After Being Assaulted By A Guest

[Duane4]

Video of assault at link at end.

I just had a guest book for 5 people in a house that has a max of 12 allowed by the local government. They showed up with at least 16. Go to the house to count people and you get assaulted. You ask them how many you have. They won't answer. Of course when you asked them in a message how many and they lied to you about it.

This isn't the first time I've had guests book for a smaller number of people. In another house that holds 15 I had a guest bring 21.

AirBNB is doing nothing about this. It's making be concerned about continuing to host on this platform when you get no support. Of course the guest lies and says I'm the one that started it.

Most of guests are wonderful people. But this has me concerned for my safety going forward.

[Link hidden for safety reasons – in line with the Community Center Guidelines]

[Inna22]

@Duane4 if they are leaving, it no longer matters. You are just asking for a bad review. And if you charge for extra guests- bill them. It is terrible, but breath in and out. As you have said yourself, most guests are wonderful. Do not let these people get to you. However, if you catch them in the middle of stay, it maybe best to come back with police if it starts getting hostile. After all, everyone over the booked count is traspassing.

[Duane4]

@Inna22 I had the police there. They claimed I assaulted them. They told AirBNB I assaulted them.

I'm about ready to give up on AirBNB. The quality of guests has declined. This is not the first time I've dealth with people that book for 5 show up with more than they said.

[Petra327]

I just had a guest say I assaulted him.  But, the law in this country is people have to leave if they are trespassing.  I wouldn't worry about ABB.  It sounds like a he said she said.  Stay safe.

[Christina836]

@Duane4 Something I have done to help resolve this is stating there are exterior cameras. I would suggest maybe doing same. You can see how many guests check in. Have it stated that additional guests will be charged if its higher then what the booking states. ( are we allowed to deactivate a code for check in; if they exceed the number booked. Unless they pay the difference? I feel airbnb should back us up with situations like this).  I do agree I feel airbnb just wants their money and is not worried about us as HOSTS. We are who invested the money and are trying to make additional money. I feel often we are victims stuck in a shell due to their policies.

[Ann72]

@Duane4 I watched some of your video and I'm sorry you had to deal with this - and you remained so calm, too.  Insane. 

Think about raising your rates.  A family of 5 (much less 12, 16, or more) would have to take two hotel rooms (or more).  If your rate (I didn't put in any dates so I'm assuming that's the base and don't know if you charge more for more than a certain number of people) were $250 it would still be modest, but might weed out some of the, uh, bottom of the barrel.

[Duane4]

@Ann72  There is a per person charge of $17 over 4 people. We don't mind having small groups and we are willing to let them come for less money because they tend to be peaceful and have a nice stay. This was a bunch of grifters trying to evade paying for the number of people they had.

They brought air mattresses with them.

I've had about 1,500 guests at this point. 

[Ann72]

@Duane4   Okay, cool.  Why so grumpy, though?  I'm on your side!

[Duane4]

@Ann72 I'm sorry if that didn't come across the way i intended. I'm tried and not sleeping well because of this, it's not good when you have a bit of PTSD from past events. But if you looked at the Lovely Kettle Ridge Listing that's not where this happened. This house has a base price of $175 per night, a cleaning fee of $195 plus $17pp over 4 with a max occupancy of 12 imposed by the township. There is also a $25 per night per pet fee at this house. 

The reason for the visit was to count how many people where actualy there. So that we could charge for them because AirBNB isn't going to charge them unless you can prove it. They've made that clear.

I'm seeing more stays like this. This is the 2nd one in 2019 and it wasn't even April yet. The other one was at a different house that holds 15. They booked 15. But brought 21.

I also don't expect to get what I'm owed for this stay. They had at least 11 more guest than they  booked for. They also brought pets. I had no problem sending the $1,400 extra charges to them. They refused. AirBNB offered $150 to settle it.

Then this guest is also angling to sue us. You probably didn't get to the part about the child hitting it's head on the cieling and they have a medical report from the hospital about that happening with this as the place where it happened. She talks about the beam in the cieling and a building code violation.

If this is what this business if evolving into I can find other things to do. It's just not enough money to make it worthwhile.

[Ann72]

@Duane4 This whole situation seriously sucks.  I did get to the part in the video where the kid showed his head.  They are just garbage people and I'm really sorry you have to deal with this.

$150.  I can't even with that.

I don't think they'll go through with suing you, I certainly hope not, they're the kind of people who like to create hideous drama but you can get a better lawyer who will rip them apart before they even get started.  The kid was undoubtedly flinging himself down some stairs or doing something he shouldn't have been doing in the first place, and they probably have other medical records showing that he's got ADD or some such and is always hurting himself.  

Hope you get some sleep and that this passes soon.

[Duane4]

@Ann72 Thanks. I'm hoping so as well. To get sleep that is.

On the little girl, I don't think that happened the way they said it did either. So I'm a lot suspisious of that as well. I looked for evidacne in the house for occurance and can't find any. This house is brand new, so there are no building code violations.

I liked having guests and showing them the Poconos but lately, as in the last 2 months there has been too much happening.

But it's got to the point where I think that the profit motive of AirBNB in thier drive for the public offering and their disrespect for hosts has come to a head.

[Petra327]

That person isn't going to sue you.  It's not worth it.  They're too cheap to spend the money on an attorney.  They're just talking tough to scare you.

[Patrick303]

Wow.. I know this is a year and a half old . Did you ever get it resolved? I can see where the PTSD stress is involved.  I am counting my blessings that my issue was not as bad as yours and it was with only 1 guest.

[Jessica-and-Henry0]

@Duane4 

For proof about how many guests actually came and stayed, instead of direct confrontation maybe having outside surveillance cameras covering all entry points might be better and easier to secure photo  evidence.

I'm a home-share host but I still have a doorbell camera to monitor who enters. 

[Duane4]

@Jessica-and-Henry0 I have a lot of guests. About 200 groups a year. Technology only takes you so far.