3rd Party Bookings and Late Check-Ins

[Timothy5]

Greetings Fellow Hosts,

We are new to hosting and AirBnB, about 6 months into it now. We are considering a late check-in fee for folks whom have fairly regularly showed up at 11PM, midnight, 1-2AM, or whenever, despite our specific requests for an arrival time. Hence I saw a number of posts on the subject as I began researching it.

Meanwhile I'm noticing other hosts' House Rules specifically requiring ID at check-in, and/or prohibiting 3rd party bookings. Is it prevalent for one person to book rooms under their account, for say a party of 4, but yet an entirely different group of people show up? And if so, why is that a problem? It seems odd to me and piqued my curiosity. Extra middlemen, liability, ? We have not yet even thought to do this and maybe should start confirming our guests' identity?

Thanks for your insights.

Best,

TIMOTHY

-Pemberley Place, Fairbanks, Alaska

[Laura77]

hey Tim, 

i regularly have guests book for parents or relatives and am fine with it as long as they are upfront. usually i give them a little tour also as i let them into the house or studio... show them around when giving them the key a day prior and later meet the actual guests. so that works fine, i've never had someone book for someone else and not tell me... it would be strange and i would be very much annoyed if not told. 

as for late bookings... i have just straight out said if you plane lands after 9.30 at night don't book us!!! i agree, we have waited up till 1am and its not right... we also regularly have people say we will be there at this time and show up 4 or 5 hours later... its very annoying. We have a lock box now... we leave the key with the instruction if they come when we aren't there. it involves a level of trust and i am just waiting for it to go wrong, but so far so good. the guests we have are mainly asian and lovely. fingers crossed. you could charge a fee for anything after 10.30pm arrival... makes sense but it might lower the number of bookings you get. not sure. 

[Marie62]

I currently have a mom trying to book for her son. My concern with that is, I rent to adults, how is this 19 or 20 year old not making his own reservation? Does this suggest he won't take care of the room, do his own dishes, etc.? I'm renting a room in my home, so I don't want to find myself running a foster home for a kid who hasn't had to do things for himself.

[Laura77]

@Marie62 i think guests are an unknown quantity until they arrive. we had a group of Drs come and stay that were a nightmare - dirty, messy and infentile in their behaviour -  other youngsters have been amazing and a pleasure to host. possibly you could ask the mother what the boy is like and if he is 'worldly' or if he needs monitoring. i don't know...its hard to tell without a photo and some guests surprise you. 

good luck with deciding, but i do sometimes turn people down. 🙂

[Dede0]

Addressing only your late-arrival concern, we deal with that by having a coded, keyless lock on our rental apartment. Guests can arrive at any time, whether we're around or not. I know that this might not be ideal if you're renting rooms inside your own house; in our case it's a studio apartment with its own private entrance.

As to the id question -- while we obviously don't check IDs if guests arrive when we're not around, we do still state the requirement (in our House Rules, which we send via message and require acknowledgment of before approving a booking) that the person checking in must match the person who made the reservation and that we reserve the right to verify via driver's licence or passport. Makes the booker think about it. As to why, go read some of the horror stories elsewhere in the community forums.  🙂

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[Donna15]

@Timothy5, one of the  risks involving third-party bookings is that the person who made the reservation is responsible for any damages or other costs incurred by the guests.

Though third-party bookings are in fact against AirBnB policy - and I believe could result in a de-listing - if you wish to continue accepting them, you should make it very clear to the person doing the booking that he/she will be responsible for any damages or penalties relating to guests breaking items or violating the house rules. 

[Timothy5]

Thank you (all of you) for your responses. @Donna, Apologies if I implied we were accepting any such guests/reservations. We wouldn't knowingly. I was merely inquiring with some surprise that such thing might go on. In any event, I've learned something to watch out for, and ways to address late check-in's.

Thanks again,

TIMOTHY

[Donna15]

Ah, understood, @Timothy5. 🙂 Yes, it's good to be forewarned. 😉 In fact - before I'd found these forums and learned about 3-party bookings being a no-no - and the reasons why - my own very first booking was made by a daughter for her parents. Luckily, all want well, and they were a lovely couple to host.

I'm glad you now have ways to address late check-ins. I've been lucky in that regard, in that most of my guests knew they'd arrive late anyway (from other countries, etc.), and always updated me regarding delays. And since I'm invariably up and about until 11pm at least, it's not a problem for me to wait up for guests. I suppose the day will come, though, when something unexpected happens involving an unintended post-midnight arrival.

(Actually, a guest in April will be departing at 3.30am to catch his plane. So these kinds of things can happen at both ends of a visit. 😉 )

[Paula-and-Gill0]

We knew that one day we would get the booking that would cause some angst and this was the one.

Jane Doe booked with us for two people. Jane Doe then texted us they would arrive after 10pm and could they have access to the key in the lock box. I was initially okay with that. Then, at 2am I hear someone enter the downstairs apartment. I was still up and went to see who it was. I see no car, but I count 3 people walk in and two of the guest were giving each other horsey rides. It was late, so I went to bed. I figured I would sort it out in the morning. In the morning I meet 1 guest, Lady-K, before she was picked up by her ride. She states there was no one else with her. Everyone one else had left. Who was everyone? Where and when did the other people go? I should have asked, where is Jane Doe who had booked, but she was in a rush since a car had been waiting outside for her.

They were out all day and night and I had yet to meet Jane Doe. This is not uncommon since we give our guest privacy, but I was still unsettled by the previous night.

I also had guests checking in the next day and I wanted to clarify that check out would be at 11am, so, I text a note to the guest to see if everything in the apartment was okay, to thank them for choosing us, and to clarify the check out time. I got no response. Again, around 2am they returned. This time there is a vehicle.

In the morning my partner says they have yet to check out, but there is a man outside enjoying some coffee. It’s now 11:09am. I knock and I’m greeted by a friendly gentleman who was not aware it was time to check out, but he assured us they would be out soon. I asked, "Where is guest Jane Doe?” He states she stayed somewhere else. I then asked who else is in the apartment. He informs me Lady-K is getting dressed.

I informed them they must vacate the space. I also inform them to contact Lisa because 3rd party bookings are not allowed. It took them about another 20 minutes to clear out. I guess since I asked them to leave they didn’t bother to collect their dirty towels, clean their dishes, collect they’re food, vitamins, toothbrush and some other toiletries. I then find dental floss in the toilet that I specifically state cannot go in the toilet.

Now, I have to write a review. What do I say? The guest seemed to be very nice people. I would also welcome them again, but with a better understanding of how I would like things to flow.

While re-reading my text messages on my phone I only see Jane Doe refer to herself. But, on my laptop, I see AirBnB asked me to please rate Jane Doe and Lady-K.

[Ange2]

@Timothy5   I always send a message to the guest under IMPORTANT THINGS TO NOTE: with the check-in time,  many do not read.

Although, just now I received an IB with an Airbnb new feature telling me my guest is arriving between 12(noon) and 2pm, even though I stated my preference was 13:00 or later. Not sure what is going on but it definitely overrides my choice.

MY STATED PREFERENCE: Which is not ANYTIME after, it's only  if they contact me before to arrange/confirm a time (taking into account travel times are never precise) , but Airbnb does not give an option for that, hence I always write it.