Our first Bad AirBnB Guest

[Taylor117]

Hello all! Me and my girlfriend have just started doing AirBnb at the start of July. Unfortunately we have had our first bad guest and I'm not entirely sure how to go about it. 

Currently he still has one more night with us but the guest is using paper towels and then leaving his fecal matter in our trash can. While I appriciate that he isn't flushing paper towels down our toilet which could cause plumbing issues in the future but having a trash can full of **bleep** is a health concern. So I'm asking other hosts what we should do with this guest and how we should leave the review apporipriately. 

Thank you for your time in reading this! 

[Elizabeth429 · Accepted solution]

@Taylor117,

As much as I understand your disappoitment, I do not think a bad review would do anything to make this guest change his behaviour.  I know some cultures do it that way and maybe it isnt an obvious problem for them, except that sometimes manners and detail as in how to deal with the paper tissue make a difference and thats where you might do something. If this has been the only real issue you have had with the guest, maybe you could mention the health issues there are with handling toilet waste. The guest might be unaware of what it means to others. Believe me, cultures are complicated 🙂 What is a normal standard for you might not be for others and vicerversa.

[Taylor117]

Thank you for your response Elizabeth, I haven't considered that perspective. I really appriciate your insight, thank you! 

[Lisa723]

To me this would be a matter for private feedback to the guest.

[Robert1108]

Call Airb&b 

1-855-424-7262

Sincerely, 

Robert 

[John1080]

I would deal with it for one more night, and accept it as a learning experience. You might take it as an opportunity to alter your rules. I have not had that particular problem, but my place has a septic tank, so we don't want anything other than toilet paper down the toilet. I have this as one of my rules in the house manual:

8. TOILETS: Please do not throw any trash other than toilet paper in the toilets. All feminine products and other trash such as makeup wipes must be disposed of in trash cans, as the home is on a septic tank. Plumbing service calls for not doing so will be charged to the guest.

While this might not solve your exact problem, it could make them think and understand that it is okay to flush toilet paper, but not to use paper towels. I would doubt you would have that same problem twice though, but of course we cannot know that for sure. 

[Jane695]

I recently spent a year in Ecuador.  Putting used toilet paper in a trash bin is required behavior in an Ecuadoran home or public facility.  The pipes won't handle the paper.  Every home and business provides trash cans with foot peddle operated lids for this reason.  Your guest is probably embarrassed for you that you are not aware of this.   🙂

[Teresa-and-Alan0]

I believe its the responsibility of the guest traveler to know the customs of the country they’re traveling to not the other way around.

[Marie319]

Hello, Jane has it spot on but it is not only South America that practice this but also most of South East Asia.  I would talk to my guest about it in a friendly informative manner rather than in a review situation.

[Jessica-and-Henry0]

@Taylor117

As others have mentioned, in some countries people are not allowed to flush toilet paper because the plumbing cannot handle it so if you get international guests, providing detailed instructions about how to use the toilet and other bathroom facilities is a must. (if you do a search, you will find plenty of articles about guests "flooding" the bathroom)

FYI, as long as there is no direct contact with the contents of your trash bin you should be okay, although I totally understand the YUCK~ factor.

http://www.koreaherald.com/view.php?ud=20160315000760

[Taylor117]

Thank you so much everyone! Your feedback has been super helpful and definently eye opening. I wasn't even aware of a cultural aspect to this. Definently have put this in the learning experience bank. Thank you all again for your time and wonderful feedback! 

[Jessica-and-Henry0]

@Taylor117 Hope this helps when talking to your guest.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2085244/Australian-university-doles-toilet-training-lessons-...

[John1974]

I have a guest who arrived today who has taken full advantage of the facilities that i have, the point of excess, filling the fridge with vegetables and meat hardly leaving room for my own food, and at midday they ere having a cookfest using the gas cooktop and oven as well using all the powerpoints to charge up the appliences and generally hanging out in the kitchen, when they first arrived I explained that they were permitted to use the kitchen for tea and coffee, but they have taken huge libertees and now they have cancelled further stays here and will leave tommorrow morning. My question is do I leave a bad review only to get one by return so what is my best option?? any suggestions please.

[Gordon0]

You leave an honest review. They won’t see yours until they’ve posted theirs.

[Mel101]

John,

You may get more answers by starting a new thread for yourself, since your issue and the OP are only tangentially related. 

However, to answer your question, if your relationship with the guest has broken down to the point that he is leaving early, I would anticipate a bad review. Reviews are only posted once you have both written them, or after 14 days, whichever is the sooner. What you write will not have any bearing on what your guest writes. 

That said, it is important that your review mentions that the guest did not adhere to your house rules, as a way of warning other hosts. I would probably say something like "guest did not adhere to my house rules, and expected full use of my kitchen. He may be better suited to Airbnb spaces where he can enjoy the entire space. I would not recommend him  for a shared space". This is factual, and will not be disallowed under the Airbnb rules.

Hope the next guest is better.

Best wishes,

Mel