Experience left a nasty taste. Comments welcome.

[Beth15]

I have been a host since 2013. I have supervisor rating with average rating 4.9

But something went wrong this week.

New person arrived as usual for a 4 night stay. I cleaned the accommodation - including nearly an hour on the oven ! - but overlooked the toilet. It was clean inside toilet but under the seat were stains. 

I did not know until after tenant left.

While she was staying I texted her to ask if was ok. I also phoned and left message. Her reply was that all was ok and even on her last day she mentioned possibility of staying again.

I was therefore surprised to get the complaint about toilet seat with photo. She also photosed a limescale stain in the shower and some fluff down the side of cooker.

She said she was going to complain to air B and B via text.

I did not want a bad review. I also did not want hassle - my mother aged 97 is I'll - so, privately I gave full refund.

I regret it.

So this write up is a warning to other hosts I suppose.

.

 Main points

1. She stayed 4 nights

2. Said on departure all was OK in text

3. Demanded full refund even after I apologised and offered some compensation..

Moral of story?

We have made it clear in  our instructions anything is wrong we would like to be told immediately and we will fix it.

We wish we had gone through Air BandB procedure. Yes, some refund would have been fair. Full refund? No.

I was daft.

[Branka-and-Silvia0]

@Beth15 

ah, I feel sorry for you, but you are not the only one I am afraid.  Thanks to Airbnb pro-guest policies there are guests who will come, stay, tell how everything is perfect and then when they leave they will come up with a few pictures of stains and demand a full refund. Airbnb often accepts their claims. Why shouldn't? It doesn't come from its pocket.

I've seen a post where the guest was fully refunded because WIFI was down a few hours during his few day's stay. I remember commenting on how we are all stupid and rent the whole place while we could just put our router on the window and charge for usage of our WIFI. Guests could sit on the street, bellow our window and surf. Children, infants, pets and smoking allowed 🙂

[Linda108]

I  think if you are going to pay for Air BNB platform, you should just follow the published procedures.  Just simpler.  If it does not work out in your favor, then you can take other steps.  However your full refund was a mistake, which I think you now believe as well.  The bad review phobia exhibited by some hosts baffles me.  While no one wants a bad review, it, in and of itself, is not the end of the world.  Shake it off, @Beth15  and just keep doing your excellent job as a host. 😄

[Beth15]

Thanks.

I did refund without checking with husband.

He is not happy..

!!

[Anonymous]

@Beth15  The internet is teeming with advice for how to scam your way to a free holiday, and what your guest did is at the top of the list. You better believe, she had every intention of pulling this maneuver before she stepped foot in your place. 

Anyone who genuinely believes that the place is in such condition that they deserve a full refund would leave on the first day. Staying on for 4 nights and complaining afterward is nonsense. Threatening you with complaints is extortion.

Even though it's too late to retract your refund, you should still report this guest to Airbnb for her actions, which violate the Extortion Policy and do not adhere to the Guest Refund Policy.

[Beth15]

Sounds sensible.

She seemed neurotic to me. When she arrived I was wary. I thought she was a bit cleanliness phobic but then I realised she had carried on staying. If she had really been upset surely she would have walked out.

Thanks

[Beth15]

Yes, just as you said.

Thanks everyone

[Patricia55]

@Beth15 

Thanks for posting this - it's a warning to others - and you said it all, really.  But I guess we all make mistakes, especially when we're distracted by other things going on in our lives...

So sorry this happened, and hope it doesn't happen again.

Best wishes

Pat

[Beth15]

Thanks, Pat.

[Helen350]

@Beth15 Limescale stain in the shower? So what??

[Helen350]

....... Go to the Cotswolds, you get LIMEscale! - An authentic local experience! (Picky people need to choose soft water destinations to avoid disappointment!)

[Amelia71]

Es normal que te arrepientas de haber hecho un reembolso. Te esforzaste por dejar limpio el apartamento que seguro que lo estaba al 99%...te esforzaste por preguntar al huésped si todo estaba bien y de su agrado. Tu actitud es la de un buen anfitrión....solo que has sido víctima de un sinvergüenza que querías que sus vacaciones fuesen gratis. No te desanimes Beth!!