Cigarette smokers - help!

[Sara-and-Brian0]

A couple checked in last night. On their tour, I reminded them no smoking, not even outside on our property. This morning, I found cigarette ashes in the sink. What does this mean? I don't smoke, so not sure what to make of this. I'm pretty upset because  it took me awhile to get the smell out of our sink. I'm very sensitive! Once it gets a little later, I'm going to send them a message something like, "I hope you slept well and have a great day today! Just wanted to remind you there's no cigarette smoking inside or outside on our property and please do not dispose of ashes indoors. Thanks so much!" Guidance, please!

[Clara116]

@Sara-and-Brian0Hello Sara - your place is lovely and I wish you success. One suggestion is to add in the first paragraph NO SMOKING ON OUR PROPERTY - inside or outside.  It is not until the House Rules that you mention it. And we all know Folks DO NOT read all the stuff we so carefully put in our listing.  People will push the limits sometimes and without consequences its nothing to them.  If they break your house rules you can have them  OUT - hope you took a photo of the ashes and butts in the sink!!! Evidence always of any problems sorry. If you are really kind about it and don't impress them they might continue smoking.

YOU have every right to say/message too so it is documented.  IF YOU SMOKE HERE I WILL HAVE TO ASK YOU TO LEAVE AS I AM ALLERGIC AND IT IS AGAINST OUR HOUSE RULES.  And don't worry about reviews and stuff - you must establish clear house rules and live by those and no bending. On the community when I read how host bend rules, just about everytime they suffer with bad news, bad reviews and an awful time. There's much to learn as we all are.  I too do NOT allow smoking my our cottage and when they request to book...............the BiG question I write is are you Smokers? so it is documented and they understand the house rule. Good luck and happy hosting. Clara

[Dennise-Ann0]

Take pictures of the cigarettes and request the full security deposit.

[Sara-and-Brian0]

I am the worst. I was very kind in my message, thankfully, because my husband was CLEANING OUT HIS BONG LAST NIGHT. He normally cleans the sink after, but he didn't last night because he didn't want to wake our guests. I apologized via messenger, and promised them a vegan treat when I get home to make up for it. Feeling super embarrassed and hopefully they still feel just as welcomed...

thanks for the advice. Xx

[Sara-and-Brian0]

Thank you Clara for the kind compliment and thoughtful reply! Thanks Dennise, I will know that next time IF I have an issue. 🙂

[Robin4]

@Sara-and-Brian0......Hi Sara, gee that makes it a bit hard when your husband cuts you off at the ankles by leaving his bong dregs in the sink and you blame the guests!!! WOW, is that really what happened??

Must admit I would feel a bit miffed if I was the guest and you blamed me for your husbands bad habits!

Sara, my wife and I were smokers once...managed to give them away in 1992 but there was a time when we were spending more a week on cigarettes than we were the mortgage for the house!

We both understand what it is like to be a smoker. I know full well that guests will smoke inside our hosting cottage despite the 'no smoking' policy I have. I tell them they are more than welcome to puff their heads off out in the garden at the rear of the property, I even provide large pottery ashtrays for them. But I know how a smokers brain is wired! He/she will sit on the step to the doorway from the main room into the bathroom with the exhaust fan on and think they have got away with it.

I can bleat and bitch about it but why....what good will it do? All that will happen is I will pi*s them off and end up with a poor review......and my business comes from my reviews! It's a revenue base I protect in any way I can......I am fully booked.

I have an ironising air filtration system in the cottage which truly takes care of cigarette smoke quickly and all I do is make a bit of a joke about it with the guest and the problem just disappears. He/she feels guilty, thanks me for my understanding and I end up with a good review.

Sara, smokers are smokers, try not to get precious about it but take steps to protect yourself, invest in an ironsing filter....it is a great investment.....ours has paid for itself many times over.

Cheers.....Rob

[Sara-and-Brian0]

Yep, that it is in fact what happened. I felt really awful all day. Luckily, it was within minutes when I sent the first message and then apologized, so it wasn't long. I went to a vegan bakery and bought her treats and profusely apologized. She said it was an honest mistake and not to worry. We had dinner last night, all seems well now.

Thanks for the suggestions, Rob,  however we have people in our home, not in another structure. In the future, I may update my listing to say "no smokers", unfortunately. 

[Matthew285]

@Sara-and-Brian0 I don't know exactly why, but I love this story.

I wish you continuing success with your listing!

[Sarah977]

@Sara-and-Brian0   Aside from the embarrassment factor, and the possibilty that the guests could have been highly offended, it's actually a pretty funny story.  Years from now, it'll be a story you tell about your airbnb experiences and have a good laugh over it.

[David126]

The bong bit made it, took it up from vaguely amusing to ROFL.