This is as nice as i could word it - perhaps objective folks can help.

Ephraim0
Level 10
New York, NY

This is as nice as i could word it - perhaps objective folks can help.

Back story guest was to checkout at 12:00, guest without asking checked out at 2:20, and new guest arrived with kids exactly at check-in time 3:00. I didnt demand the current guest leave when I went down at 12:30 to clean because they had a baby. They informed me their ride was coming at 2:00pm. Needless to say the accomodations were not ready so I payed for the arriving guest to have brunch with her kids ($80) until everything was clean at 4:00, since they just arrived after an international flight. 

 

Here's the private feedback I'm leaving with a thumbs down. any more gracious wording advice if you think it neccessary would be greatly appreciated.

 

Thank you for being my guests you have a wonderful family.
It is important however to remember that Airbnb hosts are not hotel owners with large staffs. Therefor being aware of checkout and check-in times is extremely important.

After you checked out at 2:20 (checkout is 12:00) my next guest arrived at 3:00 with her two children and because I only had 30 minutes the suite was not yet clean. As a result I had to apologize and pay for her and her children to have brunch while I cleaned the Suite to my standards.

I'm sure you can understand how other guests with kids are less than happy if the accommodations they paid for are not ready at check-in time, after a long international flight. Please in the future if you need a late checkout I recommend you ask a host and see if it’s possible, because last minute changes effect hosts and their arriving guests negatively.

 
 
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Sarah977
Level 10
Sayulita, Mexico

@Ephraim0  I find that quite restrained. Doesn't seem like you need to change anything, except maybe I'd mention the amount you had to pay for brunch for the new guests so you had time to clean. 

I raised 3 kids. I don't understand how parents don't anticipate that it's going to take them longer to get ready to go somewhere, since there are constant interruptions when you have babies and kids to attend to.

When a friend went to get her tubes tied after her 3rd child, her doctor asked her if she was really sure she didn't want to have any more kids and asked if she could say why (he was just trying to make sure she wouldn't regret the decision). She thought for a minute, then said "Shoes and socks." The doc was bewildered. My friend said  "Well, you know when you're getting ready to go somewhere and you've gotten all 3 kids dressed, fed, and ready to go and you're already running late, you start hustling them out the door, and then you turn around to see that the 2 year-old has taken their shoes and socks off? I never want to deal with that again."

Thanks @Sarah977

 

with regard to that guest I dont think it was a miscalculation. I think they just figured they were leaving to the airport at 2:00 and whats the big deal. As far as the $80 I havent deciided if I am going to make a claim and I don't want them to think that was my major issue concerning their late check-out. So far with over 300 guests Ive never made one, but because this is the result of a complete lack of consideration i might just do that. But knowing me after i sleep on it once I wake up i'll likely decide to let it go. Funny enough they had the forsight to request an early check-in.  Some people are just schmucks.

@Ephraim0  I wasn't actually suggesting you make a claim for the $80, just to mention in the private feedback where you are telling them the about the inconvenience and expense their shmuckiness caused. And yes, people who can sleep on something and let it go lead happier lives than those that fume over stuff that can't be changed.

Mark116
Level 10
Jersey City, NJ

Much nicer than I would be.  Very diplomatic.

Thanks @Mark116 you shouldve read the first draft! I could swear i felt sharp chest pains as I worded the final draft. 

Gillian19
Level 10
St Leonards, Australia

@Ephraim0 I am not sure I would be so tough. It doesn't sound like you made any effort to ask the guest to leave a the check out time. I appreciate that they overstayed, but if you didn't make it clear that they needed to be gone at 12:30 (or whatever the checkout time was) then they may have thought you were OK with them staying until 2:20pm. They are not mind readers. Next time you need to make it clear when check out is, and if necessary remind your guests that morning. 

@Gillian19 checkout time is in the house rules along with a reminder to be considerate of check-in and checkout times Its never been a problem in the past. Guests have  requested later checkout times and when possible i accomodate. When I came down at 12:30 figuring they were long gone they were far from prepared to leave. Further they were aware enough of check-in and checkout times to request an early check-in prior to their arrival which I accomodated. Not sure what I couldve done at 12:30 aside from rush them to packup and throw them and their baby out the door into the cold.

@Ephraim0 @Gillian 

 

I don't think it's on the host to have to make it clear that check out time is what is already listed in your rules. While it might have been a good idea to say something when you went down to clean, I see nothing wrong with your private feedback.

 

These guests took advantage of you and whether intentional or not, it was disrespectful. I think your response is perfect.

Kath9
Level 10
Albany, Australia

@Ephraim0, I wouldn't bother making a claim as I doubt you'd get anything out of it - you weren't obliged to buy a meal for the guests. However, I think you're right to give them the thumbs down based on their late check out time. I would probably keep the review a bit shorter and address it to other hosts rather than to the guests themselves:

 

Wonderful guests on the whole. However, they checked out nearly two and half hours late, meaning I did not have time to prepare the accomodation for my next guests who had just arrived after a long international flight and were unable to check in at the designated time. Based on this, I would be reluctant to recommend these guests to other hosts.

 

@Kath9  Ephraim said he was going to send them this as private feedback, not as the review.  Personally I think guests who don't respect check-in and check-out times, or are otherwise disrespectful can benefit by being told how their behavior affected others, just like hosts can benefit from a little private feedback when guests send it to make suggestions for a better stay. There will always be the entitled and self-absorbed, who don't care, but some may not have considered how their behavior inconvenienced the host and may take it to heart, especially if you didn't give them a bad public review.

@Kath0 i won't be making a claim- however I disagree whether its a brunch fee or a late checkout fee i feel they are responsible for the accomodation of that family of three for that hour. Remember the arriving guests paid for accomodations that were to be ready at 3:00pm regardless of who's at fault it is thier right to be somewhere warm and comfortable from 3pm onward as that's what they paid for. Anyways thats the way i see it.

Kath9
Level 10
Albany, Australia

@Sarah977, @Ephraim0, woops, my mistake! I overlooked that this was your private feedback to the guests - I totally agree that you should send them this, as well as putting something in the review for other hosts. And yes, they are responsible for the inconvenience to yourself and the next guests. I would send them a request for the $80 too...

Robin4
Level 10
Mount Barker, Australia

@Ephraim0

The trouble is Ephraim, you can't be all things to all people. I can totally understand your predicament but you need to tighten up a few things. Noon is too late to offer a checkout! This is always going to put you under preasure because many incoming guests will require a check-in prior to your nominated 3.00pm and this is what will happen. In your house rules you should state 'check-out 11.00am (strict)' and say you can't be any more flexible than that.

You have this problem here because you were too nice, to accommodating. These guest did not consider your agenda they only considered theirs. 

You can't really complain too much about this because you allowed it to happen.
i would just keep the review short...."XXXX were pleasant guests to host and I hope they enjoyed staying in our property. Communication was good, but observance of some of our house rules needs to be addressed before I would recommend them as fine guests!

 

Then in your review response, if they write a review say......"Thank you for choosing to stay in our property and I hope you enjoyed your stay. As you discovered I am a very accommodating host but, your lack of compliance where departure time was concerned did cause me some issues which were regretable. Please try to bare this in mind when you next use Airbnb"!

That way you have got your point across both on their page and on yours!

 

I hope this helps.....and good luck Ephraim.

 

Cheers.....Rob

@Ephraim0

I wouldn't submit a claim.......I don't think it will be worth the effort. Plus, if you want to make people pay for a late check out you should either have it covered as an additional fee or not allow it to start with if it is going to affect your ability to get the room ready for the next guests.

 

It is the host's responsibility to enforce your own rules.

 

When they informed you that their ride was coming at 2pm, did you tell them specifically, that regardless of when their ride comes, you need them out by noon (or 1pm at the latest) because you need to get the room ready for the next guests scheduled to arrive at 3pm? If not......then sorry to say this is actually more your fault. Communication must always be absolutely clear with no room for misinterpretation.

 

With this in mind, I feel a private feedback won't help anyone. The guests stayed till 2pm because (from what I can gather) you were okay with letting them check out late. It is not the guest's job to worry whether the host will have enough time to clean and get the room ready for the next guest coming to stay after them.