return guests

[Phyllis146]

I have a guest that has been to our cabin several time, always a pleasure. This last stay however, she had a big birthday party at our place. Denied all of it, including the 14 bags of garbage and balloons leading to our place. We state in our house rules NO PARTIES OR EVENTS. I no longer want to have her or her family as a guest. How do I keep them from auto booking? 

Thank you for any advice/ information.

Phyllis 

[Emiel1]

@Phyllis146 

You should have ticked "NO" in the latest review at question "do you want to host the guest again"

Now you can only block the guest,which is rather strong measure.

[Anonymous]

@Emiel1  Blocking is a strong measure, but appropriate. The party wasn't just a violation of the host's rules, but also of Airbnb policy. 

@Phyllis146  Your House Rules could be more explicit about your stance on visitors who aren't sleeping on the property. Plenty of people assume that extra people in the house aren't "guests" if they're not sleeping there, and it's easy enough to invent reasons for why a party isn't a party.

Personally, I'd just flat-out tell the guest that her behavior was unacceptable and she's no longer welcome to book. I think she'd get the message. But I realize that not everyone is comfortable being as blunt about things as I tend to be.

[Phyllis146]

Thank you! It's not a problem having that conversation. 

[Phyllis146]

Thank you, I did click No at the last review question. That will help,

[Jennifer3403]

@Phyllis146 How much of a mess did they do? Did they destroy anything? Did you have complaints from the neighbors? I only ask because you stated they they have booked a couple times. So, if all the other times they were great guests and just this one time they stepped a little outside of the rules but did not do any damage or get complaints, is it worth losing a repeating customer. These are things I would ask myself. Not saying you have to. However, if you did host them again I would explain that do to the disregard of the rules on the previous booking you will need to charge a higher cleaning fee. This will 1, not have them feel negative about you. 2, if they do book you will make extra fees to cover the extra cleaning if they do it again. 3, if they don't agree then you don't have to loose your rating for not accepting a cooking. But that is just me. 

[Anonymous]

@Jennifer3403  I can imagine forgiving a repeat guest for "stepping a little outside the rules" if they took responsibility for their actions and apologized. 

But this guest stepped way outside the rules, and despite 14 bags' worth of evidence, denied everything. That is not how you repair broken trust. And trust is pretty important when you're literally giving someone the keys to your house.

[Huma0]

@Jennifer3403 

The guest not only broke house rules but she denied having the party or anything to do with 14 bags of garbage (I don't know how it is in Orting, WA, but here that would be a major problem. There is no way my local council would collect that) which, to my mind, makes her totally untrustworthy. Also, how do you propose to get her to agree to paying for extra cleaning when she denies having the party in the first place?

Even though she was a good guest before, perhaps that was just because she was on best behaviour. Now that she has stayed a few times, maybe she has become complacent and thinks it's okay to start acting like she owns the place and can break rules. Also, this is not stepping a little outside of the rules. As @Anonymous mentioned, she breached Airbnb policy, although perhaps she wasn't aware of that, but surely she was aware of that the listing stated NO PARTIES OR EVENTS and choose to ignore what to most hosts is pretty much the most important rule of all.

I wouldn't want this guest back either. Who knows what else she might do. 

[Phyllis146]

@Huma0  Thank you, I firmly agree they were planning this little party. Just sad to feel it was done, always a respectful past guest. 

[Jennifer3403]

Oh I agree she broke house rules. And I did not say she had to book her again. I just said if it were me and she was a past guest, and was always good and followed rules before I would give her a second chance if she tried to book again. However, when the request is made you can click on on the link that says adjust quote. You can add extra fees and an explanation as to why the extra fee's. So, if the guest agrees then at least you are being compensated if she does it again. Or, this might keep her from doing it again. Or, better yet she decides to not book again. But, this would be up to her the home owner. Again, I would not completely shut out a returning customer for just one mistake and violation. 

[Mike-And-Jane0]

@Phyllis146 If the guest had a party and left 14 bags of garbage I wonder why your review just said 'Miscommunication on guests as well as house rules.'   

[Phyllis146]

@Mike-And-Jane0    I wasn't sure what to say, without blasting her and her family.  I just know I won't have them again. I feel  this was an intentional party, being a return guest she and her family knew the rules. Not the best at knowing what to say, or not say when it comes to public reviews, as our world has gotten so awful towards one another. Privately I did state my feelings. 

Thank you for tour input

[Huma0]

@Phyllis146 

Yes, it can be very difficult to write negative reviews, but in this case I feel you could have been quite honest and clear without sounding mean. The added bonus would be that it might scare off future guests who are thinking of throwing a party in your place! I know it's too late now, but in case it's helpful for the future or to other hosts in a similar situation, here is my suggestion:

"X and her family have stayed with me several times and it has always been a pleasure (add some comments here about why she was a good guest). However, on this occasion, she threw a large party, which she knew was strictly against my house rules. The evidence was clear from the balloons and 14 bags of garbage left outside, but X denied all knowledge. It saddens me to write this, but I am afraid I would not be comfortable hosting X again."

The fact that her denial and the evidence are mentioned is important in case she responded that there was no party and that you were making it up.