KAREN GUESTS! THEY HATE THE APARTMENT YET DO NOT ACCEPT FULLY REFUND AND LEAVE OUR PROPERTY!

Konstantino0
Level 2
Limassol, Cyprus

KAREN GUESTS! THEY HATE THE APARTMENT YET DO NOT ACCEPT FULLY REFUND AND LEAVE OUR PROPERTY!

Hello, this is very unusual for us to write but the current guest is making us feel very uncomfortable and it is seems that she is keep giving us bad times with BAD Feedback for our apartment yet she doesn't want to go.

From the moment she entered the apartment on Christmas day she is full of unstoppable complains about the apartment. Please note that we never had any complains about our facilities and the specific apartments. Instead, we receive a lot of very good comments and especially about how wonderful the apartment is and how spotless it is. Always-good comments and NEVER a bad comment. The person has not stop complaining from the day she arrived almost about everything. She is a super negative person and she has nothing good to say. We seriously do not know how to satisfy this person anymore. She is even trying to mock us for NOT having staff she has at her own home... Nevertheless, we have offered her many times, since her arrival, the chance to find another place (that satisfies her needs) and to fully return her money back but she was aggressively asking WHEN SHE WILL GET HER MONEY BACK! Of course, i personally offered to give her the money in cash or bank transfer but still she preferred to stay to our apartments! I asked her, why do you want to stay to an apartment that (according to her) is a total dump and you hate it? But she said that is very difficult for her to find an apartment, which is not true because there's a lot of availability for apartments in our city right now.  I personally believe that she can never find a place to satisfy her needs as she is a very negative person herself and no one will accept her in their property and being so stressful! Is the kind of person that not even the most patient super host would never accept her! And trust me, I am from the very few that I have a lot of patience with stressful guests, but again, this is too much.

I had also noticed within her profile that she has zero comments about her stay to other apartments and that made me even more suspicious. She told me that she stayed to hundreds of apartments and yet, not even 1 comment?.

Even now i am writing to you she is still writing complain messages such as, the air on balcony is very cold, cups are not in a matching colour, she wants a middle saucepan (there are 3 different professional saucepans in the kitchen, she doesn't like the shape of the bin, the 4k smart tv is too big, the smell of the apartment etc etc etc the list goes on.

We even called the last 4 reservations of previous guests before her to ensure if they encounter any problems and they told us that the apartment is absolutely amazing and super clean and they have zero complains and nothing to suggest whatsoever and even told me that they will be back on summer and they asked for the specific apartment.

We don't know what else to do and since this is making my assistants and me feel very uncomfortable can you advise us what we should do about it?

She is threating to leave a seriously bad comment and we are really wondering what is wrong with her and what exactly her problem is! Her reservation is until 18th of January and since she already made so many complains we would like a decent advice from you on what we should do.

Konstantinos Eleftheriou
7 Replies 7
Lorna170
Level 10
Swannanoa, NC

@Konstantino0  First, make sure that every complaint you received is listed on the AirBnB webpage for this guest.  Next, tell her that you are cancelling her stay and she will need to find new accommodation immediately.  Tell her she will be refunded for the nights she did not stay ONLY WHEN SHE LEAVES.  REPORT the guest to AirBnb but do not refund until she leaves.  Do not give her cash or a bank transfer.  ONLY REFUND VIA AIRBNB if at all.  Stop all further communication from the guest by blocking phone and text.  She can only reach you if she types on the AirBnB message center.

 

You have lovely apartments.  You should not worry about this woman's review.  When she gives her review, you should give her all 1 star and be very short with your review of her.  Do NOT go into lots of detail.  Just say she was a very entitled, needy, unhappy, complaining guest and would be better suited to a full service 5 star hotel with a butler, cook, maid and concierge service.  

 

I hope you have wonderful guests for 2022.

Mark116
Level 10
Jersey City, NJ

@Konstantino0  If she refuses to cancel but keeps complaining, I guess it depends on how long her stay is for.  Since it sounds like you will get a bad review no matter what you do, the question is, do you want to have Airbnb cancel her w/no penalty to you or stick it out.

 

If  you decide to have Airbnb cancel make it clear you want a neutral no penalty free cancellation because you are now uncomfortable with the guest and her constant demands and you believe she will be happier in another property.  There is no telling what Airbnb might do, agree or not agree or refund her whole stay or not.

Ruben416
Level 2
Punta Cana, Dominican Republic

I believe I’m in the middle of a somewhat similar issue. I have a couple that are not comfortable with the place regarding some issues (some are truth) but are making exaggerated request and downright speaking about bad reviews right from start unless met.

id like to know how to get some Airbnb guidance on this issue and also know more about cancellation options, because I do t think this will end well. Thanks.

@Ruben416 If you've rectified the legitimate issues, and the guest is now making things up and engaging in extortionate behavior, then it's best to get them out, asap. Normal, reasonable and genuine guests would be happy with issues being fixed, and move on with their stay. 

 

Be brisk and firm when speaking to them. Tell them that you have done your best to rectify any issues, but as they continue to be unhappy with their stay, you will advance their checkout date, allowing them to leave and find more suitable accommodation, and that they will be refunded for their unused nights. Then send a 'change booking' request, with the new check out date. Don't leave it open for negotiation. 

 

If they continue the stay, and complain to Airbnb once they're gone, there is a very real possibility that Airbnb would refund them the entire stay. Since they seem to be playing the situation, I wouldn't risk it.

Colleen253
Level 10
Alberta, Canada

I agree completely with @Lorna170 and you should do as she suggests, @Konstantino0 .

 

You need this guest out sooner rather than later. If she continues to stay to the end, this is the danger: she will complain to Airbnb Customer Circus, who may very well up refunding her entire stay. No free stays at your space @Konstantino0 . Stop taking her abuse and be polite but FIRM. There is no choice but for the booking to end, now. 

Huma0
Level 10
London, United Kingdom

@Konstantino0 

 

@Mark116  is right. Do not cancel the stay directly as you will be penalised by Airbnb for a host cancellation, which means you might lose your Superhost status for a year. 

 

Either contact Airbnb and ask them to do a neutral cancellation with no penalties to you, or follow @Colleen253 's advice above (date change with unused nights refunded ONLY if she leaves).

 

I believe this guest is likely to leave a bad review for you regardless, so don't let her hold you hostage over that. I had a very similar situation a few years ago with super demanding, rude guests who were looking for things to complain about from the minute they arrived. Actually, even leading up to their arrival, they were making unreasonable requests. I put up with them but their whole stay was hell for me and they left a horrible review anyway. I wish I had just had them removed.

 

I learn my lesson and next time I had an unbearable guest make unreasonable demands, I called Airbnb and they told the guest to leave. I only refunded for unused nights. It's really important to document all conversations with the guest via the Airbnb system as customer support will definitely look at that in these types of cases. I also find that CS are supportive when hosts are willing to refund unused nights.

 

Also, NEVER refund by bank transfer, cash etc. Only refund via the Airbnb system. Even if your payout has been issued, there is no guarantee the guest will not convince Airbnb to issue an additional refund in future, which they would then take from your future payouts.

Branka-and-Silvia0
Level 10
Zagreb, Croatia

I agree with @Colleen253 @Huma0  and others...  just one correction @Lorna170 , this guest is not suitable for 5* hotel, she is suitable to stay home.