Many, many guest demands...

[Denise405]

When booking, our current guests made no mention of religious requirements for their stay.  Upon their late arrival around 9pm, they called angry that the refrigerator had non-kosher condiments inside and demanded we completely empty the refrigerator and sanitize it immediately.  We immediately came over and stayed until 11pm cleaning and making the kitchen kosher.  With notice, we could've prepared for this but the guests mentioned nothing prior to their arrival.  Our home has a pool and is on a busy street.  For safety, all doors have an opening audible charm.  They have a 5-year old in their party.  The guests insisted that these charms had to be disengaged at 6:45 p.m. tonight but want them immediately turned back on tomorrow at 9pm for a religious observance.  We have ATT digital life so we worked with ATT to disengage the charms.  At the last second tonight, the guests said the fact that the system will log the door opening is a religious prohibition so we have to figure out how to disengage the system entirely.  We called ATT and after the past 2 hours of transfers and instructions, we think we can disengage the entire system. We called to do so, but the guests were not home and they did not want us in the house when they are not there. They said they would be home at 5 but now say they will be late and we must wait outside.  Sabbath starts at 645pm so I'm sitting outside waiting for them to return, hopefully to successfully disengage the system and control panel in the window they are providing.  ATT cannot re-engage the system after hours (9pm tomorrow when sabbath ends) and they are upset about that.  They have had a myriad of complaints we have tried to remedy (house AC "not strong enough" bc whole house only at 74 when set at 71 and it's 110 outside, more lights outside around pool when there are over 40 garden lights, house lights on 8 doors, string lights over patio seating, dining light and fan by outdoor dining pavillion, pool lights, tiki bar lights), cable signal "not strong enough" bc they can't figure out the remote, wifi "not strong enough" for unspecified reason). We have met all requests with grace and immediate action but...has anyone else had guests like this and how did you handle this? 

[Sarah977]

@Denise405   These people are behaving outrageously and I wouldn't kowtow to any of their demands. Most hosts would call airbnb to have them cancelled, and would have done so the moment they insisted that you rearrange your kitchen to conform to their religious needs, without ever having informed you of this beforehand. Since they are obviously not pleased with anything and are treating you like some peon they can boss around, and will no doubt leave a terrible review no matter what you do, I'd call airbnb and ask they be cancelled and relocated without any penalties to you.

[Karol22]

Totally agree with Sarah here. Denise from the sounds of it, you've already done more than you should have. You can simply let the guest know that if they'd like to cancel their stay, that they are more than welcome to do so. If they ask about a refund, kindly remind them about the cancellation policy, which will still hold if they choose to cancel. Let them know that you understand they've made a mistake and that either way they choose, you completely understand if they decide to stay or cancel, but you are unable to make such changes to your listing. Then after you communicate this, don't respond to any of their religious demands and let the booking run its course. Good luck.

[Sarah977]

@Karol22  You are replying to a 4 year old post. 🙂

[Noel63]

When do they leave?

[Denise405]

4 days... 

[Rachel0]

@Denise405  These people sound like the guests from hell.  As long as all messages are on the Airbnb thread and you can prove that there was no mention made beforehand of their kosher requirements, then you have a strong case for telling them to leave.  No guest has the right to demand that a host completely rearranges their accommodation to adhere to their religious beliefs.  

[Noel63]

I would be careful with the review. You don't want it to be deleted.

[Denise405]

Can you elaborate?  BTW, they stayed in an Airbnb nearby last year and their host left a positive, 1-line review.  Now I know why it's one line...  I can't imagine their requirements were any less last year.

[Noel63]

I would just say : This was a very difficult hosting experience.

I feel like any mention of religion may have the potential to be removed if the cs worker gets skittish about a discrimination claim. I know it is ridiculous, but better safe than sorry.

[Jarg0]

@Denise405

Orthodox Jewish People have 613 Rules (Mitzwot) that there are must follow. A normal american oder european Host with christian Background cant handle this for our jewish guest if there are follow the Orthodox Jewish faith.

Best way to handle this to call the guests and the ABB support to find an better place. 

[Ute42]

.

Hi @Denise405 ,

let's first take a look at the description of Your listing.

• Does is say in Your listing that You provide a kosher fridge? - No

• Does it say You provide a kosher kitchen? - No

• Does it offer that the function of audible charms can be modified according to the guests requirements? - No

• Does it say that the available ATT alarm system can be turned on or off according to the guests requirements? - No

• Does it say You have a doorman or -woman to let people in at any time? - No

• Do You guarantee any specific inhouse temperature by ac? - No.

• Do You offer to supply additional gardenlights if requested by the guest? - No

• Does it say that Your place is specifically suitable for jewish guests? - No

• Does it say that You provide a butler service to fulfil any and all guest demands onsite 24/7? - No.

I cannot find any of these offerings in Your listing, and You offer 37 amenities already. If You don't state in You listing that specific amenities or services are offered, You don't have to provide them.

You may believe that by cleaning the fridge and doing all the other things You will make Your guests happy, but that is not the case. All You achieve is, that You encourage Your guests to come up with new and more requirements all the time.

You ask:

• has anyone else had guests like this and how did you handle this?

Yes, we all know these „high maintenance guests“. How do we handle this? I don't know how my fellow host handle such situations, but I can tell You what I do: I reject the very first unreasonable requirement and from that on is't no – no – no. Will I get a bad review for that? Of course, but such people are leaving bad reviews anyway. Wait till You read theirs.

• Advice No 1: before You leave a review for these guests do publish a draft
  of it here in this forum and see what Your collegues are commenting on it.
  
  

• Advice No 2: Get them out.
  
  

[Clara116]

@Denise405@Ute42 Is 100% correct..............get them out NOW. these people will continue.

What We Permit We Promote.

Call like Ute said and have them rehoused - you are not to blame. They are unsuited to your place.

I would have stopped with the first demand of the refridg.

Take Care and keep up posted and folks have your back here.

Clara

[Ute42]

.

Hi @Clara116 ,

my husband can be terrible if he doesn't like someone. Here's what happened:

We did the check in for a group of guests who came across pretty demanding.

• Guest: Do You have a citrus press?
  
  

• My husband: Not sure if we've got one,
  but I know it's not mentioned in the listing.
  
  

• Guest: Silence
  
  

That's the way to do it.

[Jessica-and-Henry0]

@Ute42

I think your husband and Henry are cut from the same cloth 🙂