Strange Reservation

[Wj3]

Something strange is happening with my current guest...

Last week, I received a booking request from someone seeking to stay ASAP for a month. He said he's in between places and searching for a permanent place. However, when I asked him to delay 2 days, he was very flexible.

After he booked, I asked him to check that he's OK with the house rules (wear a mask, no additional guests, etc). On the day of check-in, he arrived at 1030PM with another person (he booked for himself only). They left at 11PM and never returned.

Days later, I messaged to check on him. He said he had found another place but would keep the current booking. When I suggested that he cancel and I'll refund the remaining month, he didn't reply.

Is this some kind of scam? What should I do - should I cancel for him on my end? He hasn't done anything major, but it's strange. 

[Anonymous]

@Wj3  Does the guest still have a set of keys or a way to enter the unit?

[Wj3]

Yes, he still has the door codes, since he still has the reservation technically.

[Anonymous · Accepted solution]

@Wj3 In the olden days I would've suggested getting Airbnb on the phone, but by most accounts they aren't doing much customer support these days. So to take matters into your own hands, I think the first thing you should do - immediately - is change the door codes. 

Then, you'd need to inform the guest that the door codes have been changed for security reasons, and if he still wants to keep the reservation, he will have to schedule a time to complete the check-in procedure in person. In the unlikely event that he does so, you have many reasonable questions to ask about his intentions with the property (which are quite murky at best) and a chance to negotiate yourself a way out of this booking.

If you don't reach a resolution easily, you can send the guest a  Change Booking request, advancing the checkout date to today and refunding the remainder of his stay. It's hard to fathom why the guest would refuse an offer that puts money directly into his pocket. But if he does, your last resort is to get Airbnb on the phone (grab a book for the long hold time) and show from the correspondence that this was a de facto guest cancellation. I hope it doesn't come to that, since results are wildly unpredictable these days.

[Wj3]

Thank you! Changing the door codes is a good idea, but what if he says he's already checked in (via self check in)? Am I allowed to do that?

[Anonymous]

@Wj3 You are absolutely allowed to do that!  But the guest is entitled to a refund for the portion of the stay where they can't access the property.

[Vito257]

I think that is sketchy that he has the door codes. Change them immediately and you can cancel the reservation under the option that your not comfortable with the guest and they aren’t responding to correspondence. 

[Cormac0]

@Wj3 

I'd keep a very close eye on your apartment, hopefully there nothing nefarious going on check the water gas and electricity meter to see if anybody is staying in the apartment i presuming the meter are external to the apartment.

Note an average person uses between 80 to 100 gallon of water per day.

[Wj3]

Thanks, I don't think he's returned into the apartment, I have a door camera.

[Wj3]

I forgot to add... When he first requested to book, he had asked for a discount and to pay in cash. On the check-in day, he arrived with no luggage...

He left with the AC running. He had a few reasons for finding another place, including that he didn't like the smell of the spare blanket in the closet and that he wanted an entire apartment (even though my listing VERY clearly states that it's a room).

Was it ever his intention to stay? Why would he smell the spare blanket in the closet upon arrival?

[Mark116]

@Wj3  It sounds like some kind of scam.  I would message him that since it appears he has decided not to stay, you would ask him to cancel the reservation and he will be refunded under the TOS.  Ask him to confirm whether or not he is using the apartment, and if not, you will be changing the key code.  I guess then see what he says?  Since you've got a camera, that should protect you to some degree.  Very strange.  Maybe he never intended to actually pay for the place, e.g. stolen credit card or other scam and this is why never bothered to cancel?  

[Debra300]

@Wj3,

Since the reservation was for a month, the long-term cancellation policy is automatically applied: https://www.airbnb.com/home/cancellation_policies#long-term.   The guest would be charged for the first 30 days if he canceled the reservation anyway, and may be the reason why he hasn't done so.

[Anthony608]

Yes, this does indeed sound like a scam.  There is no legitimate reason that someone would go to all the trouble of booking an AirBNB, then show up and leave a few minutes later.

I had a very similar situation last year where a man in Boston booked my room, then on the first night of the reservation, an unknown woman came to the residence and was knocking on the door, apparently unaware that the door had a keycode entry.  She did not have any of the check-in instructions and had only been sent on her phone a screenshot of the home’s address. Once in the residence, the woman began asking repeatedly to be given an actual key. After several minutes of explanations, she finally understood that there was no key but rather a keycode for the door which would expire at the end of the stay. This clearly upset her a bit and she became visible nervous. She then went outside and was on her cellphone for a minute before walking away towards the local bus stop. She did not return to the residence on the first night, but closed the door to the room and left the lights on as to give the appearance that someone was in the room.  Upon checkout, the room was found to be undisturbed and it did not look like anyone had slept in the beds.

I think what is going on in cases like this is that these people are booking for the sole purpose of getting inside the house, possibly with the intent of copying the door key.  If the lock is electronic, or if the host lives in the home, then the people will immediately leave and not return.  In my case, I am certain this is what was occurring.

[Huma0]

---

@Anthony608 wrote:

Yes, this does indeed sound like a scam.  There is no legitimate reason that someone would go to all the trouble of booking an AirBNB, then show up and leave a few minutes later.

---

@Anthony608 

I am sure you are right. This does sound like a scam, but I had a similar situation last year that wasn't a scam.

A young woman booked one of my rooms for 6.5 weeks. She turned up with an insane amount of stuff, literally like someone moving house, and a friend to help her. I told her there was no way it could all be stored here so, after we took a few suitcases to her room, she took the rest to her friend's and said she would stay the night there as it was already late.

Then she disappeared. No sign of nor word from her for days. I was getting worried. I had tried messaging on Airbnb, texting, calling, nothing. Eventually, she responded on WhatsApp saying she was fine, just staying with a friend and would be back on such and such date, which was ten days after her check in. Why would anyone, especially someone who claimed to be a poor student, pay for an Airbnb and not stay in it for ten days?

Anyway, she did come back, but I eventually had to terminate her stay because she was the weirdest guest I have ever had and super stressful to host. However, she wasn't a scammer. I never had any problems of that sort in relation to her stay.

I am sure there are plenty of people operating the kinds of scams you mentioned, but there are also quite a few that are just plain weird.

[Wj3]

@Anthony608  

Wow - almost the same situation here. He asked whether I live on-site (I do) and for the room key. He left the AC on. The room and bed were mostly undisturbed. He arrived with no bags. Days later when I messaged to check on him, he complained that he wanted more privacy, so found another place. I was very surprised because he asked for the key, so I thought he intended to return. I'm sure he lives in the area (permanently).

I don't plan to write him a review and I hope he doesn't either.