Guest left because of pets

[Camilla164]

Hello!

So I had a guest book four days with me. I'm renting out an apartment in my house. My site states that I do have animals, but they are not in the space I am renting out, and I even have put up a fence so that my dog can't access the "guest garden".Basically I've made the apartment a seperate part of my house with a separate entrance and garden. I have told every guest that have booked with me that I have a dog and a cat, since that is the only two animals they can encounter.. but I do have more, I have a lovebird and a leopard gecko, but since they are not "dangerous" animals, are allergy frendly and the guest won't even see or hear them, I have not disclosed it. 

My guest sent me a very angry message stating that she has left and want a full refund because she decided that she could look thru my private window and saw my enclosure to the gecko. The blinds was fully down, but there is a small opening at the bottom, wich means that she bent down and looked really hard, and then freaked out. She asked me what kind of animal I had and I proceeded to tell her and I also told her that its not dangerous and that it has never escaped the enclosure. She still left. I of course went to take in the keys, and now I don't know what to do? She still has the booking as she has not cancelled, and I honestly don't know if I was in the wrong? And should I have left the keys outside in case she comes back? 

[Ian-And-Anne-Marie0]

@Sarah977 

What's next, "I have goldfish"?

Lol!!

@Camilla164 

just to put this in perspective.. the Airbnb stupid rules are only the stupid rules to be found on any booking platform. No other platform has them! Nowhere else would a guest find grounds for complaint because animals inaccessible to them and spied through closed blinds were not disclosed anywhere. They didn't need to be. They would not affect the guest in any way.

Your private life is none of their business and it wasn't affecting them.

I can understand the panic when a guest leaves claiming undisclosed pets - leaving your apartment unlocked - and then you not understanding what is going to happen next, but, they left. They're grown ups. If they want a refund let them argue their case when they get around to it.  

Hopefully your guest has a photo of your Leopard Geko, otherwise it doesn't exist and it was a Terrapin to keep your Goldfish company 😉

[Ian-And-Anne-Marie0]

@Camilla164 

It's good that Airbnb have your back on this one.

Since Airbnb are aware of the circumstances of your guests departure and the refund situation, it would be a reasonable assumption that the guest might provide a retaliatory review which would hurt your status. This in mind, and Airbnb on your side you might be able to get the review removed if it contains lies. Especially as you are a new host. (Please report back).

Do be aware that you will probably get emails regarding the refund from Airbnb. They are worded innocently, but biased to making the host responsible. You do not want to accept or authorise a refund. This will only make you liable with penalties.

[Camilla164]

I don't know if she took any photos, but I would not put it past that guest. I felt really bad when she sent me a message that she left, and I did get a bit panic-y. Airbnb did offer her a partial refund, and she did get that, but still want me to refund all of the days she had booked. Her reason is listed as "unclean" and she then procceded to write that I have an reptile room I did not tell her about. About to refuse the refund now and can't say I look forward to her next message. Or do you know if I now refuse that Airbnb step in instead? 

If the review contains lies I hope Airbnb removes it, but I have a feeling she will just word the truth a little different so the review stays up. 

[Sarah977]

@Camilla164  You can flag her on the angry message she sent you and when you get the prompts, say you want to block her from contacting you anymore. Try to keep in the forefront of your mind that this guest invaded your privacy. If you had stood outside her window and peered in, and then called her on something you saw in there, I'm sure she would have raised hell about that, too.

If she writes a nasty review that Airbnb won't remove, you don't have to write a response "defending " yourself. It could be something along the lines of "This guest had to make a concerted effort to peek in the window of my private living quarters, which are completely separate from the guest apartment. My privacy was violated and whatever she may have seen in there was none of her concern."

[Camilla164]

Thank you! I’ve been thinking about what to eventually respond to her. She has not yet written anything, but neither have I as I have not yet got the choice from airbnb to review her. I’m guessing she sent a complaint higher up and we both get to review each other when that is over with?

She did in fact write me before I got the chance to block her. And she word by word said «I will contact Airbnb and I will write an review that contains all the facts about your situation, so that no one else will ever rent from you»

I would hope she writes facts, then it would not be a problem. I did send that message along to the woman at costumer service who helped me earlier. How can she be allowed to post anything to my site when she is going to lie? How can they say that I’m the one in the right but not help me?  It’s not like I am in desperate need for money, but I was very excited about maybe getting to meet people from around the world if they chose to communicate with me. 

[Sarah977]

@Camilla164  While this woman sounds super vindictive and will probably leave a low star and nasty review, if Airbnb allows it to stand, and you write a response which makes things clear, I wouldn't fret about future guests not booking with you because of her review. Try not to let one screwed up person sour you on hosting. The majority of guests, in my experience, are lovely.

Also, that message she wrote you about making sure no one ever books with you again could be classified as extortion, since she is also demanding a refund, so i'd bring that to Airbnb's attention.

If she hasn't actually cancelled yet, and her booking dates remain active, you wouldn't have gotten a notification to review yet, anyway, as those come 24 hours after the guest's check-out. I don't know if they withhold the review notification if there's an active dispute going on.

[Sarah977]

@Ian-And-Anne-Marie0  Oh, I've read farther-fetched guest complaints than " Host had undisclosed goldfish. I am morally opposed to keeping fish in a small tank- they should be free to swim in a natural environment. If I had known about the goldfish, I never would have booked this place."