Guest being difficult - please advise

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Guest being difficult - please advise

We are relatively new hosts - we started this adventure in December 2016.  We have a couple that has been staying with us for nearly a month.  They have been very good, clean guests and I have had no complaints.   They are staying with us while they finish building a house.  They are schedued to stay one more week.  Today I received a message from them that they had gotten a puppy and the wife just wanted to let me know before they got back to our house with this new addition.  We have a "no pets" policy and a puppy is especially concerning.  I had a very surprised reaction (possibly even a bit dramatic) to the text and said I was concerned about the challenges with a puppy - lack of potty training and chewing.  She then proceeded to tell me that I was a racist and that she was centemplating contacting Airbnb now that they've got new diveristy guidelines.  I was literally in shock.  We are not even close to being racist!  These guests are of Asian descent - Korean, to be exact - but that has never been an issue.  All of our convos are on the Airbnb platform, so they are easily accessible.  Basically, right now, I think I'm terribly hurt that I would be called racist when that is so very far from who we are.  But, it also feels a bit like extortion.  I just need some info on what my best steps at this point would be.

 

Thanks, Allie

1 Best Answer
Cynthia-and-Chris1
Level 10
Vancouver, WA

It definitely sounds to me like they are overstepping their boundaries.  Not allowing pets and being a racist are two completely different things - completed unrelated!

 

Since they are already talking about contacting Airbnb about you, I would get ahead of the situation by contacting Airbnb first - that way they have your side of the story before the guest ever says anything.

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66 Replies 66

No email, twitter seems to be the best bet, calls can take an hour or so.

David

Sorry to hear that. Im Chinese and I have to say that it sounds like extortion. You have a no pet policy and they should respect that. Please do report to Airbnb. I suggest giving them a chance to make good. If they still dont, you can ask them to find another place. 

Im also a new host. Thanks for sharing

Tamuna2
Level 1
Tbilisi, Georgia

I have first time difficult situation with guest.

She came on Friday evening.

Sanday morning she wrote that frig was not working. Before day we had another gests and it was working.

We bring new one on monday evening.

She is asking for refund 4 days /50%

is ot correct?

No way. You took care of it immediately. If anything, 25% off one day and that's being nice. That fridge didn't support their trip. They are being greedy. Been doing this for about 8 yrs full time. 

Cecilia89
Level 2
Miami, FL

Please read !!!! He lives on miami fl 

whillian whelan is a person that book thru airnbn he has three evections he aready I am the numver 4 on his list he is on my house since June 2017 no paying rent he is nasty and has begbugs This guy is danger

This us criminal behavior.

you can report him as such through Airbnb.

go into his Airbnb profile and right under his picture there is the option to "flag" or report him as displaying criminal conduct. 

I would also call Airbnb and open a ticket regarding all you've encountered. They review case by case but a good thing is that they ultimately will remove him as a guest and host.in other words, he will be removed from the community,

 

Airbnb can try to charge his card he had on file. They can give you documented support for court but this isn't their property. It is yours. They have no legal right to remove him. They are a means of a booking agent. That's it. That's why Airbnb shouldn't try to be so controlling over people's lives and their rentals. They ultimately decide what you get, if you get payment, or whether you should get paid for damages. They make a lot of really poor decisions that they really need to take a step away from. When people really need them, they are worthless in the very situations they made themselves appear so powerful. If you have proof he is dangerous or a threat to your safety, go file a temporary retraining order. If you don't have proof, get it. Change the locks. Pack his stuff in garbage bags. Wait for him to show. He will call the police. Give the restraining order to the police. They will have to serve him the papers and he will have to leave immediately. OR... All he has is an Airbnb contract he agreed to. The purpose of your rental space is for temporary occupancy. Have a friend book on Airbnb. Have them check in and stay in the rental. They now have the legal right to be there. Pack his stuff and set it aside outside. He's overstayed his time. Your friend now has proof he is supposed to be there and has a receipt of actual payment. Sorry had to clean and prepare the  rental for your next legally contracted and paid Airbnb guest. He probably won't want to share a room with your "guy friend" who intimidates him anyway. OR.. If his bed has bedbugs, remove the bed and say it's a health liability and the room has to be professionally fumigated. He will need to leave. Charge him for fumigation, removal of furniture, and loss of income. You're going to have to be creative, a landlord from hell, and make the law work for you. Make him hate his life.