Extremely large guest

Julie131
Level 5
Plano, TX

Extremely large guest

This is a little awkward, and I don't know how to deal with it delicately. First of all let me preface this by saying I'm a very heavy individual myself. Recently this woman booked my room for a month. From her picture it was just a head up and she looked normal sized. However when she arrived she is extremely large I would say in the range of 450 to 500 pounds. She can't even walk down the hall in the house without her hips hitting one side of the wall. She's obviously going from one Airbnb to another because she's disabled due to her weight. She's quite messy again this has to do with her being disabled by her weight. She is trouble getting in and out of the shower and is complaining about it and is basically complained about everything. I worry about her breaking my furniture and also about her safety getting in and out of the shower and going to the bathroom. She pretty much keeps herself locked up in her room. I don't plan on extending her at the end of the month but I'm concerned that she's going to give me a bad review just because she's a miserable person and is unhappy with how her life is turned out. I'm also concerned about damages to my furniture and liability if she hurts herself due to her extreme weight. She's a relatively young woman I would say in her forties and it appears she is on disability. She doesn't have a car and doesn't appear to have any reliable income. What should I do? Should I contact Airbnb about the situation or should I just bite the bullet and deal with it till she leaves at the end of the month.

12 Replies 12
Marit-Anne0
Level 10
Bergen, Norway

@Julie131

If she is complaining about everything, I would grasp that straw in order to get her out.  

Something like "you seem to be unhappy with what we have to offer, so it is perhaps better for you to find somewhere else to stay that would better suit your needs". Put it in writing on the airbnb message board as well as talking to her. You may have to give a refund for the days not spent though.

Marzena4
Level 10
Kraków, Poland

@Julie131 Definitely, manouver towards terminating her stay. You are risking a poor review anyway. Thanks for the headups with large guests, that was the time to update the listing.

// "The only person you can trust is yourself"
Sandra126
Level 10
Daylesford, Australia

@Marzena4, how would you word such an update? Very tricky.

In fact I already have: "My place may not be suitable for extra large persons due to the original walling that had to be preserved under the permission for renovation."

Any suggestions/rewording prompts welcomed.

// "The only person you can trust is yourself"
Helen3
Level 10
Bristol, United Kingdom

@Marzena4I think Airbnb would see this as discrimination.

 

I would check with them that they are happy for you to say this 

But my doors to the bathroom and toilet are not even 80 cm - so Airbnb can check, @Helen3. Maybe I'll add the number - it will speak louder. 😉

// "The only person you can trust is yourself"
Donald28
Level 10
Lithia Springs, GA

Get rid of her ASAP. The obese airbnb guests almost ALWAYS have profile pictures of just their head. We had a 300+ pound male guest going down the pool slide over and over all weekend. I was cringing, watching him. The slide was obviously at it's limit as it swayed and jiggled with his every move. I was waiting for it to break. It has a 300lb limit but what am I supposed to say... "Ahhhh excuse me sir, the slide has a 300lb weight limit. You look to be much heavier than that. Please stop using the slide before you break it".

 

Julie131
Level 5
Plano, TX

UPDATE:  I contacted AirBNB and they have found her alternative housing.  I was willing to deal with it for the rest of the month, but then I found out that last weekend when I wasn't home she went into clearly marked off limits rooms and went through my personal papers and bills. (She had the nerve to confront me about a bill I had for a new water heater).  Along with the other issues, I decided I wasn't comfortable having her stay.  SMDH

@Julie131, what in the world could her complaint have been about the bill for your new water heater?

It doesn't have anything to do with her...

 

She claims that there was not enough hot water in her bathroom. And that she could only get tepid water. The other guests and I have had no problem with the hot water. And I checked and she's got hot water running in her bathroom. I think the problem was she was taking such long showers that it was running out of hot water. That said last month before she got here my old water heater passed away and I had to get a new one installed. When she was going through my personal papers she found the receipt for the new water heater and she was claiming that it was an estimate when in fact it was a receipt showing that there was a new water heater installed. So she was trying to throw up to me that the water heater was faulty because I clearly had an estimate for a new one. It wasn't an estimate it was a receipt for a bill paid. But she had no business going through my paperwork and she had no business in my garage where I do my office work. She claimed that this estimate proved her claim that there was no hot water. She was trying I think to get a free stay. First of all she had no business in the garage it's clearly marked as off limits. And she had no business going through my personal papers clearly trying to get something on me. What she did is no different than if I went to a hotel and snuck into the back offices and started going through their bills and paperwork! It was Unreal.

@Julie131 I have heard of guests trying to make up reasons to get a refund, but I had not yet heard of a guest rifling through a host's personal files to do so.

 

Until now.

 

I am very happy you have this unpleasant person out of your property.

 

Sarah977
Level 10
Sayulita, Mexico

@Julie131  Congrats on being successful in getting her other accommodation. She sounds a bit deranged aside from the obesity issue.