Guess check in early

[Patricia2079]

The Airbnb customer service, today my guest us suposto to check in at 3 pm, but he entered at 11am, thankfully I had no one in the apartment, and also the apartment had been cleaned before this event. I would like to know how can I prevent this from happening again?

[Susan151]

@Patricia2079 . Don't activate the entry code that you are using for this guest until your check in time. Unless you meet them, this is the only way to ensure that they don't slip into your listing early.

[Patricia2079]

Thank you 

[Ramona2]

@Patricia2079, I saw you have a check-in with the keys, not with self-check-in.

Anyway, your check-in is after 3 PM, so you can make a tax of 20 euro for check-in later of 3 PM and check-in after 11 PM.

Have a great summer!

Ramona

[Allison2]

There are two concerns here:

1) The new guest could have arrived before the place was clean, or while another guest was still staying.

2) The new guest arrived much earlier than check-in time

You deal with the first issue by changing codes between guests. Do you do this now?

Changing the door code is the last step in our cleaning process. We set it to the last 4-digits of the new guest's phone number. This ensures that each guest can only get into the listing after the prior guest left and we've cleaned. It's your responsibility to give each guest a secure place to sleep and store their things. Using the same door code for all guests is a big security risk, so start changing the door code if you don't do it now.

You deal with the second issue in a few different ways.

If you want to charge for it, put something in your listing rules that says "early check-in available for $30" and tell them that arriving before 2:30 is considered early check-in." (Or whatever fee/time you prefer). 

Or allow it as a freebie/extra courtesy. I message the guest "We were able to finish cleaning a little early. You're welcome to check in early if you'd like."

Or invest in an automated lock (like ResortLock) that will activate a guest's code at check-in time and inactivate it at checkout.

[Christine615]

This has only happened to me once - older guest who was a first time user and was coming with family from various parts of the country. I don't have an automated box, but I do have a "ring" doorbell. On checking I saw the friend of a guest check in and get the keys at 11:30. Same thing - we were ready because we didn't have anyone there the night before but now we often pull the keys until shortly before check-in so they can't get in. I'm also going to start making it clear that ONLY the person booking the apartment can access the keys unless everyone is invited and has contact information on the reservation.

People just don't think. So we have to "help them."

I like @Allison2 's ideas. Will have to adopt them.

[Marie82]

@Patricia2079  i had the same issue in the past what I do now it is i explain to guests on their message keys will be placed in the pickup location  30min before their arrival time, so he stopped those one seeing ur calendar empty making the assumption it is ok to enter whatever time suit them without asking

Unfortunately many Airbnb guests do that to expect to check-in at early hours when the previous day is available in the calendar 

[Joe765]

I had the same thing with a guest over this past weekend. My guest’s intention was to arrive before 12 noon in which I gave the go ahead. No guests were booked the previous day/night. Guest then messages me saying they’d arrive early morning but didn’t give a time. I messaged back asking for an approximate arrival time but got no response. Guest then knocks on my door at 1:50am early Saturday morning. When I clearly was not ready to host and was also sleeping. The guest (who was coming to town for a family party) said their “driver” dropped them off earlier than planned. Guest then consults with their companions on a plan of action because I clearly was not going to host them at that time. I told them come back around 10am and the apartment will be ready for you (was a total of 4 people: 2 adults and 2 kids).

I also had a suspicion that the guest’s “family party” was a party in my apartment (I was away the entire weekend and the booking was for the entire apartment). I came back early Sunday afternoon and was apparent to me they had a party as the place was a mess, the house rules were not followed, and when I checked in with the guest that made the booking over the phone, he was very defensive and unwilling to speak to me.

Which raises another question. Is there a way to permanently “ban” a guest in which they cannot book your place ever again? Definitely I will leave a poor review for the guest.

[Bruce-And-Patty0]

Tonight I had someone who booked a few weeks ago ask for early check in.  They will be in the area to attend a wedding Sept. 22, and they booked to check in on the day of the wedding.  The wedding starts at 3:00, our rules clearly state that check in is at 3:00, and yet they booked anyway figuring they’d just ask for early check in so they could relax after a 3.5 hour drive, then get ready to go.  Ordinarily this would not be a problem, but we have guests checking out that day at 11, and turnover cleanings take time.  

 It probably will be ok—it’s going to be tight time wise, but what I don’t understand is why someone would book a place to check in the day of the event they’re attending that starts the same time as check in, and assume there will not be a problem with early check in?

[Jay-And-Mary-Ellen0]

We go through this ALL the time. At the last minute guests request an early check-in or they just show up early. If we can accommodate an early check-in there’s a fee and most people get a little miffed over the fact they have to pay for the extra time.  Sometimes we can accommodate them but sometimes there’s still the previous guest  in the room or the cleaning staff is still working. It’s upsetting to the cleaning staff when they are not able to finish their job and the guest then complains of a dirty room.

Short of withholding the code that allows guests  to enter the building until five minutes before check-in time I don’t know how to stop this.