Help! Difficult guest wants to kick our cat out

Raquel625
Level 2
Bend, OR

Help! Difficult guest wants to kick our cat out

Hey everyone!

We currently have a family renting our home for 5 days. The guest that booked the stay didn’t come off as very friendly to begin with, but has been messaging me with problems every day since they checked in (3 days now). First, they clogged the toilet within 90 minutes of check-in. No problem, we dropped off a plunger and didn’t hear a word from them. The next day, my husband (a plumber) had to unclog the toilet that was once again clogged. He found that they had been flushing baby wipes, they adamantly deny this, but we don’t have a baby or wipes and they do so it’s pretty obvious. Next it was something else small. Now that they’ve been there two nights and three days they suddenly want to lock our dog door so our cat can’t come in because “two guests are allergic to cats.” Our listing clearly indicated that the home was not suitable for those with pet allergies and the home guidebook I provided them before check-in stated that there are pets on the premises. In my mind, they’ve had multiple warnings that there are pets in the home. It is supposed to be below 20 degrees tonight and I will not lock my pet in the freezing cold and we can’t lock her up in the shop where we’re staying. How do I navigate this situation? What would you do?

7 Replies 7
Mike-And-Jane0
Level 10
England, United Kingdom

@Raquel625 It may just be me but having a pet actually living in the house I was renting would be a bit weird. Pets on premises, to me, suggests in the garden not in the house.

We have a reptile living in an enclosed and locked vivarium and the cat comes and goes through a door. There isn’t a litter box in the home and she’s fed in the garage that is off limits to guests. All of this is explained in the description of the home and the guidebook so whether it is “weird” or not is up to the guest prior to booking and has never been an issue until this family.

@Raquel625  I don't understand why your cat can't be kept in your own residence instead of the space rented by the guests. But you can't force a paying customer to share their privately rented space with your pet, no matter what you wrote in your listing. A complaint about this will likely get your listing deactivated by Airbnb, if it hasn't been already.

 

Clearly this booking is not agreeable to you or to your guests, so the only solution that makes any sense is to terminate the booking and refund your guests for the remainder of unused nights so they can move somewhere else and your cat can stay warm. Hopefully in the downtime you'll figure out a more workable arrangement for your pet/guest interface.

Hi Andrew,

The space rented is my private residence and I believe it was up to the guest to do their due diligence in reading the full listing prior to booking. I’ll gladly refund the remainder of their stay if they choose to leave, but it was not my mistake that they booked a home unsuitable for their needs/allergies. I also want to mention that they have been there for three days and are just now mentioning this, I would have been much more accommodating if they had mentioned this on day one.

@Raquel625  The listing only says, deep into the text of the description, "This home is not suitable for those with pet allergies. A cat lives on the property and may occasionally enter the home."  It does not say that guests are required to provide full-time shelter to the cat during cold weather. So while you are right that someone with cat allergies shouldn't have booked it, I think this problem will recur if you aren't more vocal about what you expect of the guests here. This is an extremely unconventional arrangement, and as such it's especially important to be absolutely upfront about the unique aspects and double-check that the guest is suitable in your correspondence before accepting a booking.

 

It's within your power as the host to ask your guests to leave. You can get in front of that with a booking alteration request changing the date of the stay and offering a partial refund of the nights used as an incentive to accept. It's really up to you to be in control of what happens next. I hope your cat has found a warm place to rest.

Sarah977
Level 10
Sayulita, Mexico

@Raquel625  While they don't sound like the best guests ( clogging the toilet, etc.), I have to agree with others that no matter that you mention it in your listing, it's not okay to expect guests who have rented an entire place to have your animal go in and out. 

 

If guests rent a shared-home situation, of course if the host has pets, the guest has to be amenable to that, but even then the pet shouldn't in the guest space. I have both a dog and cat, and make that clear in my listing, but they don't have access to the guest bedroom/bath.

 

It's fine to ask guests not to book if they have allergies- hosts who allow guest pets need to warn those who don't have pets, and even an outside host pet could trigger allergies in those who are highly sensitive, but expecting guests to have your cat wander in and out is a bit much if they book an entire private home.

 

Or change your listing title to "Cat Lovers Only".

Dale711
Level 10
Paris, France

@Raquel625 

I am so sorry to hear that  you have a negative experience with the present guest. 

As a dog and cat lovers,I know exactly how you feel.

Truly sorry for the cat.


If I were you, I will definitely communicate with the guest, request them to check out immediately, send them a change date request thought Airbnb, refund the night which they did not spend  and wish they can find other place which is better fit for them.

Because they’re disrespect my internal rules and being difficult to me and even to my cat.
It’s awful and discussing behavior. 

 

As a matter of fact, you had clearly described in the listing announcements 

 “ This home is not suitable for those with pet allergies.

A cat lives on the property and may occasionally enter the home “ 

 

I’ll also acknowledge the incident to Airbnb Support Help Center and request the case manager to assist me, relocate the guest immediately, because I am uncomfortable to hosting them and they’re not fit in my listing.

Of course, as a result the guest surely leave me a negative review.

Nevertheless, I will never and ever let someone to treat my cat in the bad ways.

I may also report the incident happened  to ASPCA , stated the guest abuse my cat. 

I hope you can also consider to take your cat away as soon as possible , pretending nothing happen, just two more nights they will check out. Then leave a hornets review to the bad behavior guest.

You can decide what to do the best for you and for your listings, cause till present you have great reviews. 

 

I hope you can solve its out quickly.