Advice About Where A Host's Responsibility Ends, Please

Jennifer1421
Level 10
Peterborough, Canada

Advice About Where A Host's Responsibility Ends, Please

Hi All:

 

I'm hoping to solicit some advice about where a host's responsibiity to a guest's safety when the guest is away from the listing begins/ends.

 

My current guest has decided to walk a 40 km trail today and has already left to do so. She did not inform me about when she would be going, but, because she asked me to arrange a ride to her starting point, I know that today is the day, as the ride has let me know that he dropped her off.

 

This trail is part of the Trans-Canada Trail, and is quite remote - it's an old railway bed, cut through the bush. I have been made aware that there are sometimes quite sketchy people to be found wandering around out there and it seems that other trail users can be few and far between. Also, there has been a good amount of flooding locally, and I don't know if the trail is affected.Plus, Canadian animals wake up hungry this time of year. In short, I am a little concerned for her safety.

 

I wanted to message her just to ask that she let me know when she arrives back, but then I worried that doing so might be taken as an invasion of her privacy...especially since she hadn't felt it necessary to let me know that she was going ahead with it. (She didn't respond to my message that I had found her a ride). It seems such a basic, human thing to ask, but some folks (and it seems this guest in particular) are very private people, who may interpret my concern as nosiness or as controlling, and might be upset by my asking for their "comings and goings".

 

Where do you think a host's responsibility ends? Is it any of my business? What would you do?

3 Replies 3
Lawrene0
Level 10
Florence, Canada

That's a tough one, @Jennifer1421 . I think technically the answer is that it is none of your business, but if something were to happen to her, and you could have helped with a timely call to emergency services, the guilt would be overwhelming. (Not that it should be. You really would not be to blame.)

I don't ask guests to check in after a hike, but then I am not on the T-C Trail. I might, if I were. Think hard about the wording of the message. You know how communication has gone to this point, so you know best, but how about something like "Just so we don't worry, [guest name], would you let us know when you are safely back from your hike? We do ask this of all our guests, just because it is a remote trail, and pretty wild. Thanks for understanding!"

Jennifer1421
Level 10
Peterborough, Canada

Good advice, @Lawrene0 , thanks.

 

Communication has been very sparse thus far...I'd actually call it "brusque" the last time I checked in with her. Thus my dilemma, really. If she were friendly and open in the least, I'd have no problem asking her to let me know when she got home.

 

I like your wording, though - surely a reasonable person would find it innocuous enough.

Susan1404
Level 10
Covington, GA

@Jennifer1421  I would think that legally speaking, the moment they step foot off your property, your responsibility ends.  However, ethically speaking, I agree with @Lawrene0's note above.  There is no harm in trying to "touch base" with a guest and I think most guests would not misconstrue it.  It falls under the terminology of being considerate and caring and I think that is what hosting is all about.