Used Facilities then complained and wanted a refund

[Jennifer1596]

Am a annoyed!! It has happened three times now.. I rent out my converted barn in The Lake District.

On this particular occasion my guest arrived.. she couldn’t find the place went everywhere but didn’t contact myself (no number) . She had been on a long walk and was sweaty and tired. She entered the property shut every curtain/blind (@4pm). Used all my facilities shower , toilet, cooker , internet and had clearly been sleeping in the bed. After 3 hours she said she was leaving because it was below standard..and wanted a full refund.. I knew from her accent she lived approximately 2hours so clearly just wanted to freshen up. She left the place a mess. Do I give her a full refund and how do I stop this from occurring again.. Thanks in advance xx

[Anonymous]

@Jennifer1596  There is no strategically sound reason to offer a refund to this guest. I think your suspicion is likely correct:  the guest had no intention to stay in your home overnight, and believed she could scam you into free use of the barn as a rest stop between hiking and returning home. I would not return a penny to this guest, and I'd also leave an honest review warning other hosts of her poor behavior.

How to stop this from occurring again? I'd start by increasing the minimum stay. One-night stays are just not worthwhile given the amount of effort required to turn over (especially if you're actually following the enhanced cleaning requirements) and the heightened risk of problem guests. If you're not using Instant Book, a bit more correspondence before accepting a request can usually give you a good feel for the guest's motives and appreciation for your listing. People who are charmed enough by it that they'd like to stay for three days or more will probably be your ideal target customers.

[Ann72]

@Jennifer1596  Really, really annoying!  Was it a last-minute or same-day booking?  If so you could increase your advance notice setting.  And agree that she should not get a refund.  Guest checks into a hotel, takes a shower and a nap, then leaves and does not get a refund for the room.