Need to shorten my guest reservation after sewer pipe broke

[Nichole87]

I am hosting a guest who extended his stay from his initial reservation dates. I am having to shorten part of this secondary to a broken sewer line resulting in the toilets/showers being unusable. He was able to fine an accommodation but needs to keep some stuff at my house at a rate of $10/day for 4 days we agreed. I submitted the reservation request change to refund him the difference but what happens if he doesn’t accept? Trying to make it right as I am in good host standing currently. 

[Sarah977]

@Nichole87  If he doesn't accept, you tell him he has to come pick up his stuff. 

But I don't know that I would charge a guest in this situation to leave his stuff for 4 days. If you can't rent the place out anyway because of the plumbing issue, does it really matter that it's there? (Maybe I'm misunderstanding) 

It seems like offering the luggage storage free of charge would be a nice gesture for the inconvenience of him having to move out and find another place. 

Sometimes goodwill is more important than money and can make the difference between a nice or a critical review.

[Sandra126]

Agree, I see no need to charge at all, it's not like you can rent to anyone else. 

[Nichole87]

I let him keep his stuff there for one day for free but his next house is letting him move his stuff there but he says he needs to keep it at my place two more days beyond that. He does not have that much stuff at all fits into a closet easily. I just don’t want him having access to my house for that many days without some sort of deposit. Just makes me feel a little uneasy

[Sarah977]

@Nichole87  I see. Are you a remote host? How do guests gain access? Could you change the door code and make an arrangement with him that he pick his stuff up at a specific time when you or someone can let him in? 

I agree that he shouldn't have unfettered access if he has moved out and been refunded for days not stayed.

Is there any logical reason he needs to leave his stuff? Like he's at work and doesn't have time to pick it up? If there doesn't seem to be any good reason, it does seem a bit sketchy and I'd just  tell him he can't leave it there.

If he isn't too far away, seems like he could Uber over to get it for less than the $40 to store it.

[Nichole87]

Yes remote host with keypad entry and can deactivate if needed. His next place is within a 10 min drive and he has a car. His claim was his iron deficiency limits how much he can do at once. But I could easily fit his stuff into a vehicle in 4 trip. I felt 4 days was sufficient but he wasn’t sure. I planned on crediting him the storage fee if he moved his stuff in time but wanted an incentive so he wouldn’t keep it too long 

[Nichole87]

*in one trip

[Sarah977]

@Nichole87  "I planned on crediting him the storage fee if he moved his stuff in time but wanted an incentive so he wouldn’t keep it too long"

That makes sense. And if his reservation's been cancelled or shortened, he no longer has any legal access to the place, even if his stuff is there, so I'd definitely change the door code.

[Nichole87]

Thank you just waiting for him to accept the change. So hopefully he does to make things easy!

[Sarah977]

@Nichole87  Well, if he doesn't accept it, he doesn't get refunded for unused days and still has an active reservation, so I guess you could get in trouble for changing the door code. Unless he wants to pay for a place he's not staying, or has something nefarious in mind,  it seems weird that he wouldn't accept it. 

[Nichole87]

Yes I know. He still has a little time but I think I can retroactively give him a refund if he doesn’t accept but haven’t had to do that yet so wasn’t sure. 

[Brian1613]

We had the exact same thing happen, about 9 months ago. We’re now in the process of a major remodel. We’ve been closed since then.  At the time, we called CS. They asked us to document the sewer leak. They arranged to relocate the guest.  If you’re charging them $10 to store something, probably better to make that arrangement separately, as it’s not really a “booking.”  CS can adjust the stay, for the issue. It also lets them know that you’re having a problem.  Block off a fair chunk of time, to fix it. It took about three weeks just to affect the repair. We had some collateral issues, with a 100 year old home, that it triggered, that put us into a more expansive remodel.   Glad that we did! Found a missing structural element that rotted out of one wall, and some very scary old wiring that we were told, when we bought the place, had been removed in a 2009 remodel.  Sadly, when one thing goes the snowball starts. 😞

[Nichole87]

Thanks for the information. I ended up not charging him to store his stuff there for two days.  I just wanted to make sure he got it out in a timely manner so we could conclude the reservation and get him reimbursed appropriately.