Guest in my house treating my house as her own

[Rachel988]

I’ve got a lady staying in my house 3 nights. She’s nice enough but I feel she is inconsiderate. I suppose I should have realised when she messaged me after midnight for later the same day. 

She has a massive car and parks it so we can’t get on the drive. She also didn’t mention on the first day of her stay she would  not be getting back until 2 am.

Yesterday evening she brought a friend back at 10 pm

and cooked them both a meal and then went upstairs to her room they were both there until midnight until I message her to say legally due to occupancy rules her friend couldn’t  stay over.She didn’t ask me if it was ok to bring a friend to my house. So far I haven’t said anything. Today she has left the bedroom window open and the kitchen window when the house was empty. 

She fetched her friend back again today - they were both in the bedroom when I got home and her friends car on my drive too.

Am I right to think this is disrespectful and would you mention this is your feedback or just suck it up?

[Ana1136]

@Rachel988 Definitely metion it! She is disrespectful and repeatedly breaks your hose rules even after being advised not to do so. You can even terminate her stay but since she has only one night left it is not worth the trouble. Just write an honest short review stating the facts. 

[AJ-and-Erica0]

I would def message her and say something like " Dear x, I would kindly remind you this is a shared space. and list your rules about this issues. And please write an honest review about your experience so other hosts can see she is a bad guest. 

[Rachel988]

Thank you Ana - I probably didn’t make it clear to her as I said her friend could not stay overnight. 

But I still think it’s a bit cheeky to take her friend upstairs to her room in the afternoon the next day.The other thing is we can hardly get our food in the fridge. She’s got more food in it than us.

although when I went into her bedroom to close the window I will say it all looks tidy. 

[Susan151]

@Rachel988 . I just had a quick look at your listing and the windows open is against your house rules. [Inserted: And you don't allow use of your kitchen! What is she doing preparing a meal in there?]

You might wish to add some quiet hours along with parking instructions. Personally, I don't think this should be neccessary, and maybe it is better to add this information to the "thank you for booking" message.

She is clearly pushing the boundaries. Not sure if it is too late to control this. Good luck!

[Rachel988]

Thanks good to get other views on this. My husband says it’s just an occupational hazard and he prefers not to have guests in the house but just in our self contained annex. 

Its funny but I’ve had lodgers for years but had a few quirky Airbnb guests lately. 

[Ian-And-Anne-Marie0]

@Rachel988 

Before you start listing transgressions in any feedback I would want to confirm validity before starting.

1. If you object to cars parked in your drive did you at any time request they were moved or point out any parking requirements anywhere in your house rules?
2. Do you not allow guests to use your kitchen? Is this listed in house rules?
3. The friend left at 12.00 after your message. Do you state no guests whatsoever in your house rules? 
4. When she fetched her friend back again she must be under the assumption that its OK to do this. Have you listed this as not acceptable in your house rules?

If you don't want these sorts of things to happen then you do need to make it clear somewhere before you have need to complain or it makes you feel uneasy. If it is clear somewhere then you have every right to be annoyed and your guest is disrespectful and so deserves feedback that reflects this. If not, this time you need to suck it up. Next time, after you make your rules clear then you can truly state your guest is disrespectful (you would even have the right to ask them to leave for breaking any house rules).

[Susan151]

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@Ian-And-Anne-Marie0 wrote:

@Rachel988 

Do you not allow guests to use your kitchen? Is this listed in house rules?

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I disagree with this. The kitchen is a crossed-out amenity.; i.e. not listed as an amenity. There is no reason for this to be a House Rule.

[AJ-and-Erica0]

I have to add to the house rules, descriptions and messages because people don't read anything on the listing, especially the ammenities. I also had to write Private on the door of the kitchen, still get some crazy ones that dont respect this rule. It was worse when I used to allow them to use the kitchen though... 

[Rachel988]

The more I think about it the more the validation makes sense. I need to be specific. Ie

Guests not to bring other visitors not included on the booking. Kitchen can be used between the hours of 6am and 10pm for cooking - anytime for drinks. Only one fridge shelf available for each guest. Parking on drive for one vehicle per booking but please make sure other vehicles can get in and out. Windows and doors must be closed when guest not in. Shoes not to be worn in the house. Etc etc 

Yes this would clear things up nicely 

[Ian-And-Anne-Marie0]

@Susan151 @Rachel988 

Just checked...

In the accomodation descriptions it states in one "Guests are welcome to use the living room, kitchen and garden." and the other "Guests have access to all our home except the top floor. (Owners bedroom, dressing and bathrooms)."

Parking is mentioned as roadside.

House Rules have no mention of visitors or hours of access or not using the kitchen that I can see.

[Rachel988]

Yes I don’t mind guests using the kitchen - but my issue was her friend is not my guest. 

I don’t mind her parking on my drive - but I also need to park on my drive. I don’t think her friend should park on my drive - so I maybe need to say one car per booking.

I agree rules are important and I can see I’ve been caught out here. But there is clearly still room for common sense I think. 

[Susan151]

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@Ian-And-Anne-Marie0 wrote:

@Susan151 @Rachel988 

Just checked...

In the accomodation descriptions it states in one "Guests are welcome to use the living room, kitchen and garden." and the other "Guests have access to all our home except the top floor. (Owners bedroom, dressing and bathrooms)."

Parking is mentioned as roadside.

House Rules have no mention of visitors or hours of access or not using the kitchen that I can see.

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I didn't check the narrative; just the amenities list. So there is a discrepancy between the two which always leaves room for interpretation. Thanks for the correction.

[Rachel988]

Yeah your right I’ve not always had an easy time navigating the site and mostly been lucky with my guests. I need to go through everything again. 

[Ian-And-Anne-Marie0]

@Susan151 

No problem, I hadn't checked the details previously but I would never have checked the ammenities like you did. (and @AJ-and-Erica0 mentioned).

Things like kitchen use/parking/visitors/hours etc.. I would expect to read in house rules. I'll have to check out ammenities in future too.