Early Check-in/Late Check-Out

[Valerie192]

I have been hosting for over a year now and I previously I have had a fairly lax approach to early check-in or late check-out. As long as guests checked and it was within 1-2 hours, I always said Sure No problem and happy to oblige. As I don't turn my room over the same day and have some flexibility to extend my guests. This only happened on rare occasion, though - most guests were really good about the times.

However, and I was wondering if others have seen this... in the last 2 months the amount of guests requesting early or late (often not even have appearing to read my check in/out times) has increased signficantly. I have had numerous guests just in the last month request a check-out time in the EVENING (like 7/8 pm)! vs the 11 am. 

I am sad to leave my lax policy in the dust, but as of today I am updating my rules to say if guestis requesting more than 2 hours on either end, it still has to be approved by me and is subject to an additional, reasonable fee.

Just wondering if anyone else has seen this type of increase in non-chalantness toward check-in/out times??

[Mary419]

I have complained about this to the property manager's team and since then have seen less of it but sorry to see selecting an arrival window that is earlier than the host check in time is still an option. I believe that was a design flaw initially.

[Lisa515]

I just had a booking with a little blurb that said "check in time: 10 a.m. - noon". I agreed to the booking and then she asked me to respond to the early check in request which I hadn't seen originally. I went to my dummy account and attempted to reserve my own place and didn't see where this guest could have requested an alternate check in time.  ????  Why does airbnb allow this, really annoying. 

[Marina910]

I’m on my third set  of guests from the same European country that have totally ignored my check in and check out times even though I have messaged them and it is on my listing. So I have decided to remove the key prior to the check in time and will encourage them to leave by leaving a notice on the door. I feel my role is not to educate guests and take their manners to task but to be very clear of what is expected of them. Failing that I’ll just start to cut the lawn 🤣🤣☺️🤣

[Rowena10]

I am currently waiting on guests to arrive my check check in time is 3 to 8pm. It’s now 10.50pm . They have moved the timefrom 8 when making the booking and then a few days before arrival and then at 7.00pm to say they were 3 hrs away and would be stopping to eat !!  Could I have cancelled the booking  . . .? This year it does appear guests want hotel service for Airbnb prices. Ignoringhouse rules getting a little disenchanted

[Kim1075]

Do you generally charge for early arrivals and late departures? If so, how much? 

[Mike-And-Helen0]

I'm starting to think it is a good idea...

[Sarah2558]

Did anyone ever figure out how to add extra charges for early check-in / late check-out?

[Alice595]

@Sarah2558 You can add it to your house rules. 

However, it could have negative impacts for your review ratings from guests who don't read house rules when they book. You will need to use Request Money button on the reservation to get the money.

[Jeanine44]

Well, this is a thread I need to comment on.

Thanks for helping me see straight and adjust my House Rulles.

I just had my Thanksgiving ruined and am now facing the same situation. Once Learned, Twice burned.

I had a guest book on TG and then send a text the day before asking if he could check in early. I said check in time was 4 pm but if he was going to a dinner could drop his luggage off after 12 noon. At 9:30 am,  my day to sleep late, I get a wake up call asking if he could check in. I reiterated if he needed to drop off luggage he could do it after Noon. At 10:30 am I get a text again asking to check in. I get up and look out the window and he is in front of the house sitting in his car. I waited a half an hour and then went out at 11:00 to see if it was him. He then came in, and proceeded to go to the room and not come out by the time I had left to go to my own dinner at 1 pm. When I returned at 5:30 he was still here. He then asked me out for a drink which I begged off on and the next day did not check out until an hour after check out. Beyond the nerve of all this, I am a 4.9 Superhost and he had the audacity to give me 3 stars!!!!!

All this did was confirm that the ones who take the most liberties are just abusing and disrespecting the hosts. I did not let the review go unanswered ("OK for what it was") and stated these facts so that if other hosts were to look at his reviews (mine was only the second) they could at least be forewarned.

I always give high stars to my guests and this has made me step back quite a bit. I now do not rush to review for starters. I also had a couple anticipate an early arrival and ask by text to wake me up at 5:30 am. As I had someone in their room I told them they would have to book another room that morning. They did. Unfortunately they threw makeup wipes down the toilet and I had no plumbing until the Roto Rooter $200 visit.

Mind you, I only charge $30-35 a night, with AirBnB pounding me to go to $21, but I think I will hold off on attracting the Meth users on that one.

I guess I am ranting as I just had a guy want to check in at 10 am and check out an hour later. He seems not to comprehend that 7 extra hours means I have to book out a night before to accommodate him. Given the extensive back and forth and my dorm room in Bangkok rates, I think I talked myself into withdrawing the approval, even though he has excellent reviews. It seems like no good deed goes unpunished and if a guest is insisting on their weird schedule and my need to be flexible about it in a money losing position isn't appreciated, a bad review and attendant aggravation is hardly worth it.

Most of my guests are polite and considerate, but it seems AirBnB may be going the way of Craigslist if it does not protect the hosts in matters like this. I appreciate the forum in as much as I hate to be a complainer, but if we are not running this as the multi-empire all the webinars propose and are offering a room at the Inn, we do need to compare notes.

[Jill963]

Wow. This is ridiculous.  I too am tired of guests taking advantage and hope air b n b starts to step up a bit to protect hosts. 

[Joann75]

@Valerie192 

my property is a condo in a country club community which I rent out completely. Our renters are typically here to golf and/or use pools. I have allowed early check in/out at no fee up to now, but think I’ll change that to $50 early check in between noon-4pm. And $50 late check out between 11am-4pm. Additional $50 4pm- 6pm. Any later than that and it’s got to be a full night rate I think! These very late

ones are golfers who want to play an afternoon round and then come back to shower and pack. 
The one time I did request additional fee for late check out the guest politely declined. 

[Jill963]

Yes, I had some guests request to have a late check out. Mine is normally at 12.  They didn't leave until 5 and they left our home pretty dirty. I think I also will be asking for a later check out fee if it's over 2 hours. 

[Lee-And-Kimber0]

I am still new to Airbnb, but here is what I am doing.  BTW, if anyone is aware that I am breaking rules please let me know.

For reference, I rent out an entire home and block out the day before and the day after bookings for prep, so this system may not be an option for everyone.

Guest check-in is 3PM - 8PM, Check-out is 10AM.  Guest have self check-in and are sent the house code 48 hours before arrival.  The house code is not active until 30 minutes prior to check in and deactivated 30 minutes after checkout time and the house is locked with alarm set. Of course I can control this remotely, but you would be surprised how many people can stick to a schedule at the thought of being locked out of a house and having the alarms set.  I do my best to be accommodating and communicate with guests, but, as a last resort, I will not hesitate to set the alarm and let the police know they are unwelcome guests that need to be escorted out.

With each booking I send out an automated message that states the check in and check out times, but also lets them know that I offer an early check in at 10AM and/or a late check-out at 3PM for an additional $100/option (depending on availability).  They are also told that these options need to be requested no later than 7 days in advance and prepaid (I send either a modified booking request or a funds request) so that we can make arrangements with the cleaning crew and block out the appropriate amount of time. Some have taken this options, but most say thank you but cannot due to work and travel schedules.

Beyond that, my house rules state that unapproved late checkouts are $100/hour. 

As I said in the beginning, I am still new at this (hopefully not breaking any rules) and may have some ugly lessons to learn...but it is working out well so far.