How do you cancel an offensive guest

[Cheryl---Cheri0]

I have an agressive guest sending offisive messages on airbnb and whatsapps because I will not allow him to register a different "girlfriend" to entertain.  He already registered one girlfriend after he arrived. At that time he was informed there would be no further changes to the reservation.  I told him he could not register another person and that she is not allowed to enter the premises.  

He proceeded to send agressive and offensive messages about how I am somehow relationship "scarred" and is jealous of his "lifestyle".  Then he disconnected the Smart Things console that contorls and monitors the door lock (no audio or video). The welcome email said not to disconnect anything.  He removed the power cord not just unplugged accidentally.  I informed him to not disconnect it again or we would removed him from the premises. He disconnected it anyway then went on another rant equally abusive.

I've sent 3 messages to airbnb starting 3 days ago and no response.  I can't call internationally at the moment.  When I decided to cancel all I saw was how I would be penalized for doing so...cancellation fee, public review, blocked calendar.

Do anyone have any advice how to get rid this guest without being penalized?

[Anonymous]

@Cheryl---Cheri0  If a guest is harassing you and breaking your rules, you are entitled to have the stay terminated without penalty. But you'll have to get a representative on the phone to handle it. It would help your case to have the offending conversations logged in Airbnb messenger, rather than Whatsapp.

Realistically, it can take days or even weeks to reach a competent rep that doesn't bungle the whole thing; you'll just get pushed around between outsourced contractors who are working against you. And what they can't do is physically remove the person from your property. So if you want him out, you'll have to force him to accept a booking alteration request that advances his checkout date and refunds his unused nights. He might not agree to this unless it's very clear that one way or other, he must vacate the property immediately. 

[Mark116]

@Cheryl---Cheri0  Can you go somewhere, to a friend or colleague's house so you can call Airbnb directly?  If you do reach Airbnb you want to tell them that the guest has broken multiple house rules [extra guest], now wants another guest, and disconnected devices, as well that he is abusive and harrassing and you feel unsafe and uncomfortable with him on your property.  But, as @Anonymous  said, you will still be on your own, even after cancelling him, to get him to leave the space.  Good luck.

You 'could' just cancel him and try to get the penalities removed after the fact, but that will take more time on the phone and you will be at risk that Airbnb will refuse to remove the penalities and the host cancellation.

[Cheryl---Cheri0]

I will be home in a couple of hours and can make the call. I just think it is crazy there is no way to cancel without being penalized when clearly the guest is out of line.  I have been copy pasting his communication from whatsapp to airbnb then replying.  His last insult was written directly on airbnb and I have flagged it...but not a peep from airbnb.

I will have the police come to the unit if he wont leave.  The security at the complex will be there as well.

Should I send him a message now telling him I am cancelling and he needs to leave immediately?  And that if he does not I am bringing the police? 

[Anonymous]

@Cheryl---Cheri0  Yes, but I would send the booking alteration at the same time, so that all he has to do to get the refund is click a button. This can escalate into something even worse if there's a money dispute involved.

Airbnb is pretty useless in these situations in general - it's far more effective to resolve it yourself and ask them to formalize the termination, than to wait around for some clueless subcontractor to intervene on your behalf.

[Cheryl---Cheri0]

Soooo.  To make a very long story shorter, the guest is not leaving until his reservation is up, he would not accept any booking alterations, my attorney said it wasnt worth my time to deal with the attorney general to remove him since he'll be on a plane by then, and lastly airbnb shifted the blame for the entire incident on me for not cancelling his reservation at the beginning and not clearly stating that I had a security device (the electronic Schlage door lock and control hub that does not record video or audio).  Apparently even though he booked for 1 guest it is none of their business if he wants to have múltiple women spend the night despite my house rules of no unregistered guests.

I was passed around to at least 10 people none of which called me back as they said they would and each one required a re-telling of the main issue that was never resolved...That I reported him because when I tried to enforce my house rules of no more guests, he became aggressive and sent abusive messages then proceeded to disconnect the "security device". 

Now my property is held hostage until he leaves.  Since when is an aggressive guest that says he is entitled to break house rules not critical?

 **[Private conversation removed in line with the Community Center Guidelines]

[Cheryl---Cheri0]

So just to vent some more since I am certain that airbnb will do nothing about this as well.  I had to have someone drive an hour to my condo to see if he checked out since my smart lock contoller was still disabled.  Come to find out, he completely changed my doorlock to a key lock.  Now I have to find a lock installer by tomorrow to re-install my smartlock and reset the device.  My cleaning person uses a code and I need to send a code to the guest that arrives on Tuesday.  I have self check-in for a reason, I am not always in town.

Also, despite airbnb support blaming me for supposedly not CLEARLY disclosing my security device, I re-read their own policy.  I clearly disclosed the cameras on the property in accordance with the rules.  A smartlock is not listed as a device that needs to be disclosed.  I didnt even consider it a reportable thing since I do have self checkin.  How else does an electronic door lock work in 2022?