guest arrived early - what do I do?

[Csilla0]

HI 

I am a host who only lets out their aparmtnent when we are awawy. My partner and I are overseas at the moment. 

I had arragne for 2 bookngs of  guests to be in our apartment whilst away. there was one morning between change of guests. 

I arrangeed for a Friend who is experience airbnb host to do changeover for us. 

I messages guest weeks ago asking arrival time. no response. I clearly state aparment not ready until after lunch time, that we try and be flexible with needs and to pleaselet us know. no response from guest.

guest a few days ago asks for early departure and part refund, I releuctantly agreed. still no update on arival time. 

a day beofre booking commencement date  I again asked arrival time and clearly state apartment not ready until after 2pm. 

guest checks in early, says apartment looks great, takes key (left in lock box) 

My friend arrives in the meantime, no key, no lock box, no answer. cant do anthing. I am in the middle of the nihght trying to coordinate all of this for the other side of the world. Its boxing day and my friend is already taking time out from family and friends. 

Sheets etc need changing - do I give guests instructions to do it themselves?

I have felt uncomfotable from the get goabout this booking. theyre young, traveling on a gap year, keep going on about tight budget. first time with airbnb. Seem polite but blatant disregard for check in time has left me in this predicament and Im not up at 4am with no idea what to do. 

look forward to hearing your suggestion. should i send them instructions to change themselves over? I have already asked them to get in touch dircetly with my friend to make a time. 

[Lilian20]

It's all over now. You did everything you could, just let go and see how they do later. 

[Lisa367]

we had a guest arrive 4 hours early, when we still had another guest here.  she specifically told me she'd be arriving at 3 pm, and instead she arrived 11 am.  we flat out told her to go away, lol.  we let her leave her luggage but made her leave the house.  if a checkin time is at 3 pm for her, then thats (in our opinion) when they start paying.  before that, she's not our concern so she cannot be in the house.  its just too bad because your situation is different since they grabbed the key.

[David126]

Just tell them that as they arrived early and took the key your cleaner was not able to access the property and that they have the laundry to drop off and need to be there whenever is convenient for your cleaner to take delivery.