airbnb support

[Elizabeth2247]

Hi I have a guest who from the moment she arrived was a nightmare.   She arrived with more guests than she booked for.   she arrived with an infant which clearly states in my listing that I do not take children under the age of 2.  She requested a blow up bed for one of her children.   We have parking for 2 cars in a shared driveway and I came up the other day to find she had invited friends around and there were 5 cars there and my neighbour was less than happy about this.  She was upset when I asked her to move the cars informing her that the manual states that the facilities on the premises are for guests booked in.   She then requested the use of a tumble dryer, it states on my amenities that I do not have this.  She said she was not happy walking to the launderette to dry her childrens swimming costs even though it was brilliant sunshine outside.   My insurance only covers me for 8 people and she actually asked me if i would overlook this mistake she had made.   

she has booked in for two weeks and i cannot imagine that the niggles are going to stop.  I have asked her to come to see me if she is unhappy but I have not seen her.  

I have tried to discuss this situation with airbnb support and 24 hours ago they told me they were putting me in contact with someone who could help me.   As the situation is only going to get worse I really need to chat with someone about this.   Anyone else been held off by airbnb please.   I keep going back in to the chat but it says the discussion is still in progress.  any ideas how i can get help in what i think is going to escalate.

[Brian2036 · Accepted solution]

I would insist that the extra guests leave immediately. They can find someplace else to stay.

 I wouldn’t accede to any demands until they are in full compliance with your rules.

 I doubt that Airbnb will do anything to help you.

[Elizabeth2247]

Hi Brian, thanks for the reply, I think by my not losing it with her and being exceptionally polite in my texts back to her and pointing her towards my original listing about what i provide it was very difficult for her to come back at me.   She has requested a mid week clean, she is here for two weeks God forbid, and a change of bedding and I have agreed to this but have charged her my full cleaning fee.   This was agreed by her in a text so when we go up to the house today and there is no money left for the cleaning on the table as agreed, guess what she wont be having a mid week clean and bedding change.    Broken the agreement and rules again and consequences have to be taken.  

You are so right, opened up a so called chat with Airbnb 72 hours ago and the usual they are referring it to someone who can help me.   I have ended the chat with them advising that they look on the community forum and put in airbnb support - no support and see what hosts are actually writing about them.   Problem is too big a company now to help small fry like us.

[Des2112]

Airbnb is about collecting their $$$ and that’s about it! Good luck with Airbnb I can’t get any help at all. 

[M199]

@Elizabeth2247 

Sounds like she has already broken House Rules breaching the booking reservation terms of service.

I, personally, would get on the phone to Airbnb to have the reservation cancelled.

[Elizabeth2247]

Hi Elizabeth, she has broken house rules in every direction but she goes next week and will write a bad review no matter how much I try to please her so will go into detail in my review of her about how she broke at least 6 of the rules and give a very honest opinion so that other hosts are aware.  I personally think she was hoping to cause enough problems for me that she could try to get a refund but I have been very careful in my replies to her, as above, pointing her towards my original listing about who we are and what we provide and she has no answer for this.   Airbnb don't even bother to reply to chats, I am still waiting for someone to get back to me 72 hours after opening a discussion.   Have to think about going elsewhere to book the house as I think Airbnb too big now.  thanks for your reply

[Elaine701]

@Elizabeth2247 

House rules are, in any practical sense, unenforceable.

Unfortunately, it's up to you to throw them out, if that's what you'd prefer. The consequences, however, include a terrible review from the guest, and possibly Airbnb awarding the guest a partial or full refund, and losing superhost status. Just be sure to inform Airbnb of the reasons for it. They may go easier on you if they know why. 

Or alternatively, just smile and wave goodbye as they leave, wait for a lovely review of your place from the guest, and then write the truth about the guest in your review of them.

Then wait until they read your review to receive a message from them containing all the vitriol they would have written in their review, had you confronted them before they left 🙄

[Elizabeth2247]

Hi Elizabeth, thanks for the reply.   I think I have covered everything in the replies above but just wondered and can anybody help me with this, how can Airbnb give them a refund when the money is in your bank and if they have broken rules which Airbnb seem to fully support then how does this money get paid back.  can someone help me with the answer please

[Helen3]

They will deduct the refund from your next guest payout @Elizabeth2247 

[Elena87]

@Elizabeth2247 

Make sure you know this rule

https://www.airbnb.com/help/article/1515/when-guests-want-to-bring-more-people

[Helen3]

Hi @Elizabeth2247 

I'm so sorry you have had such disrespectful rude guests, but why did you let her check in when she had exceeded the number of guests booked and added a infant not on the booking. You would have been perfectly within your rights to say she couldn't check in with numbers exceeding those booked.

I certainly wouldn't have provided additional bedding or allowed her to have additional guests visit the home not on the booking - this would have been the last straw, I would have called Airbnb back at this point and insisted they cancel the booking as the guest had broken multiple house rules.

I wouldn't worry about getting a bad review as the guest is likely to do this anyway as you are not accepting her very unreasonable requests.

By being overly polite and not calling her out on her bad behaviour all you are doing is making her think she can carry on with her bad behaviour and become even more demanding.

And don't ask her for cash for things like cleaning this should go through the Resolution Centre so there is a record.

And  please keep all communications on Airbnb so there is a record, particularly with problem guests, rather than agreeing things by text.

I can't see these guests behaviour improving so please insist that Airbnb cancel so you can get these guests out. This is the only help Airbnb can and will provide. They are just the listing company, you are the business owner so will need to ensure the guest leave. 

Do let us know what happens and best of luck.

[Sarah977]

@Elizabeth2247  So sorry you have such a bad guest, but as Helen points out, guests who start out ignoring your rules or being entitled and demanding will just continue to behave like that if you try to accommodate them. 

It's best to quash this behavior right out the gate by insisting the guest comply, or telling them to cancel and refunding them. Their money isn't worth the grief and expenses they cost you.

[Elizabeth2247]

Hi, now to add insult to injury it would appear her sister has gone with the two children and another family seem to have taken their place.   i have no idea who they are and my guest has not informed me that intended to really "sub let" my home to people who I have not been able to vet.    The guest knew when she requested a mid week clean and change of bedding that his was not really a fussy person but one who knew she had people (Friends) who were coming to stay.   I have spoken with Airbnb as my original complaint about this guest was 6 days old and not a word from them other than it is in progress and now have been told that a specialist team are looking at the problem.   i do need an answer as to what my situation is without being penalised by Airbnb and also stop the guest from trying to get a refund despite all the rules she has broken.    I cannot allow this to carry on but there is scant information from Airbnb about guests who are already in your home and being difficult and untruthful and how to deal with removing them.  Can someone help me with an answer please

[Jim229]

I sympathize with you Elizabeth and hopefully this doesn't happen often (or EVER AGAIN).  Best to CANCEL their stay and ask them to leave.  Do this on the regular Airbnb channel so there is a record - and you can REPORT this guest as well. 

If push comes to shove, the only way you can remove an unwanted guest who refuses to leave is to get the local police involved.  This is certainly a last resort so be sure you want these people out.  Never mind about any "bad review" you might receive - it is only this one time.

Good luck, stay positive and keep hosting.

[John1599]

Hi Jim 229, I would totally agree with all that advice, except for your mention of not worrying about one bad review. I have been hosting since March 2018 and had exclusively five star reviews from every one of my many guests. Many of them were kind enough to include me in their reviews and remark on my readiness to go above and beyond their expectations for any host. Then I got a group of young men with no on-site supervision, who were booked in for twenty one days by their foreign company, while they worked on a contract. After three days  I asked their company to find them alternative accommodation, as their behaviour was so bad and they even posed a fire risk to my property. They refused and stayed to the end of their contract leaving me a revenge review. This was the one and only bad review out of so many. It still affects my rating even after several more five star reviews since then, and I appear as a 4.8 star even now, damaging my previously unblemished record. AirBnb did effectively nothing to help me, with an offer to cancel their trip with only hours left until the contracted stay was due to end anyway, I refused this “ help”. 
I  know how star ratings affect my own decisions regarding whether to buy a service and have no doubt that this one bad review has put some people off booking my place.