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[Carla479]

Good Morning Airbnb Community,

This is a shot in the dark and I'm asking for forgiveness up front as I'm unsure if this is ok.

Is there anyone willing to pull together to come up with 111.00 to support a couple's stay in my home for the next 6-days.  I did this based on the response to my questions of if she had asked others:

"Yes I have but unfortunately we haven’t been successful in finding anyone who is willing to help us. We are reliable and trustworthy people. I’m originally from California and we are moving back to California in November so we are just looking for a place to stay until then. We are both working individuals so you don’t have to worry about us not paying you or not paying on time. We really just need someone who is willing to help us get back on our feet and I really hope that you can be that person for us"

I'm standing by for your thoughts, advice, support.

Carla

[Sarah977]

@Carla479  I don't understand. These people are looking for free stay? While saying they both work and won't have trouble paying? How bizarre. 

What are you asking here? If you should accept these people? If so, no, why would you? They sound like total scammers. Why would they expect some stranger to give them a free stay?

[Emilia42]

@Carla479 

Don't fall into this. Credit cards help people get back on their feet at no risk to anyone else but themselves. They can pay the credit card company back from their working salaries. I have nothing against people who choose not to use credit but I am highly skeptical of people who can't get credit. 

[Carla479]

Emilia,

Please chalk my late response to your awesome feedback up to my mind and not my heart - or is that suppose to be the other way around, lol.  You had some very good points and I appreciate the time you took to provide them.

[Emily487]

@Carla479 

Nope. Nope. And Nope.

I'm a total bleeding heart but why would you even bother considering this?

Would they do this at the grocery store? Starbucks? The Hyatt? The power company? No. They wouldn't. They see you as a mark and you are about to be hit.

Decline and block them. 

I say this with kindness: No, I don't think anyone here will pull together $111 to help them out. 

[Carla479]

Emily, 

Please chalk my late response to your awesome feedback up to my mind and not my heart - or is that suppose to be the other way around, lol. 

This scenario reminds of conversations you have with others about giving to the people standing on corners with signs or who walk up to you and ask for change near a liquor store - you may hesitate based a perception of what they may do with it after - the legitimacy of request. 

At times I tell myself, its the thought behind my giving that makes something ok whether they do the right thing with it or not.  

Your comment forces me to consider what to say and how to approach situations should I ever need help - not in a bad way, just generally speaking as I am getting ready to retire and I wonder if I will hit a low.  While I will fight to the end to provide and sustain, you just never know - my soap box 🙂

Thanks for your feedback.

[Ann72]

@Carla479 I like your thinking.  I don't think, though, that we have to weigh what panhandlers are going to do with the money - I pass them every day on the streets of New York and rarely give, but I give to charity and I know that there are charities that can help them, or any of us should we find ourselves in a difficult situation.  Nothing is perfect but there are possible solutions to every problem.

[Emily487]

@Carla479 

I hope you didn't think I was being harsh in my response. By offering up your home for free (or informally crowd sourcing) you are opening up yourself to damages and losses and liability far beyond the $111 that it would cost to host them. It's just not worth the risk.

Giving a fiver to the guy on the corner? Go for it! I do it when I have cash - not my job to determine who the worthy poor are or what they spend it on. I'm pretty sure I shouldn't have spent $60 on a bottle of whisky last week and I'm glad the guy behind the counter didn't ask what was in my checking account as I made my purchase. 

[Ann72 · Accepted solution]

@Carla479  Good Lord.  Listen to @Sarah977 @Emilia42 and @Emily487 and do not accept these people.  Not only will they not pay you back, there's a good chance they'll claim squatters' rights and never leave, and then you'll really be in a pickle.

[Carla479]

Ann,

Please chalk my late response to your awesome feedback up to my mind and not my heart - or is that suppose to be the other way around, lol.  You had some very good points and I appreciate the time you took to provide them.

You remind of my first eviction.  They came to one accommodation, paid on time, had personality issues with other guests, changed locations after signing a contract and shortly after decided that they didn't like the terms and conditions and stopped paying - henceforth introducing me to the squatting scene - took 3-months to get them out.  

Thanks for the time you took to provide feedback.

[Ann72]

@Carla479  Thanks for your response!  I'm sorry about your eviction scenario - a true nightmare to any Airbnb host - and I'm guessing you did not take these recent people in?