Check out

[John345]

I recently hosted my first Airbnb guests, it was a great experience.  Their check-out time was 3pm and I received an email at 10:33am saying that the group "had just checked out" and reminding me to write a review for the guest.  

Question: is there an option somewhere in the Airbnb system for a guest to "check-out" or was this simply a canned email from Airbnb in anticipation of their departure/to remind me to write a review for the guest?  

I am curious to know for future Airbnb reservations.  It would be great to be notified of check-outs so that I could start cleaning early.

[Donna15]

@John345, it's an automated message, though normally - at least according to my own experience - it's sent shortly after the time a guest has left or should have left (in accordance with the time indicated on the listing). 

Hosts can only hope that guests won't overstay the check-out time, especially if new guests are due to arrive.

[Sharon114]

Hi John, this happens quite often.  It is nothing to do with the guest, it is a message sent by airbnb and can appear the day after the guest checks out, the same day they check out and even before they have checked out.  It seems totally randum.

When this happens to me I just ignore it until the guest has actually left.

[John345]

So if I understand correctly, and please help me figure this out if I am missing something which is likely, AirBnB sends out an automated erroneous message (I received my message 4 hours before my guests scheduled check out time) saying the guests have left when it's possible and in fact, very likely, they have not?

Fortunately, I thought this was odd and did not return to my place and intrude on my guests. Unless there is a function on the app/website that allows the guests to indicate they have checked out early, why is AirBnB meddling in this and causing undue confusion?

Thanks for helping me better understand!  (Maybe this question merits a response from AirBnB and not other users like ourselves who are also trying to make sense of it?)

John

[Marc28]

I also just received such a message many hours before the scheduled check-out time. I second the need for Airbnb to address this. I almost had my cleaning crew go over but thought I should consult the Community first. Good thing I did!

I think a "check out" button in the app is actually a great idea. But sending an incorrect check-out e-mail is disastrous. Airbnb -- are you listening?

[Annette70]

I am having the same experience recieving a notice that my guests have checked out and I should review them.  They are clearly still there and their check out time is in two hours.  I have learned to ignore it but today I learned the guest also recieved a alert that they had checked out and that was very concerning and confusing for them.  This needs to be addressed.  Is there any setting I can change?

[Chelsea161]

Same boat!

[Steven23]

Why hasn’t Airbnb developed a checkout button process like the checkin? I too have the issue of knowing or replying on my guest to tell me when they’ve left albeit I still wait until their 11a checkout time but what I want from them is to complete it in the app so I’m told. 
For Airbnb developers: ADD A CHECKOUT BUTTON PROCESS PLEASE! 

Thanks

[KayKay0]

I agree it's really creepy to receive such emails. I suspect Airbnb might have a GPS monitoring the guests location. Most of the time it's accurate, but some time it's inaccurate. 

[Vivien15]

YES!  It would be wonderful to get an accurate message indicating that guests have checked out!  The random notifications are indeed a problem.  It's nice to get a reminder re writing reviews, but the information about departure would be VERY useful for access to the space to clean, make repairs, etc. when a guest leaves early!  A definite plus all the way around!!!

[Sheena13]

My checkout time is 1000. I have that in the airbnb check-in/check-out info.

No-one appears to be able to checkout on time though. This gives time to turnaround before guests check-in @ 1500, however it also really suits me because I can get the turnaround done by 1300 and have time to get other things done.

However what happens is I have to lurk around next door waiting until guests finally decide to leave. I've said to people to make it 1100 thinking that means they will be out by 1100 and not be too rushed to get their dishes done and so on. However then they just stay on until at least 1130/1200. Is the checkout time not visible to on the airbnb info? ( I also have an info sheet in the cottage ) Is 1000 unreasonable? I don't want to harass people because I don't want that to impact the reviews. I like the advice above about making it clearer in the rules. However what do people think is a reasonable check out time?

[Cynthia-and-Chris1]

@Sheena13  Personally, I think 10AM is a little early.  Most hotel check-out times start at 11:00AM.  Just think - you're on the last day of your vacation, do you really want to wake up at 7-8AM in order to pack and clean up everything and be out by 10:00AM?  If you change your check-out time to 11:00AM and guests can REQUEST a late check-out of 12:00PM, then you still have 5 hours to get the place ready for the next guests.

[Ange2]

@Sheena13   You could always send them a text the night before and ask them if they were checking out earlier than xx:00 check-out time as a casual reminder.  I think 10:00 is rather early too, mine is 11:00.

[Blaine3]

It's a great question. I'm not sure why Airbnb does the automatic check out msg. It's never accurate and just causes confusion. I ask my guests to send me a msg when they checkout (in check out instructions). This helps me coordinate with my cleaning crew. 

[Chelsea161]

That's a good idea, to request a message when they've left.