When guests want to bring guests.

[Amanda660]

Not a Airbnb booking but via another portal.

Guests have a booking for 5 people for 2 nights arriving on Tuesday.  They’ve asked if her brother, his family and their dog can come visit ‘for a couple of hours’.  Pets are not allowed on the listing I have on that particular platform. 

I responded staying that for insurance purposes unregistered guests are not allowed on the property etc.  They already asked for a check in 4 hours early which I said I’d try and accommodate if possible - they’ve not done or said anything untoward but I just have a gut feeling that they’re going to push the envelope. 

Thoughts? 

[Branka-and-Silvia0]

@Amanda660 

maybe yes, maybe not. Sometimes guests try to push your boundaries but if you stay firm they will stop, sometimes they will keep asking, sometimes they ask for a couple of extras and that's it. it's hard to tell.

If you meet them personally you can repeat your house rules and recommend a nice restaurant or a place where they can socialize with their family and their dog.

[Ian-And-Anne-Marie0]

@Amanda660 

They’ve asked if her brother, his family and their dog can come visit ‘for a couple of hours’. Pets are not allowed on the listing I have on that particular platform.

That happened with us. We accepted a 'few' relations and the group of 6 ended up at 18 and a 'couple of hours' ended up all day until 11pm. It is better to just say no and for them to make arrangements to meet elsewhere. How many in 'his family' exactly? Don't they already have a home nearby?

[Amanda660]

They responded when I asked how many had planned on visiting - turns out it’s another 6 of them and a dog (so 11 and a dog altogether)that wanted to come over.  Guaranteed they would all cook, eat and make best use if everything. 

[Ian-And-Anne-Marie0]

@Amanda660 If anything like our lot they would use all your condiments, every plate, pan and glass, not wash anything properly leaving that to you (our bbq was a war zone). With you, its not as though your 5 guests are paying a full rate. They're paying for 5. I'd say 'No'.

[Amanda660]

This was the responses folks,  this has the makings of a family knees up and certainly not ‘a couple of hours.  Thanks for making me feel

reasonable. 🙂 

Hi Amanda.
Sorry, when I read about not having a party. I didn’t appreciate we couldn’t have visitors to this property. 6 members of my immediate family were going to come on the Tuesday evening for a catch up as we haven’t all been together for nearly 2years.

I will contact my brothers & rearrange our catch up to one of their houses.

[Kat84]

What people are thinking of when booking a property and communicating after, when 11 people are a problem for any property and dog might be a problem too?

Majority of properties do not allow parties and those which allow specifically marketed for that. So, there is nothing wrong for the host to ask about party plans... Anyone will ask seeing 11 people... 

[Ian-And-Anne-Marie0]

@Amanda660 

It's a difficult situation. you'd like to be accommodating but once you open the barriers - theres a flood. Guests say a couple of hours which ends up being a whole night - then later the next afternoon as well  (because you agreed their family could come around!) then, they all call in again just before departure. The dog comes to say 'bye as he's not been to your place and the owners try to contain him but he runs around the gardens and house peeing everywhere if you might be that lucky!

After these situations it is good to revise your house rules to accommodate requests such as this so that you can pre-empt the enquiry and just point to the rule.