Advice please - crazy situation with unpaid guest.

[Marie639]

Hi i need advice . I’m not sure where to begin except from the beginning so excuse the long message. 

I received a instant reservation several months ago for 2 night stay this weekend , Saturday and Sunday.

The morning of Friday (the day before she was to arrive) I received a message of her arrival time 4:30

I replied saying see you at 4:30 Saturday. I heard back saying that she must have made a mistake as she was arriving later Friday and would need accommodations.

I asked her did she wish an extra night or was she enquiring to change the dates.

She replied couldnt she work that out upon her arrival !

At 10:30 am I replied asking her to clarify what it was that she wanted specifically however either way, she would need to do any changes or bookings through Airbnb.

i did say that if needed although I was out of town for most of the day that I could arrange to have a friend get the apartment ready for her. I didn’t hear back from guest for 5hours!

When at 3:30 she texted back - that she modified her online booking and that it was her mistake.

And I received an Airbnb message while I was driving asking if I would accept the change of dates. So when I got home at 4:15 I accepted the reservation change, not thinking anything more of it.

As I switched to self check-in this year, I always ask guests to message me when they arrive and let me know if everything is okay. And if they have any questions or concerns I am only 2 minutes away.

So when I received her txt message that she had arrived again I replied back “if there’s anything you need help with pls feel free to ask”.

I thought everything was fine until checked my emails just before 11 when I went to bed and I received an email from Airbnb stating that my guest's payment did not go through. And although they sent her a message she has not made a payment:

So I sent a reply back asking them to pls check and explain what the issue was. 

I went to sleep and awoke at my usual 5:30 as its a very busy Saturday morning , pets and a friends surgery and sure enough there was a reply back from Airbnb that they couldn’t process her credit card of the extra charges . And i needed to contact my guest to make a payment with a “working credit card”.

 Some of you may know that if there are any unpaid fees by the guest  , the host does not get paid.

So as I was leaving I texted her with the information of non payment and that it needed resolving or it would jeopardize her Airbnb booking. I realize now I should have tried air bnb messaging however what’s done is done. At least I still have the txts. And screen shots.

i then received an Airbnb message asking me to accept or not accept her request to change her reservation from 2 nights to 1 night... happy to be rid of the confusion I accepted the change.

Its gets worse though as

a couple hours later I received a venomous email Complaining of my early morning txt and to “stand by for my review” which she texted me but didn’t submit as yet. Her text to me complained of no air conditioning which isn’t the case as the a/c is set at 72. Stained comforters and old pillows and broken shower with no pressure. And more  ... lies .

The duvet was also freshly laundered and normally has a cover on it except my friend didn’t put it on. My god, had my guest let me know I would have resolved it as there’s plenty of extra clean linens, towels, blankets etc.

Anyway She ends it stating “we are canceling tonight and expect no penalty fees as we must pay 300 for another accommodation.”

what is true is is that local bnbs do charge 300/night. Its an expensive area.

Although mine is a private basement apartment in an older home in a shabby chic kind of decor it is comfortable to stay in. And 

I pride myself in keeping a pleasant clean apartment- as I truly enjoy having guests when my family is not using it. 

But it breaks my heart to have this experience. And when I replied  further to Airbnb I have not heard anything back from them regarding this unpleasant horrible experience.

So my question is 1/ what would you do if yuo were in my situation 

and

2/ why does Airbnb text all other messages yet with this financial transaction not going through I did not receive a text. Only in email. Had I known  I would have immediately try to resolve it. During the first day. 

Thoughts, anyone.?.

[FamilyKJ0]

I feel for you.  It sounds emotionally draining.  I have had some horrible guests, and the hardest part for me is to not let the fact that some people are leaches get me down. I don't  know what to do except call airbnb, and remember that most guests are wonderful. Dealing with a few weirdos seems to be unavoidable.

[Marie639]

@Cormac0 @Jessica-and-Henry0 @Helen3 @FamilyKJ0

Thank you everyone for your replies and thoughts. I feel relieved in being able to talk with all of you. And Yes this is the first time for me to deal with people like this .

yes I thought scammers too but then they had 1 review on Airbnb so I was confused and didn’t listen to that little voice in my head.

If my dear friend wasn’t going through a horrible surgery and if i didn’t have other appointments that day I would have phoned Airbnb right away when there was a problem with the so called mix up in dates. 

I accepted her change in booking to cancel the 2nd night for a number of reasons:

1/ when I sent her the message about non payment I was met with her vile anger and refusal to accept her responsibility in the matter of non payment. And the very action in blaming me... that in itself is “sick”. 

2/ And quite frankly I didn’t want such negative energy in my home . Not good for the soul.

3/ If there was more money at stake I would have stood my ground. But I try to focus my energies on bigger and better. 

4/ and what if she didn’t pay. I would lose out financially anyway.

5/ She could have trashed my place in resentment and crazy ass anger. I live alone and my intuition said let it go. 

 I must admit, when she booked it’s not so much what she said but what she did not say, and because there were so many months before her arrival I thought that she would at least answer the questions that I have posted for automatic reservations.

She didn’t.  

And at the time my intuition said don’t trust someone like that. However I thought I was being silly.

Now I know better.

But what I don’t know is what would have happened if I rejected her reservation based on that lack to answer.

What would Airbnb have done?

Would they have sided with her and hit me with a penAlty. 

 I come from an era where I believe it is good manners to answer the questions of a host.

It shows respect for someone who is willing to open the doors of their home to a stranger. I do not believe in having to remind the person that it is their responsibility to answer it. It is in the very action of choosing to not answer that says 1000 words in itself. 

I have been been told by Airbnb that by the guest making the 2nd alteration , that made the total payment to me within what was originally paid , Nothing was owing, AND and she was refunded the difference . AND that my complaint/conversation  with Airbnb has been forwarded to another person.

I’ve yet to be paid. Normally I’m always paid the 1st night. And when I check under the progress of history of earnings this payment now of 1 night is listed under “future”! 

That i don’t understand and means yet another message to Airbnb. 

[Marie639]

And yes I’m calling Airbnb today to talk directly on the phone since finding proof of mischief, this skilled smooth operating scammer that she is. 

Thank you

[Helen3]

I'm an little confused as to why you accepted her change in booking when she wanted to cancel the second night?

Now you have ended up with a guest who didn't pay at all for the first night and you have allowed to cancel the second night free of charge too.

You had the expense and effort of preparing your apartment and no income. And a guest who will leave a horrible review.

What did the guest say, when you asked her for an alternative payment method? She is clearly a scammer.

[Marie639]

@Helen3 So I would like to learn how better to handle a situation like this and you made very good points.

As i feel I’m in uncharted grounds for me , and with Airbnb so slow to take action,

I’m curious how you would have seen this playing out  if you were in my situation - From the first with the change of dates and the guest's change in booking when she wanted to cancel, dealing with Airbnb.

[Jessica-and-Henry0]

@Marie639

I'm in agreement with @Helen3 that it looks like you were scammed. 

[Cormac0]

@Marie

These are not Guests in the traditional sense they are scammers in my opinion and are completely au fait with the shortcomings of the Airbnb system, as soon as you operate outside the Airbnb system not only will Airbnb have no sympathy for you, but neither will some of the host posting on these blogs.

Of course, there can be legitimate cases, but the problem is how can one divine this?

I think how you responded Marie was correct and the Guest response put him/her in the scammer category.

Regarding the review, I would simply put "This guest had difficulties paying for his/her accommodation" a death sentence in Airbnb terms. 

[Marie639]

Dziękuję

I love your example of what to write in the review. Perfecto! 

[Letti0]

@Marie639 I'm thinking you were had by scammers also like @Cormac0 said. Also for futher information 

there is reason her card was not approved. A nice CS person helped me and explained how to book it. I use this method all the time to do a sameday booking because after a certain time anywhere from 24 hours before check in time for credit cards and after check in time for PayPal AirBnB will not authorize payment, so they have to book for 24-48 hours later and I go in and alter the date to sameday after the charge has been approved. Here’s how to alter it below.

Change this reservation
Go to Your Reservations on airbnb
Click Change or Cancel next to the reservation you want to change
Choose Change Reservation (Adjust the date)
Click Submit Alteration
Then the guest accepts your request and all are happy.

[Marie639]

Perfect and Thankyou I will most certainly retain this information. Very very handy.

[City-Limits-Ranch0]

The person is a scammer and as such is lying to you all the way.  Chalk it up to a loss and move on.

Wait until the last minute for your review then detail that the person did not ever pay you and that you think any negative review is a smoke screen for their scam of never planning to pay for their stay. If they actually review you just reply very succinctly that someone who arrives 24 hours early with one days' notice and no reservation, is accommodated last minute and allowed to check in by the kind and understanding host, stays one night, cancels the rest of their stay, doesn't pay anything and writes a nasty review on top of all that shouldn't be believed. 

BE GLAD YOU ARE NOT LIKE THEM.  Let it go.

[Marie639]

I quickly came to the same conclusion. I’m so happy I’m not like them - in fact - I can’t get my mind around to the way they think. 

[FamilyKJ0]

@Marie639

I have specific questions I ask. If I am not getting answers or if I am not comfortable with the answers, I have learned to contact airbnb and let them know that I need answers. Airbnb has contacted the guest and this seems to work out. On at least one instance the guest cancelled rather than answer the questions....I didn't always do this. I learned from other Airbnb hosts who said that they ask lots of questions, even if It is instant book.

[Marie639]

Thank you I will follow your advice. As Airbnb questions allow for only 1 extra question it does make sense to have an extra set of questions tailored to the individual hosts needs and if Airbnb doesn’t have it in their website platforms programming - then yes.

thank you I am learning more and appreciate your advice.