Too many guess.

[Sharon1157]

Hello, my fellow host! Earlier this year, I had a guest book, 2 adults and two children. When I open up the door to greet them, it was one adult and the mother was coming in a couple of days. and five small children. How would you handle this situation?

[Elaine701]

@Sharon1157 

It depends on a few things; 

First off, do you charge a flat rate for the entire house, or on a per-person basis? Children under 12 I believe are suppose to be free (?) (I'm  not sure if that's a hard and fast Airbnb rule or not -and I don't agree with it - infants ok, but children use beds and towels and everything else - like anybody else). But if so, were they all under 12? You might have a shot at something if they aren't. 

Next, do you have enough beds? If not, some will have to sleep on the couch, which we prohibit, but house rules are largely unenforceable, and in that case, proving it would require "invasion of privacy" which is a delistable offence. 

None of this is your fault, and it's not fair, but that's not how it works.

In the end, you have a choice of confronting the guest and risk a bad review, or just brushing it off. 

You have to ask yourself if whatever incremental cost is worth encouraging a bad review (possibly a horrible review complete with fabricated atrocities you imaginarily committed, even a refund demand if the guest is particularly dubious). 

No it's not fair, but the risks of confrontation are pretty steep. And the guest usually wins, even if they're the guilty party. 

I'd be inclined to brush it off, and work to attract better guests in the future. 

Good luck with it.

[Helen3 · Accepted solution]

It depends on your listing can you accommodate seven people? Do you charge per person.

if you can't accommodate seven people say so ? If you can and charge per person tell the guest they need to amend their booking.

any child over 2 is charged at the full rate @Sharon1157 

[Sharon1157]

Hi Helen3! I have learned that some people just don’t read the description of your home. I even sent the house rules before they check in. I just wanted to know how other people would have handled that situation.

thank you, Helen

[Helen3]

What did you do . Personally I would have told them they couldn't stay with 7 as they had booked for two adults and two children  @Sharon1157 

it's not always that guests don't read the listing but that they lie to avoid paying additional guest charges . 

[Sharon1157]

Hi Helen! I end up letting them stay because they had all those children and I didn’t want a bad review. In the future if this happens again, I will bite the bullet and take a bad review. I would never let that many people stay in my Airbnb again.