Guest leaving early

[Asif23]

I was traveling for couple of months and decided to do airbnb my entire apartment for a long term basis. Someone rented it for 32 nights, so I rented it out cause something is better then nothing.  My apartment was in mint condition and it’s located in a luxury building. After 3 night stay guest complained that they want to leave because microwave, bathroom and whole apartment is dirty. I had the apartment cleaned professionally and I know for a fact it’s not dirty. But they decided to leave anyway and asked me to refund their money.  Any idea what to do, because I’m like 6 hours away from my apartment. 

[Luana130]

I would not refund if you know it was cleaned. Do you have pictures of the apartment after before it was delivered to the guests. If you do (time stamped is better), call airbnb say guest is trying to create a issue that is not real, ask them for an email to send the pictures. Contact airbnb before they do. Ask for their help on how to act.

[Jennifer1897]

Cleanliness is one of the most common complaints, and all too often becomes a game of host says vs guest says. As hosts (Well most of us anyway) keep our places pretty spotless because that can make are break the success of a listing, but everyone has a different standard of clean. I have had guest come through and basically white glove my place, while others have requested early check in and informed me there is no need to clean from the previous guest.

Your particular guest likely was trying to find a way to get money back or actually considered the accommodations dirty. Either way you will need to back up your case. Do you have an invoice from the professional cleaners, that has your airbnb address on it? Do you have any time stamped photos that can show that the apartment was in good status directly prior to renting?  

I'm not sure if you are insinuating that they should not get back the money for the 3 nights they stayed, or if you think they should not get back anything.  Either way, you could try to come to an agreement, such as offering them a partial refund of some sort. That way you avoid the hassle of going through a case with airbnb. 

Sorry your first guest didn't go as smooth as you would like, and hope things work out for you.

[Susan1188]

Get a thread open with CS, for me key thing here was complaint after 3 days?  

Really?

Try to get correspondence going w/guest where they will reveal their true reason for leaving such as a change of plans or couple fight or whatever.

Try to get an extortion attempt in writing such as "refund me or I'll leave a bad review".

Try to be accomodating and sympathetic and professional in all your communicaitons with them.

Put in your house rules that refunds or cancellations for cleaning complaints must be made within 2 hours of arrival, and not after guests have slept in the apartment, used the kitchen, used the sheets and towels, etc.

[Susan1188]

There have been recently many postings on forums of this:

People booking long term and then cancelling, in order to get a short stay (often over holiday weekend or other peak season) for dirt cheap price.

They get the long term cancellation policy and then pay their weekend super super cheap.

This is outrageous and also another reason I will not do long term rentals on Airbnb, it is better to use another platform for that where you can set terms that are fair for the host.