Entering the unit during a guest's stay

[Scott-and-Cathy0]

I'm curious if, as a general rule hosts enter their Airbnb rental units during a guest's stay (understanding that the guest is aware it's happening).  

For instance, to check for towels or bedding to launder or to replenish consumables, along the lines of maid service in a hotel but without tidying up or making beds, etc.

[Sarah977]

@Kevin1644  As Susan said , there is no policy. Obviously, if there is an emergency situation, the host would need to get in ASAP- it's good, though, that you were able to give your guest 24 hours notice- that's always polite, if possible. There could be occasional situations where there is no notice, like a fire or the plumbing bursts.

But this business where hosts go into the guest room on a daily basis to empty garbage cans, etc, seems wrong to me. My max stay is 2 weeks and I offer guests clean towels and bedding after one week, If they're staying 10 days, I'll offer halfway through, at day 5. I always ask if they would like me to remake the bed, or if they'd like to do it themselves. They've all said they'll do it themselves, which tells me they like to have privacy during their stay.  

If I did long term stays, I'd arrange to go in to change out bedding and towels and do a quick clean once a week, as long-stay guests can trash the place if the host isn't on top of it. Rotting garbage they're too lazy to take out to the dumpster or bin, etc.  If I saw a guest was a neat/clean freak after a clean or two, I might ask them if they wanted me to continue or they would prefer to do it themselves.

[Michelle53]

I don't generally enter the guest space during a stay. There have been instances where I need to retrieve something from the locked storage area, only accessible from inside the guest space.  In those instances, I send the guest a message telling them I need to do that, and wait for a response. If there is none, in a reasonable timeframe, I will knock and enter, if the guest is out. 

I have had inquiries where people have asked "is the space 100% private?".    I'm never quite sure what they mean by that, but I tell them that nobody else uses the private guest area except the persons on the reservation, but that I do work from home, so they may hear me walking about, or see me in the garden etc.  Often, they don't book after that - so I always wonder what "100% private" really means. 

[Tony-And-Una0]

We would not enter without the permission.

We did once in error when we got our cleaning rota mixed up.(once in over 2,000 guests).

They wrote a shocking review saying they caught us trying to steal from  them.  Sigh

[Amy1604]

I noticed my host entering other airbnb guest’s rooms while they were gone. It seems like a situation where he watches the cameras to see when the guest leaves. The host has even shown irritation towards me for not leaving my room, and said “you don’t leave your room, You said you would.” I also heard him use a phony excuse about electricity to barge into a guests room. In my situation, I’m only renting a room, and although he lives in a separate duplex, he still invades without notice the common areas daily to complain about how often trash is taken out, are lights on, is a dish dirty, he throws windows open, he storms around snooping. Does nothing helpful like clean or replace essentials. He gave me one dirty towel, and he thinks he’s doing too much. In the case of this airbnb, I think a policy of never entering without the guests permission would be beneficial to all. We don’t want to see you everyday, especially if you have a angry attitude and make us uncomfortable. Boundaries are healthy, and respect should be a priority. 

[Sarah3236 · Accepted solution]

From a guest perspective, I don't have a problem with host entering a room when out... it's no different to housekeeping when you're staying in a hotel. 

That said, I ended up here on the forum to see what the policy was because I've just got back to my room to find that my host has been into the room and opened my suitcase. The bed hasn't been changed or any other likely reason they might have come in. Not really sure how to deal with this as I suffer with terrible anxiety related to confrontation.

[Sarah977]

@Sarah3236  That's rather shocking. I assume you have some way of knowing without a doubt that your suitcase was opened? If that's the case, since you have anxiety around confrontation (a psychologist friend who is also a friend of my daughter's told me privately that my daughter is the most conflict-averse person he's ever encountered, so I understand this well) would you feel less anxiety if you messaged the host about this, rather than verbally? You don't have to outright accuse them- something like "Hi XX, when re-entering my room today,  it was evident that my suitcase had been opened in my absence. Do you have any idea why this would have been done?"

It's weird, but sometimes there's a reasonable explanation for something that might never have occurred to us. That's why it's always a good idea to just ask before jumping to conclusions. Maybe they had family over when you were out and some curious child wandered in and opened it? 

If you send a message like that and the host denies all knowledge or gets nasty about thinking they've been accused, then you could call Airbnb if you feel that's warranted. Just be really sure that there's no doubt whatsover that your suitcase was opened. I had what had formerly been a really close friend rake me over the coals for sleeping in her bed when I was staying with her and she was gone for a day, simply because her bed covers were rumpled up. I never even went in her bedroom, let alone slept in her bed. What had actually happened is that she had set her overnight bag on her bed after making it in order to pack and that is what messed up the already made bed but she had't thought of that explanation before blatantly and angrily accusing me of something that wasn't true.

[Sarah3236]

Thank you so much for your thoughtful response. 

I know it sounds super weird, but I got a strange feeling and so put something on top of my suitcase, in this case, my house keys, and took a picture before leaving the room. When I returned, they were clearly in the same spot but having been moved.

There is another guest stayang in the house, so of course there's nothing to say it wasn't them, or as you say, a visiting grandchild. 

Thanks for your advice. I have pretty well-honed emailing skills so will probably go down this route!

Either way, I must say I'm looking forward to getting up and out now!

Thanks again. Sarah.

[Sarah977]

@Sarah3236 Well, with the fact that that there's another guest staying there as well, that makes me think it's a really good idea to message the host about it. Assuming the host wouldn't do something like that, they might want to be aware their other guest might have. After all, the host wouldn't want that other guest snooping in their belongings, either.

Sometimes guests post here saying they feel uncomfortable because there isn't a lock on their bedroom door that can be locked from the outside when they go out. That doesn't make much sense if it's just the host they are sharing with, as a host would have their own keys to everything in the house, in case of emergency. But if rooms are rented out to multiple unrelated guests, I think it's a good idea and you may want to enquire if there is a lock if you ever book a situation like this again.

[Shannon642]

That's no excuse though.  People should watch their children, so a curious child would not wander in and get into someone's things.

[Melodie-And-John0]

There are gray areas @Sarah3236 , a creepy host opening your suitcase is not gray, its 100% red!   You should definitely report the host to Airbnb, get a refund and make them find another place asap.   Get out of there Sarah, nobody needs that happening.   Stay well, JR 

[Maia29]

I would never enter a guest’s unit without their permission. It’s an invasion of their privacy. 

[Kelli214]

Okay, so first of all, My situation is that I rent rooms out in the house in which I currently live.

The scenario is, i have a longer-term guest, a younger guy whom has a Dog.  I was told at the outset that the dog was a medium-sized dog and very friendly and well behaved.    So far I have discovered that this is not the case.  

I was also told that he takes the dog everywhere with him.  This also has not been the case.   (That May be another subject entirely).

My real question here, is around concerns of damage.  I realize that by allowing the dog I’ve opened myself up to this liability; even if the owner misrepresented the size and temperament of the dog prior to his stay; I approved them and let them in when they arrived.  

After a week, I have wanted to do a spot check of the room to ensure everything is A-Ok, however, the guest seems to be dodging me.  I’ve told him I’d like to do a spot check of the room and bring towels up etc.   (Every time I offer to come up and clean or bring supplies, he declines).  As for a spot check, He insists he wants me to “let him know” before I go in to the room.  

We made plans to do the check today however, We have managed to miss each other throughout the day as he was gone when I woke early this morning, came in and out several times and hasn’t said anything to me about it.  Now Another day has gone by and he hasn’t mentioned the spot check we talked about (to be fair, neither have I, but I am sure he didn’t forget).  

i know this may sound petty, but I don’t want to be a nag and I feel like he is avoiding me  and that he may be hiding something.  Really I am concerned the dog has done damage to the room.    

I would appreciate if people Who generally respect guests’ privacy answer just what I am asking here, which is:

A.  Are there Any other similar experiences, and how did you handle it?

B.  In this case, what are your dispositions regarding  A guest that is dodgy and not

readily giving permission to let us enter? Or, in other words,

C.  If his privacy is to be respected, (i feel it is), would this rise to the level of an exception if in fact he still does not permit entry, if there are concerns of damage ?  Thanks in advance 

[Melodie-And-John0]

@Kelli214 , @Sarah977 's advice is pretty solid, you gotta somehow get through this, ending it might be the best way.  Then comes the after, if the dog did do damage, you have nothing you can do except give him a bad review cause Airbnb wont pay claims for pet damage.   I would reconsider being pet friendly in the future, sooner or later its gonna bite you even if its not this guests pooch that does it.  Good luck, JR 

[Sherry462]

my thoughts as a presbyopia host  Id get that in writing  ask for a pet pic during the booking process before accepting a request to book , then be there when a “pet packing guest” arrives if the dog is the one you approved go from there but it’s on you if you keep letting people book without clearly and firmly setting ground rules BEFORE a pet is let in at all.
Pets will only carry out damaging anything if their owner is the kind that doesn’t train the pet not to.
Something is missing in a pet parent relationship when a pet reacts by damaging anything So  no 2 people are alike No 2 pets are alike but pets are like their parents. What a guest think is Okay doesn’t nesssaily match what you think is ok. Everyone thinks their pet or child is the most amazing . Love for our pets and people  can cloud what others see clearly that’s not quite right.
FACT we all do not live the same way AT ALL everyone has their thing but you as a host just have to find a kind way to vet anything your gong to allow . A medium size dog ? What exactly is that unless you’ve got a photo and breed , age etc. But if a guest tells  books after reading in you description

ANY PET NOT MEETING THE GUIDELINES OF BEHAVIOR AND OR DESCRIPTION GIVEN BY  PET OWNER  GUEST UPONG CHECKIN IN OR AT ANYTIME DURING THE STAY WILL BE ASKED TO LEAVE

 STAND BEHIND THAT and anyone that books will know before hand and print that out place it with the a printed copy of the rules cover yourself

and post the pet part in a cute Frame at eye level .  then it’s  you must simply at the first incident   and  checking  the dog etc  upon arrival  is key if you SEE something’s not quite right put those guidelines in your profile description of the listing. setting permitters in the listing description will detour people who will try to side blind a host as well as. 

[Sarah977]

@Kelli214  Well, first of all, allowing him to continue to stay when he totally misrepresented the dog situation has put you in a very difficult position. If I were I your shoes, I would ask him to leave- he lied to you and I wouldn't want to share my house with someone who lied to me.

As far as entering his room, I think it's very odd to say you want to do a "spot check". You are basically saying you don't trust him and want to snoop in the space he has rented to make sure there are no damages. I don't think any guest would be okay with this.

What experienced hosts normally do re long-term guests, is to make it clear ahead of time that you go in to do a quick clean and linen change once every week or 2 (and set this timing up with the guest so it works for both), whether there is a dog involved or ot. This not only allows the host to make sure the guest isn't living like a pig in there and keep things from getting too bad, it can also make the guest more tidy and respectful if they know you'll be coming in on a regular, pre-arranged basis.

As I said, I'd ask this guest to leave- he sounds like someone not suited for home-share. He wants you to respect his privacy, which would normally be understandable, but didn't respect you enough not to misrepresent the size and the behavior of the dog. And if he told you the dog goes everywhere with him, but is leaving it in the house when he goes out, that's even more reason to boot him.