airbnb providing incorrect check in info with IB?

[Rowena29]

HI everyone,

would appreciate your advice/insight/suggestions.

My listing currently has a 2 pm check in. I have no end time frame to this - i selected flexible . I have IB. 

I got an IB  booking yesterday along with a message stating that they woudl arrive at 10.00 am.   My last 3 guests have all announded they woudl arrive at 10 am ( previous to this I have had no problems)

In my reply, I politely point out check in is from 2 pm onwards.

My guests immediatley replied...

"When I booked it it initially came up as check in anytime although your listing said 2 p.m. which I thought was strange."

I'm really thinking there is some recent airbnb glitch - perhaps instead of saying "checkin anytime after 2", its just saying "check in anytime"

3 guests in 3 weeks and none before.... you can see what I'm thinking.

Has anyone else experienced this? 

any advice/comments/insights about how to correct?  Very frustrating. And alarming, becuase if the guest hadn't told me I'd be clueless

I try to be here for checkin, but we do have a keypad so I do want to leave the check in time as flexible. 

Many thanks

[Helen3]

This is not Airbnb @Rowena29   This is you I am afraid.

By selecting 'flexible' as your check in procedure, a guest can indeed expect to check in at any time on your check in day.

You need to remove the flexible check in option and provide them with set times ie 2 - 11 p.m or whatever works for you.

[Rowena29]

Hi @Helen0,

Thanks so much for your reply

I  really dont' think it's me. 

Perhaps I wasn't absolutely clear.

My listing states 2 pm checkin. I can see this myself view my listing via another account

In my availability settings  my check in START time states 2pm and my check in END time is flexible.

This is the way it has been since I created the listing 6 months ago.  I haven't altered it at all.

  I haven't had a huge number of guests but up until very recenlty every guest seemed to understand check in was after 2 pm. 

then suddenly 3 weeks ago every guest has seemed to think they can checkin any time.

I thought I was just getting a run of dopey guests until my most recent IB informed me ( as above) the automatic message he got via aribnb told him checkin was anytime which he thought odd as my listing clearly stated 2 pm. Surely this is not me?

[Rosemarie9]

Airbnb changed their wording late last year and I have had to put my check in times in capitals in the first line of my description. I had a whole lot of guests announce that they were arriving early to mid morning like you. It seems that it was asking them what time they wanted to check in, I haven't used airbnb as a guest but a few hosts had the same problem at around the same time and we figured that the wording was terribly confusing for guests. I went over my booking settings and definitely had not changed anything to state early check ins. To make things worse, it wasnt showing the early check in time on the app, I later found it was on my phone format, which I don't really use much of the time. I've had a couple of people stating they were arriving at 10 am on my whole house listing, but they were new to the site, so I reminded them of my 3pm check in time. It's really annoying when airbnb change their wording and make things more confusing not less, and trying to keep up as a host is difficult. This forum is a great way for me to keep informed.

[Glen23]

I'm encountering the same issue, but in reverse.  My policy of "flexible" check-in is clearly set in my listing settings, for both start time and end time, but I have a run of guests who've been telling me that they want to check in at 3 pm.  I assumed it was because many hotels use that as their start check-in time, but for me, a 3 pm arrival comes at the worst possible time.  I am normally picking up my kids from school and other activities between 3-5 pm.  I would much prefer earlier in the day arrivals and can accommodate evening arrivals, but 3-5 requires the use of lockbox or other non-preferred alternatives.  An upcoming guest just sent me a screenshot of my listing from her phone which states 3 pm check-in, but I can't find that set anywhere in my listing settings.  Where in the heck is AirBnB getting this info?  I would have NEVER EVER in a million years set a 3 pm check-in!!!

[Rowena29]

Hi @Glen23 

It's sooo frustrating isn't it? What I find particularly concerning is that what the customer receives adn what the host recevies are different - so as a host, you have absolutley no idea there is a  problem and think it's the guests  just not reading things properly.  (Personally I got internally pretty hostile with a guest who blithely  announced he was arriving at 10 am - influenced the whole tenor of his stay - it wasn't until weeks later another guest told me what their info from airbnb said and I began to join the dots.....)

In terms of fixing it, based on my experience, you need to ring CS and explain very clearly.

The fact that you have a screenshot as proof will help enormously I should think ( CS just kept looking at my settings telling me everything looked fine)

CS will refer to IT help and you will never hear from them again.

CS will not close the case, so you will not get an email asking how satisfied you were with your "help" ( this is me beging cynical, but I have repeatedly noticed these emails dont' appear when CS haven't been able to resolve - to ensure their satisfactions ratings stay very high I have no doubt)

It will eventually get fixed- with me I think it was within a couple of days but you won't know when or how - no one will contact you- and you can't check yourself because it's only happening at your guests end - you'll probably just notice via your guests when their messages etc go back to "normal"

With me, as well as the wrong check in time, all of my pre booking message/questions also vanished.  I am no IT expert, but I strongly suspect  all the tinkering that is going on with the prebooking questions - (which are being eliminated)  and  pre booking message is what has caused this - it's all in the same area and some weird IT programming flow on effect has occurred I'm pretty sure.

Good luck and let me know how you go!

Cheers

In hindsight I should have asked CS to ring my guests and explain to them that the checkin info they were recieving was not my error as the host, but a technical difficulty. My concern is the event made me look very unprofessional and half baked to my guests, and made my guests appear disorganised /incompetent /arrogant to me.  I have found CS to be marvellous re contacting guests and pointing them in the right direction - they are very helpful when the problem is within their scope.

Let me know how you go and good luck. 

[Yulianna0]

@Rowena29, I’ll not blame the system in this case. I have the same inquiries from various guests. And it is in the title: late arrivals! And first words in the description. Many people just think that it is cheap alternative for the hotel. I suggest to put your check in hours just into the description. A bit more chances that they will read...

[Rowena29]

Hi @Yulianna0 and @Rosemarie0,

Thanks for replying.

I've rung CS and  it's NOT the customer - it's airbnb as I knew/suspected.  Acknowledged there was infor missing from the customers end through the message app and have referred to IT.  I assume this means a long wait for a fix if past experience is anything to go by.

After posting last night,  I had another IB  come through. When I  opened the "xxxx is booked" on my phone app I could see the info  re check in time. was blank.   However the EMAIL aribnb sent me saying "xxxx is booked DID  state the checkin time. Upon reflection,  I am  now almost certain my automated message that should accompany the IB is also not going through - I know from the boards there have been siginficant problems re this. 

 This is definitely a whole lot more than a few guests being a bit vague or careless. This is 100% of my guests  in the last couple of weeks, getting erroneous or no  info about check in, other than the dates for which they are booked.

There is a world of potential here for miscommunication and things getting off on the wrong foot particularly when the host is unaware that there are problems. 

Wonder how long it's going to take to get this one fixed. 

CS absolutely guaranteed me last night he would message me before his shift finished - that was more than 8 hours ago.... nothing. 

[Rowena29]

Hi @Yulianna0 

thanks so much for getting back and sorry for not responding sooner  - somehow I missed your response.  I have to say though, you have me a little baffled - I have no idea what you mean?  when you say it's all in the title :late arrivals! ??  (My title is "The Coolum Beach Treehouse Retreat -Ocean Views")  and the first words in the description ("A NORTH FACING secluded sanctuary, this comfortable, tranquil 4 bedroom treehouse has captivating ocean and hinterland views from every room").  I can't see how anything there would imply people can check in anytime they like?? or that it's a cheap alternative for a hotel?

As an update, there WAS an airbnb technical glitch where my check in times stated "check in is anytime" INSTEAD OF "checkin is anytime AFTER 2.00"  and my pre booking message disappeared altogether. All fixed now, so my guests tell me.

Many thanks

[Yulianna0]

@Rowena29, I was talking about my listing and title:) In fact I would be very happy if our check-in/our times will appear in filters. It will be useful for guests and will save our time and nerves. Great that you have the problem solved! Happy and calm hosting!