Need Advice on 60 Day Inconsiderate Guests Who Violate House Rules

[Nev0]

I am venting abit but also am wondering what to do with bad inconsiderate guests who have broken several house rules.  I have hosted for 5+ years and over 300 guests, so I am experienced but fortunately most of those 300 guests have been amazing.  We have 3 different types of rentals- the one I am concerned about is a very high end home with deisgner furnishings and high end interior- so we are very particular of who we rent to and how many people- we only do 30-90 day rentals in the home and have the hosting/guest relationship/protocol down- we spend 60-90 minutes going through the home, housebook, and rules- we have only had one issue with a prior guest that AirBnB helped with.   This summer we took a 60 day rental  from 2  men from Tokyo- english is very iffy for the main guest but understood.  We vetted him and his 1 guest and their trip plans over the 3 months prior to rental, communicated as needed--I am very clear with my communications before, during, and after....but the episodes started just a week from commencement of arrival... Episode 1-Just a week out the main guest said he had a visa issue and would just send the guest #2 (who was not varified on AirBnB) -we went through 3 days of him trying to change the reservation etc-we don't think it ended up being a visa issue but either way it was a real pain and we finally just held with the reservation and made Guest #2 get 7 verifications and said show when you want...the 2 guests showed as planned- we spent 90 minutes withthem going through everything.  Episode 2-the day after we checked in the guests before we left town we drove by the house and all of the lights were on and large sliding glassdoors wide open and the guests had already left the home- so we sent them a nice note just reminding them to turn off the lights and close up the house when they weren't home---thinking that would work- 3 days later our neighbor called very upset as she said every light has been on 24 hours a day and the house left wide open...also the SCE alert indicated a 200% increase in electric consumption from our 5 year average of a family of 4...so another message firmly saying turn off lights when not in home and close doors.   Episode 3...From the March 6th reservatin inquiry, the main guest kept saying just 2 guests wold be in home-right up to the day we greeted them and showed them around- 2 guests- just 2 guests.     We have professional cleaning every other week and their schedule hapened to be on just the 3rd day the guests were in the home- but when cleaning went in there were not 2 guests but 3 guests.  I immediately inquired who the 3rd guest was and after 48 hours of text messages that 3rd guest turned into a list of guests that were coming from Tokyo to spend 14-28 days in the home over the 60 day stay.  We were not happy as we took the reservation with the understanding it was 2 guests (we have a max of 4 we will allow and a rule any visiting overnight guest needs to be approved before the guest arrives by host) and we took the reservation of 2 guests because that was what we wanted in the home for 60 days...but we decided we would work with AirBnB and the guest on the unexepected "friends"and agreed on the "new" guest list and added weekly cleaning to ease the burden on the home and maintain its condition and we charged some additional guest fees.  Episode 4-Cleaning went in after episode #3 and the guests would not let them clean properly- not letting them in the bedrooms, telling them to vacuum only, not clean the bathrooms etc.  we are very firm on cleaning and clearly verbally and in writing shared what needs to happen when cleaning comes-but now I am now having to fly home to make sure the guests understand clearly the house rules- plus we think they may be hiding other guests...my husband said I have given them 3 too many chances.  I feel like a house mom/nag and have never come across this siuation-  we went over the house book/rules in person, I even made a copy in Japanese just in case.   Every message I send now is translated into Japanese just in case.  We have never had inconsiderate guests and this was the last thing we thought we accepted with this reservation.  We have opened a case with each issue with AirBnB but when is enough enough.  I am so worried about the care of the home at this point and what we may end up walking back into in 60 days... should I still fly home and go over everything again with the guests and make sure there are just the 2 guests (there schedule we approved just shows 2 ths week)?  It is the least fun hosting experience and we are only 10 days into a 60 day reservation and we are traveling out of town during their stay ....

[Kate157]

Hi @Nev0, you said you had been in contact with Airbnb. Did you ask to have the guests relocated because you were no longer comfortable with them because they had broken your house rules? I think this would be the best solution for you in this case. I think managing a property long-distance is challenging, and it is helpful to have someone local to act on your behalf if you are not there, whether a friend, or a management company. Especially as the property has high-end furnishings. Since you can really have no idea what is going on with your guests and the people they are bringing in, local eyes would help. But basically, it is a nerve-wracking pain for you to go through all this for a couple of guys who don't care about your rules and your property. I would definitely tell Airbnb to get them out.

[Nev0]

Thanks for the thought- yes, we have kept AirBnB in the loop on everything.  Today they agreed to get us a Japanese translator to intervene so there is no confusion.    Our neighbor does help us (we have never needed it before, but she is always aware we may need help) and she is going over today as the unapproved 3rd guest who was to leave the 24th is allegedly still there and we have escalated that now to AirBnB as that will likely be an immediate cancellation of the reservation at the expense of the guest as we already went through the "unapproved" guest issue last week.  I I am certainly glad this type of guest is the exception not the rule.   But to your point- having a set of eyes on the home if there is distance between the main host and home is key.  I am grateful for the wonderful guests we have had after this odd scenario.  Thx again

[Emma94]

You should tell them to find another place to live for the remaining days of their stay. Cut your losses and give them their money back for the remaining days. Do it through the Airbnb messaging system and get them to agree with it and then contact Airbnb and request them to cancel for you due to the reasons you listed. Don't go put yourself through that for another day or week. When a guest gives you sleepless night it's time for them to go. I don't care how much revenue they bring to me or Airbnb. The stress and constant worry ain't worth it. 

[Quincy]

Hey @Nev0,

I hope you're doing well today. 

I'm sorry to hear that this experience is giving you a hard time.

Have you heard back from anyone? 

[Nev0]

Hi all-  I appreciate the thoughts and support.  I solicited AirBnB to get a member of their Japanese team to be a translator who has reached out to my guest and will speak to him tonight regarding every issue and find a resolution.    It is very evident that my guest has no clue and is completely not interested in very basic considerations of home care and AirBnB rules and etiquette- thank goodness my cleaners are there weekly.  I believe there is a language barrier but the misunderstandings go deeper- honestly it is just  cluelessness, inconsideration and not caring- which is disappointing but it is what it is.

BTW, I learned this morning that the guest has not put the trash out two weeks in a row- first he said there was not much trash -2 weeks of 3 people eating and living in home -RU kidding me? Then he said he did not know it was trash day - although we have large signs above the bins, in the house book, I reviewed thoroughly in person, and texted him reminders both last week and this week....and then his 3rd excuse was he did not know how to open the garage door...the guy is visiting LA for 2 months to get his helicopter license...if he can't figure out the only button next to the main door in the garage might open the door (which we specifically showed him on the walk through) or to use his technology to message me and ask how to open it...how the heck is he going to fly a helicopter.... but leaving 2 weeks of garbage rotting in cans in the garage in the summer is his resolution...oh dear :(.  

[Helen3]

To be honest, I really don't understand why you let the guest stay after they left lights and doors open for the second time let alone when you found there were multiple guests contrary to the original booking. Particularly in a high end property.

Contact Airbnb now and tell them you want them to cancel the booking as they guest has broken the house rules multiple times (I presume you have everthing in writing through Airbnb messaging).

I agree with others, don't rely on neighbours (not fair on them or guests). Using a local airbnb manager or management service.

[Nev0]

Hi-  I did find out there is a premiere help desk for escalated cases...so I am now working with them and everything I had to learn myself since June 22nd- was clarified by the Case Manager today on how this policy violation etc works...if I had him last week we would be at a different place today I believe.  Interestingly, we were told that breaking House Rules is not grounds to terminate/cancel a reservation- we learned that today- but we had been misinformed by several case mgrs before, which caused a lot of misunderstandings of what I can or can't do as a host with a "bad guest".  If there is violance/police/risk etc- then yes- Its elevated to the "safety" team.  The unapproved guest thing is a very grey area as I am finding out...as is smoking when its a No smoking home.  I think it is a huge Liabilty for both Host and AirBnB but to not have visibility to these unapproved guests but it does not seem to be viewed that way.  For me it is the most intrusive thing to a host---having people in one's home that she does not know about- and finding out from a 3rd party- it's terribly uncomfortable on many levels and erodes the host's trust of the guest immediately and also- we now have a reservation for 61 days that is something we would never have accepted and never intended on.   BTW   If I had cancelled the reservation my listing would be blocked for the remaining dates meaning I could not re-rent it and I would get a big black X on many issues- does not matter that almost every house rule has been broken.  The guest has to cancel.  In my case I have 45 days left on the reservation- so I was encouraged to negotiate rent back to the guest which would have been over $20,000.  It was very troubling to me because I have done nothing wrong- I have communicated every which way is possible, I even found a solution for the extra guest issue even though I don't want them there, I requested a translator etc....but in order for me to get the guest out after multiple policy violations I have to buy them out unless it violates "safety" to home/host/others....so I lose my 45 days of rent, and being July, my chances of 30 day rentals is slim for the summer...we have paid all house expenses upfront...so I am out, out, out.  The guest on the other hand- gets away with violating major policies and lying to the host and AirBnB, and if I did buy them out AirBnB helps them find another host house, and they don't lose anything...very odd.  So today we had to tell AirBnB that we need to continue on with the guest who we have lost trust in as we are financially burdened if we have to buy the guest out of the reservation.    The guest is pretty miserable too as they came fom Japan to live and party with their friends from Tokyo.  

[Cormac0]

@Nev

The next time they leave the door open take all their valuables or anything for that matter into safe keeping and sit there until they come back and see their reaction, only explain to your guests that you've put their belonging in safe keeping at the last minute as you were worried that they may have been stolen, a courtesy they did not afford you, losing face is a big issue in Japan and China.

So, expect a heartfelt apology soon afterwards.

Regards

Cormac

ECK III

ECK VIII

[Jessica-and-Henry0]

@Cormac0 @Nev0

Losing face is a big deal in Asia.....but mostly if it is witnessed by their peers and if it is something THEY feel embarrased about. From what I've read about these guests, they seem to have no manners and no basic decency.  In order for them to lose face, they need to be PUBLICLY embarassed in front of people who's opinion matter to them. 

Sadly, I see quite a lot of people who act this way when abroad or far from home - not just Asians.

@Nev0 I really hope you are able to resolve this quickly. As a fellow Asian, believe me when I say, just because the guest is not fluent in English does not mean he/she does not understand you. Most people in Asian countries with a college degree HAD TO study English to get into college, so while their speaking may not be fluent, they can read and understand English way~ better than most people assume. These types of people like to use the fact that their English is not fluent to get away with not respecting rules. Getting a translator involved was smart - no loopholes for them to claim they didn't understand. 

[Rachael26]

@Nev0

Obviously you are in the middle of dealing with it all - and hopefully Airbnb get straight in there with a firm hand.

I would just add that the situation of the 'extra guests' sounds absolutely pre-planned and suspiciously like sub-letting!

I would bet that these two 'gentlemen' are lining their pockets by illegally hosting additional guests without your knowledge.

Get them out now - and let them deal (and lose face) with their future guests who will now have no place to stay!

Best Wishes.

[Ghizlan0]

My apartments been listed and last year inge loads booking but I do not receive no booking this year at all even am in tourist area innSpain

[Joanna85]

I have learned recently breaking the house rules does not mean they can be asked to leave and you keep the money....I think in many cases it's just best to ask them to leave right away and just accept you might have to refund the money.  Seriously....you cannot make a profit if you have damages, so best to just ask them to go or have Airbnb relocated them, refund the money and move forward..at least at that point your calendar can be opened up to new guests and it won't be a further nightmare. You can always rebook  your place but you can't always rewind damage.  I have learned over the years with regular rental property that the longer people stay if they are doing icky things...just simply the more damage is done and the only one who will be affected is me.  Airbnb can relocated them and the guest won't care if they aren't out any money.  They booked a home, not a hotel, for a reason......but that doesn't mean you have to suffer for their reason!