Guests hosted Wedding Prep/Guests at my home without permission - next steps?

[Ciara18]

Hello - I'm in a bit of a tricky situation. A guest (the bride) booked our home a number of months ago - she said that they were coming to celebrate their wedding in Ireland and were looking forward to staying in our home. All fine so far. I sent our welcome pack with directions, details on the house and area and check-in times a few weeks ago and heard nothing back. I then messaged the guest twice through Airbnb site looking forward to their visit and requesting an ETA. No response. Two SMS messages sent. Nothing. They arrived at 8:30pm at night with a flurry of cars and people piling into the house. All in great form, all happy. The guest announced that she was getting married the next day (yesterday) in a venue 45 minutes from here. I assumed that meant that she and her wedding party would be getting ready in the venue, nothing otherwise was mentioned to me. We live in a cottage next door and yesterday morning I woke up and looked into our driveway which had become a carpark for 15 cars. Our own private driveway had 5 extra cars. I walked over to the house to be greeted by two professional photographers, a videographer and florist - yikes! I met the wedding planner as she pushed her way past me with a "who are you?" and closed the door of my house in my face. Looked into the house and it was jammed - at least 20 people, all frantically getting ready for the wedding. Big bus pulls into my driveway while ripping up the lawn on the way in...Groom answers the door , I told him that I had no idea that this was happening, he was clearly stressed and anxious (his wedding day after all..) so I talked with the wedding planner who was aghast that I hadn't been informed. I talked with Airbnb Customer support and they told me I was within my rights to ask them to leave, but I couldn't, not on their wedding day. They leave tomorrow - I've tried a few times to make contact. Has anyone else had this problem - how do I handle it? I don't want to ruin their wedding but I feel totally taken advantage of and angry...This is my first really negative experience with an Airbnb guest. They seem like nice people, but this is really something!

[Emiel1]

Hello @Ciara18 ,

This is offcourse not a normal Airbnb stay, your house is used as a "preparation-center" for people attending a wedding. Those people should not be there at all, at least not in such large amounts, the guests should have you informed of their plans. Lesson learned here: no wedding couple as guests !

[David126]

@Ciara18

Sounds like you are new to hosting and you are going through the usual learning curve.

What should you have done, basically chucked them all out, they took the piss. Quite how you get their attention is another matter, turn off the electricty whatever.

Call the Police as well sounds like a lot of people tresspassing and causing criminal damage.

[Lisa723]

Personally I would not kick them out; I would very quickly figure out a sum that makes this event worthwhile for you and submit a payment request through the resolution center. Meanwhile explain to the wedding planner they must pay up or leave, and call Airbnb to explain what is going on. Good luck!

[David126]

@Lisa723

If you go that route make sure they accept then and there.

[Sandra126]

If you are having a bride stay before wedding, it will usually mean the prep happens at your house. If it happens again that a bride to be books, ask if that is their intention. The photographer etc will make an appearance as well, this is just what happens. You did have an unusual amount of people there, normally just the bride/maids/makeup and hair/photographer/videographer/pop ins by mother of the bride etc. It is a circus, but normal for wedding prep.

[Ciara18]

 I know - feel a bit naive to be honest! I met with her the night before and she talked about her wedding, mention of all the people outside of the booking who would be using our home. It was the sheer number of extra people that arrived that were her wedding guests (not bridal party) who used the house for showers etc, nevermind all the vendors who also showed up that shocked me. She apologized on departure but I got the feeling it was "better to ask forgiveness than permission"..they knew very well what they were doing. But lesson learned, no more bridal party guests at our home! 

[Kelly149]

@Ciara18 I'm not sure that's the right answer. The wedding wasn't the problem; the guest's entitlement and your discomfort with correcting her are more the problem. Please search the CC for some discussions on how hosts handle parties, do or don't allow additional visitors, how to charge for additional visitors. While you're there also do a search for how to write a poor review and then also do a search for how do I ask my guest for additional funds. Definitely write a dreadful review and then decide if you have enough evidence to ask for $.

(my listing sits right next to a town that bills itself as the Wedding Capital of Texas, I've hosted a wedding, I've hosted bachelor/bachelorette groups. It can be done well & the bride should have paid for the way she overused your home. A look at my House Rules list may give you some ideas. But also practice the phrase, "No we won't be able to do that" and then also, "Yes, of course, that sounds lovely, I'll send you the change order fee right away.")

And as an FYI, ABB Host Guarantee (a total fabrication but it sounds serious) only covers liability for the guests recorded in your reservation -- this is something many of us use to to either restrict or charge for extra guests.

[Huma0]

@Ciara18

@Kelly149makes several good points here, but I would especially consider that you are not covered by the host guarantee for the guests who are not on the booking. Sometimes this is difficult to claim but it's not a total fabrication (LOL I think @Kelly149 is exaggerating a bit), as I have successfully claimed damages, so it's worth making sure your bookings are not voiding that cover.

I specify in my house rules that only guests confirmed on the booking can stay and that they must ask prior permission if they want visitors. I don't need random strangers walking in and out of my house. What if one of them had 'sticky fingers'? It sounds like you did give prior permission but your guests were not honest about the numbers and took advantage.

Yes, it was their wedding so I understand completely why you didn't feel like you could ask them to leave, but they should PAY for the additional use of your listing and they know it. I would message them about it and then get straight on the phone to Airbnb to make sure you are covered. It is difficult if the guests aren't responding to anything, but hopefully you have evidence in the thread that you repeatedly tried to contact them.

[Sarah977]

"They seem like nice people". They didn't acknowlegde the welcome pack you had sent them. They ignored all your messages and texts asking them beforehand to relay their plans to you. They thought it was fine to use a booking for 2 people and then have 20 people show up without informing you of this unacceptable plan, and the bus ripped up your lawn. And they continue to ignore your attempts to contact them.

Self-absorbed, irresponsible, and entitled is my take. "Nice" is a highly overrated virtue.

Big payment request thru airbnb (from the guests), if I were you.

[Linda468]

I have written in my house rules that only guests included in the original booking are allowed in or on the premises/property. Would this have helped avoid the situation?