Blatantly Breaking House Rules

[Keith124]

I had guests arrive 2 hrs past my latest check in time of 10pm, and then took an hour to settle down once they did arrive, so they didn't quiet down until 1 am, when I told them they were lucky I didn't just cancel their reservation and keep their money.  I am now going to pointedly make sure that each and every guest is aware of my check in time and that it could happen that their reservation gets cancelled and I keep their money if they ignore my check in time and come way late. Has anyone else out there cancelled a guest's reservation and/or kept their money for blatantly being late like that, or for any other violation of your house rules? I also recently had a problem with people getting up at 5 am to go hiking and making food and eating breakfast and talking, using the microwave etc when it clearly states in my house rules that quiet time is 10 pm - 7 am. At no time did they make me aware that they were planning to get up at 5 am and make and eat breakfast at 5 am before going hiking. I am not afraid of a bad review....I have lots of good reviews. Intelligent people will be able to tell what's what when they read them. I can't find anything of Airbnb's policy where a guests violation of rules is serious enough that they need to be denied accommodation or evicted after they've paid. 

[Susie5]

HI @Keith124, I think you might be a bit harsh on your guests.  I realize they broke the house rules technically, but perhaps there was a reason they were late? I wouldn't call a 2 hour late checkin to be "blatantly" late.  24 hours, maybe....

Also using the microwave and making breakfast wouldn't count as breaking "quiet time" in my book.  Loud music, slamming doors, etc would be violating quiet time in my opinion.

And I would never threaten a guest with kicking them out and "keeping their money" - that is asking for a bad review.  I look forward to hearing what others say. 

[Keith124]

So you think it's ok to arrive at midnight instead of 10 pm, 2 hrs past check in time, and then make a racket for another hour?

[Keith124]

On the other guests that were getting up at 5 am making breakfast and making noise in the kitchen until amost 7 before they left to go on their hike (They were booked in for a few days in a row, and this happened every morning that they were here) I guess it depends on what your definition of quiet time is. My place is very quiet, and so is the area I live in, and a little noise at 5am is a lot louder than a little noise is at 7 am. To me cooking, rattling dishes, running the microwave, talking, etc, does not fit the definition of quiet time. I will be asking Airbnb what their definition is. When I stay at an airbnb, I ask the the host if my plans may disturb them unreasonably, ie if I plan to go out dancing and I would be coming home late and let them decide if they want to host me. I was not asked or told that their stay would mean getting up at 5am and wanting to use the kitchen to make breakfast and taking almost 2 hrs to get out the door. If they'd properly informed me, I would have declined their reservation.

At no time did I threaten to cancel their reservation...I am fairly new at this and was just wanting to know how other people handle having quiet time disrespected and what to do about people that refuse to respect it. I would never have these people back again, and I will make my best effort to find out how future guests' plans fit with my definition of quiet time. 

[Keith124]

They were late because they were out partying, 10 mins away. I do not do self check ins as I feel I need to go over certain things in person. 

[Keith124]

They'd have to be 24hrs late to be blatantly late? 24hrs late they're into someone else's booking. I do this on my own. I do not do self check ins as certain things need to be gone over in person if they haven't stayed here before. It is not reasonable that I should have to sit around waiting for people to arrive that can't be bothered to communicate properly and/or meet their commitment to check in by a certain time. I should also be able to go to bed at 11 and not be woken up by someone that should have and could have made my check in time. Extenuating circumstances excluded of course. Airbnb is great for certain kinds but not all kinds of stays, and hotels and motels are still better than airbnb for certain other kids of stays. 

[Marzena4]

The truth is, @Keith124, that any violation of the house rules already gives you the right to deem the guests' behaviour inappriopriate. Another question is how an assigned case manager from Airbnb will look at it, because the more you read the forum here, the wider you will open your eyes.

For some hosts even being 15 minutes late may matter, so here each host can create their own rules. Imho, your guests should have asked at least for that late checkin, should have apologised - I think this is what intelligent people do. Making noise that late - unacceptable. Looking at some of my past guests makes me think I hosted savages.

[Cynthia-and-Chris1]

@Keith124 Wow, you sound like a pleasure to stay with. (Not) 

[Keith124]

If it's ok with you to have people show up 2 hrs late, at midnight, and then make a racket for an hour after that, good for you. The key here is, what is reasonable. That they knew the rules, her profile said she'd been an airbnb member since `2011, and chose to ignore them, is not reasonable. In an effort to get them to quiet down and go to bed, I told them at 1 am that they were lucky I didn't cancel their reservation and keep their money. If you think that makes me a bad host and you wouldn't want to stay with me, that is your prerogative. If you think it's alright to ignore the rules, arrive late, and then make a racket til 1 am, I wouldn't want you here anyways. I can tell you, those that appreciate peace and quiet, get exactly that here. I don't think I'm asking for too much in asking that people meet minimum standards, just as those staying here expect to get from me. 

Making noise at 5 am doesn't seem reasonable to me either, but then I don't know what airbnb's definition of 'quiet time' is. I will find out, and if I don't like it, I will simply make it a house rule of my own that certain noise before 7 am is not allowed. 

[Fred13]

@Keith0 Suggestion. Check in time and being quiet are indeed very important to you, so perhaps best to ~double~ emphasize those two points in your description (and in house rules).  So everyone that comes to your place will have a clear heads up.

[Keith124]

I am new. And I am realizing that I need to write my own definition of what constitutes 'Quiet Time'. 

[Kelly149]

@Keith124 also please keep in mind that abb will certainly allow you to cancel a guest for missing/ignoring your checkin Times. But they most certainly WILL NOT PAY YOU (regardless of your cancellation policy) this would also be true if you removed a guest during their stay for breaking house rules. 

So part of your threat is right, you don’t have to host them. But you would never get paid for that stay. Think of ways to make your listing super clear on these points. Search the forum for similar topics, I know this has come up before. 

[Keith124]

If a party can't arrive during my check in window, or need to be evicted for blatantly ignoring rules, and the reasons for that do not fall within Airbnb's policy regarding extenuating circumstances, I should still get paid for the stay whether they end up staying or not. Why should I miss out on getting paid for that night when it's too late to rebook and through no fault of my own people are just so inconsiderate that they have put me in an untenable situation. If it is true that I will not be paid for justifiably evicting someone or cancelling someone's reservation because they failed to make my latest check in time due to their own failure to exercise due diligence, then I may have to rethink whether or not I want to offer up my house on Airbnb. I charge as little as $36 a night for 1 person on a week night with no cleaning fee or damage deposit and I never rent to more than one party at a time. Hardly worth it if someone can come in here and ignore my rules and still get their money back even though they completely disregarded my rules.

[Jessica-and-Henry0]

@Keith124

Definition of quiet time for me is basically no music or sounds that can be heard out of the room with the door and windows closed. I don't mind if guests use the kitchen as long as they don't use the stove (because turning the hood on is a must and the stove hood is noisy!!!) so toaster, microwave, electric kettle, coffee machine and getting stuff out of the fridge is fine with me anytime of the day. When talking about house rules I usually mention using examples during the check-in house tour of what I'm okay with vs. what I'm not and also ask guests if they are light sleepers and  what time do they usually (or plan to) go to bed/get up.

It's best to be as specific as possible about your expectations and rules. Good luck~

[Mohd-Shamsuri0]

@Keith

I hardly participate in this forum conversation, but when I read you’re sharing experience, made me feel the need to share mine.

During the earlier years of my days being a host I faced many kind of guests that some make me happy and some makes me angry. 

I notice the more I become dislike having nasty guests the more they come to my door step. So one day I sit by myself and re- thinks regarding my intention of being a good host. We can come out with rules and regulations to avoid obstacles like this, but still sometime something would be missing out and the same issue happen again.

I question myself many times my real purpose of becoming a host. My answer was I want to help people to have a wonderful and unforgettable holiday and at the same time making a good income from this business. Once I am clear with my purpose then I tune all my thoughts, feeling and actions into the same direction to meet my intention... I consider all the issues arrive as challenges not to allow myself to feel down but as an opportunity to learn and teach myself to be a better host. I never allow negative thoughts and feeling controlling me, I get myself trained and used various communication methods to get through my guest to respect my house rules and regulations. I treated & spoken to my guests as if they are my on children or Parent or relative or friend. I advise them in a way that will make them feel good to behave and take good care for them self and be considered with other. You must do this from a sincerely heart. They will feel it..You cannot fake it you must love what you are doing; if not then maybe you should choose to do other thing then this career...

By consistency doing this, over the years you will be skillful in handling all kind of challenges in hosting. And you will feel excited every time you are able to overcome all this challenges...as if it is in your blood. You cannot control what other people does but you can control how you response to their act that will determine the kind of host you are...believe the law of attraction... You get what you attract.

Now I enjoy every moment of my being as a host and I am blessed that so far all the guests that comes to my doors step as per my wish, even if I faced challenges at the beginning of my guest arrival that will also turn to a good end...I called it the Art of Serving...with Love

Keith I wish my sharing would help you to figure out on how you want to run your hosting business moving forward. Take care and all the best...