Unexpected unpaid extra guests. Best way to handle?

[Jonathan1298]

What's a good way to handle unexpected extra guests without getting a bad review. My house rules state their is an extra fee for unregistered guests but people either don't read or think they can get away with extra guests. Any ideas?

[Sally221 · Accepted solution]

Sadly, those who think the rules don't apply to them are going to give you a bad review for any reason they can make up, if/when that happens make sure your reply is neutral in tone, short and and states the facts without getting personal. Potential guests will be able to figure out the true story.

  A good way to help prevent that situation coming up in the first place is to make sure the inquiring  guest knows that you will catch them if they try to pull a fast one & have something in your listing that says that adding unauthorized guests will void the contract & result in immediate eviction (abb may give them their money back, alas) 

 If you are able to be the attentive host who personally checks them in and is around if they need anything, you may be able to convince the potential chancer to try elsewhere. Remember, even in these tight times, a bad guest can be more expensive than an empty unit & be very leery of locals who might want to blow off quarantine steam in your listing. Good luck & stay well

[Anonymous]

@Jonathan1298    I agree with @Sally221 's advice. 

The thing to remember here is that once the check-in date arrives, the guest has the upper hand;  no matter what they do, you're not going to get any compensation from them for things like extra guests or damage without a fight. A fight that might not be resolved to your satisfaction, and which will likely leave you with a retaliatory review.  So as much as possible, you need to make sure the guest count is finalized well in advance and be completely clear that no unregistered guests will be permitted onto the property at any point during the stay.

Your current rule as you describe it sends mixed messages that basically cancel each other out - because if you charge for something, that basically means it's allowed. It helps to be unequivocal here:  only approved and prepaid guests are permitted, period. 

[Jonathan1298]

Thanks Andrew.

So one car arrived and I let them in. Then another car arrived with 7 people, two more than the paid-for 5 people. 

[Anonymous]

@Jonathan1298 Very sneaky of them! And it would be painfully awkward to demand payment on the spot, but when you catch something like this you do have the option of requiring the guests to accept a booking alteration, changing the number of guests with the listed per-extra-guest fee, before completing the check-in.

If the number of guests exceeds your maximum occupancy, this is a bit harder to pass through the system, and also illegal in some jurisdictions. 

[Sally221]

Andrew is, as usual, cleverer than me & I'd take his advice to heart!

[Mark116]

@Jonathan1298  I would try the non confrontational...hey guys, you might not have noticed but we have extra guest fees for more than X people, let me know the headcount and I'll send a reservation change that corrects things.  Something like that, very matter of fact, as if you assume they didn't know and werent' trying scam you.