incident where a guest's friend went to the front door of the house next store by mistake

[Ed212]

Walked in the open front door and started walking around - scared my neighbors to death.

They are now calling the County to try to take away my B & B license.

Any suggestions on what to do?

In the past, I have had my guest go to the neighbor to apologize.

Not sure what to do in this case.

[Emiel1]

@Ed212 

"in the past etc..." : So why are people taking so easy the wrong door ?

This friend of your guest maybe should not be there at all ?

The only option now seems to contact the neighbours / the county and explain/apologize

[Terri38]

Maybe a sign on the neighbour's letterbox (or wherever is suitable) in large friendly letters: "The AirBnB is that way" and an arrow to your house?

Also - at least for registered guests - include a short description of your house eg "Number 103 Streetname is  the green house with lots of rose bushes at the front,  You will frighten our neighbours if you knock on their door.!" and send it to the guest when they book and as a reminder the day before.

Good luck!

[Helen427]

Hello @Ed212 and welcome to CC.

May I suggest you take a leaf out of my book & incorporate in your listing a comment about Visitors of Guests by arrangement with yourself if you are hosting a private room where you have other homes on common property.

I'm sure regardless of what platform people use, including in the past when people only had newspapers or bush telegraph & no internet people went to the wrong address by mistake.

In those days no one locked their doors either.

Suck it up and say it was a one off and make amends with your neighbour by educating them the benefits of home sharing.

All the very best

[Sandra126]

I have had so very many guests go to the neighbours house , maybe it's nicer? So to avoid this I stand on the street to wave them into my driveway. Must have bothered the neighbours a lot, walking around the house exclaiming loudly. I have heard them, and run out to bring them to the right place. Feared complaints . But now neighbours have moved and their house is on the market. Signs haven't worked, their house has a different  name on a prominent sign  and looks dramatically different to mine. I also stress the importance of getting the house right in my welcome message. But in your case it was a friend of your guest, and that is totally unpredictable. On the flip side, I have had guests arrive who were not coming to my house at all, but somewhere else. Massive confusion. 

I would make this point the most important one in your check in instruction.  Caring  for the neighbours equals staying in business.

[Paul154]

@Ed212 

Oh my. Neighbor doesn't lock his door and is shocked when a stranger enters!

Not your problem and certainly not the County's problem.

I once got a parking ticket ($128) for leaving my keys in the ignition.  

[Donald28]

Wow, so this happens often to your poor neighbor? I'd be mad too if I had random strangers... your airbnb guests... knocking on my door. You really can't blame them for contacting the county. You're probably in violation of some ordinances using airbnb.