing the understanding of everyone. I am not airbnb savvy so the phrase "private room in a shared house" needs a bit more clarity to me. You have people that are just excited they found something nice and affordable or just something at all. Not reading between the lines doesn't always translate into laziness, although I understand your frustrations. Anything less than 5 stars based on sheer disclosure and misunderstandings proves to be counter-productive. I like the idea as a host to use a questionnaire as part of the reservation process, so that one may better understand what they are actually getting into (I believe you termed it the "Easter egg question" ). Why not have a meet and greet forum for other members of the shared space so no one feels dismayed or impersonal? Although private, it is not totally private. Introduce the cats even, as these are people and things that one may run into possibly. In my experience, if you leave words up to people then you're creating a game of chance and it has more to do with your ruin than theirs. You have taken a job as a host. Respect your business and your guests, otherwise the "stupidity" that you have against them will show

[Jeremy100]

A questionnaire to stay for a holiday.  Yep that’s going to work.  🤣

[Huma0]

@Janelle132 

Just out of curiosity, what do you think 'private room in a shared house' means?

[Helen0]

@Jeremy100  I have been hosting for over 10 years; I've honed my listing endlessly to get people to read and understand it - and yet still I recently had guests who hadn't even realised I live in my own home, let alone various other house rules that they didn't feel like respecting. 

I am considering an Easter egg question myself - do you have any tips? How has this worked out for you in general?

[Huma0]

@Helen0 

My Easter egg question serves two purposes:

1. It reiterates to me that the guests have found the full version of the house rules (doesn't necessarily mean they have digested them or will follow them, but it's a start).

2. The question has to do with my cats, so it reiterates that they are aware that I have three cats.

Basically, they need to message me the name of my three cats.

[Anonymous]

@Jeremy100  Which reviews are you referring to? All the ones I can see on your profile are perfect!

Personally, I'd rather take more time before accepting a request to make sure the guest is a good fit than risk having unhappy people with the wrong expectations.

[Jeremy100]

I got them removed due to the guest being left of stupid🤣

Apart from a post and pre booking questionnaire that would be a bit silly there is not a lot a host can do but make a judgement from the guests profile and past reviews.  Some guests should make more of an effort and read the listing.  If they are unsure then ask.  If they are still unsure then the listing may not be for them.

[Anonymous]

@Jeremy100  A whole questionnaire would be excessive, but I think you can tell a lot more about people from a brief correspondence than from profiles and reviews. There are many negative qualities people can hide about themselves, but stupidity is not one of them. 

I like @Huma0 's trick with the Easter egg, and also if you see a pattern with which detail the guests are failing to absorb, that's something worth working into the pre-booking chat. But if you'd rather just use Instant Book and hope for the best, you'll have to accept that more lazy and inattentive people will slip through your filters, and some of their reviews will stick.

[Huma0]

@Anonymous 

And also, if the guest has previous reviews, to check the reviews they left for the hosts. I have dodged a few bullets that way.

I remember one particular example where the guest was ranting about not having the 'private beach' that was promised (she also ranted about a lot of other things, all stupid nonsense, in reviews for other stays). The thing is, when I checked this host's listing, there was absolutely no way anyone in their sound mind would think it was promising a private beach...

When I turned the guest away, telling her I did not feel my listing was a good fit (she had complained in other reviews for things that are similar to my listing), she got irate and almost abusive.

Again, bullet dodged.

[Stephanie365]

@Huma0  I do hope your final bit of correspondence was, "And this behavior is why I'm not hosting you!"