Difficult guest

[Dawn47]

I have been hosting for a few years, and I'm looking for advice on my current guest.  I am a bit annoyed, but don't know if I'm over reacting - would appreciate other's advice. 

1) I had already told her I wouldn't be home on Sunday, so advised to self check in, and gave her the key (she had visited a few days prior to the reservation).  My check in is 5pm - 8pm - she arrived at 12.50pm, so more than 4 hours early. 

2) I am unsure if she can work the door lock.  I showed her this when she visit prior to the reservation.  She struggled with this at the time, despite being told a number of times how to lock and unlock the door.  However since then, she hasn't needed to lock / unlock as I have been home when she has left / arrived.

3) since arriving, she has struggled to work the shower.  She went to my neighbour's house, and asked her to come to the bathroom to switch the shower off.  This is a neighbour I don't get on with, and don't feel this was appropriate.

4) she has, for the last two morning, complained about feeling cold.  I have my heating set to come on automatically in the morning and evening, should the temperature fall below a certain temperature.  I don't want to turn it up, as I will then be overly warm and feel uncomfortable in my own home.

5) today she has had someone in my house, who I don't know, for a period of 2 hours.  My listing specifically states "no unexpected guests".  Whilst the extra person isn't staying overnight, she has still been in my house for a prolonged period.

6) the reservation was made on behalf of someone.  The person who has booked through airbnb is the daughter of the lady who is actually staying.

7) she has on a number of occasions, indicated that she has an expectation that I would drive her to where she wants to go.  This is not a service I offer, and am in no way able to facilitate this

Any advice would be greatly appreciated

Thanks, Dawn

[Mark116]

@Dawn47   I'm not going to get into the third party deal because others have already done so.

You need to have a talk with this woman, and explain how airbnb works...it isn't like a hotel, there is no concierge service, or other similar driving around type of services on offer and you are sorry if she has misunderstood things.  Then, go through as gently as possible how things work, the best way to communicate with you, the basic/most important house rules, like no guests w/out your permission, etc.

It. Is. August.  Give her a blanket if she is cold.   

[Yadira22]

Yes to the advice above.

To run the instruction of how to best use the door, shower etc- physically show her and ask her to repeat. May be condescending in a manner but if you explain it through kindness and emphasis that you want her to use these amenities to their full capacity and independently the guest will generally appreciate this. In this manner you also able to pick up what part of the process is obviously not “hitting home”. Message these to her daughter and ask to forward to her mother...

If no improvement has been made then call a day and have Airbnb cancel- ensuring you are not penalised as it’s a 3rd Party booking. 

Good luck @Dawn47  🙂

[Cathie19]

Devil’s advocate response here: I’m not suggesting it’s the case, or a reason to go soft on how you want to deal with it, but worth consideration....

I agree with @ @Yadira22, @Helen350 and @Sarah977 .  Sitting with her and having a chat, can’t hurt, and goes along with keeping with the Airbnb community spirit. Showing her how to operate shower etc, with hands on demonstration also can’t hurt. Her eyesight might not be great.......

I’m not however suggesting you be her carer....

Sometimes we just need to see things from the other person’s angle to assist us in being better hosts. It sounds like the daughter may be a bit clueless as to her mum’s needs, or unaware that her mum needs more assistance.

@Dawn47 , with regard to the technical issues with shower etc, she just might not be technically minded? If she is feeling stressed, it might be hard for her to take in the information.

With regard to her feeling cold, some medications do make a person sensitive to temperature; for example- blood thinners. But for the very young and elderly it is often physically more difficult to regulate the body’s temperature. (That is with heat or cold.)

[Chris232]

@Dawn47 @Cathie19 @Paul154  @Helen350 @Sarah977 

Hmmm ... is this the sign of things to come, I know when I am in my winter years of 80+ I will have a choice.

I could ;

1/ End up in a nursing home with the same old faces, bored with playing snakes and ladders and might be lucky to have a game of bingo once a week .... (Residential care: £625, Nursing care: £850) per week

2/ Take a permanent cruise with all facilities of 3 meals a day, have wonderful sites to see, chase the stewardess's in my wheel chair and have access to the ships doctors and stewards ... Min £755 per week

or

3/ Find a nice kindly (Gullible) AirBnB hoste (I'll get my daughter to book the place for me so as not to raise suspicions) who I can persued to look after me with extra extra's .... £135 per week.

At £135 per week am saving loads and might spoil myself now and agian on a cruise.

Think I will keep this to myself otherwise all the Silver Haired Surfers will be doing this.

[Helen350]

@Chris232  Now there's a thought.......!

[Cathie19]

@Helen350 

Well @Chris232 , you are giving us future things to think about. However if we all turn out to be problem guests; as full of faults that it is, the review system should see our requests for accommodation increasingly being declined.

So I have some faith this won’t happen.... but spending a few months away in a country that has a cheaper living cost, might be a way; as “best exotic marigold hotel” suggests.”Poseidon Adventure” put me off cruises as a starter.

 But for me, I like my kids and grandkids too much, so my travels will always be short. 😁