Entering the unit during a guest's stay

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Entering the unit during a guest's stay

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.

1 Best Answer
Sarah3236
Level 2
Bristol, GB

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.

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60 Replies 60
Helen350
Level 10
Whitehaven, United Kingdom

Disagree.

 

@Nina75 :  from whence gains the guest this "right to privacy" in my House?

Amen.  My host did this today and I'm not happy.  The place was also falsely advertised as "entire house" but airbnb claimed she changed it 4 days before I booked and the private room in a shared house wasn't showing up in the listing yet.  They seem to always take the hosts' side.  I went out today and came back and saw that the comforter was gone, which means she came in and took it.  I notice every teensy teensy thing, and I know when someone has been in my space.  I never want to use airbnb again after this crap.

@Shannon642 That is Totally Unacceptable. Id call AirBnb up and get a new place.

Della69
Level 1
Oklahoma City, OK

I am about to move to a new reservation. I have had a problem with the current host wanting to show the unit to prospective renters. I am moving to a new place that is a few blocks away and it is owned by a man not a woman. There are 5 bungalows each with their own entrance from the courtyard.   I have read all of the comments and think that some folks are not considering the safety implications and  risks when saying that a host should be able to come in at any time without notice.  What if you are a single female staying alone and a host decides he can come in at 7am ?  After all it is not the middle of the night but chances are that if you are on vaca you are asleep in your bed. How can anyone think that is acceptable? I think many hosts think because they own the property they can enter anytime but a renter has PAID for the domicile and the privacy it affords as well as the safety that no one can just barge in anytime.  just my humble opinion

@Della69  There are very few hosts, at least hosts on this forum, who consider it acceptable for hosts to enter without prior notice. Of course if there were an emergency situation- a burst plumbing pipe, a fire, they might need to, but it only takes a minute to text a guest to let them know the situation. 

Some hosts feel justified in entering if a guest ignores requests to turn off lights, turn down AC or heat when not at home, but even that really shouldn't be done, although it's understandable that if a guest is just wasting resources, and ignoring a simple and reasonable request, a host doesn't want to end up with a higher electric bill than what the guest paid for the accommodation.

I once entered my guest's private bedroom when she wasn't home because there was a sudden downpour and I saw that she'd left the windows open. I didn't want her to come back to a wet bed, but I texted her immediately to let her know I'd done this. I was in and out of the room in about 15 seconds.

Guests most certainly should expect their privacy to be respected.

Did you get an answer from airbnb on this matter? currently in the same situation, day 1 of my 30 day reservation.  The host didn't tell me until after I checked in that the property was now up for rent and that an agent would be showing it. 

The same thing happened to me.  My current host had her brothers come over and help her move furniture around, and then 3 people showed up to look at the place.  She told me they were potential buyers/renters.  They knocked on my bedroom door to look inside, and I was getting dressed so I told them to wait.  This host has also knocked on my door numerous times, has a cat and a dog that barks at me every time I make a move, and she changed the listing to private room in a shared house 4 days before I reserved, and airbnb told me the new listing wasn't showing yet, and that's why i thought I was getting "entire house".  They also told me she was just trying to be friendly by knocking on my door.  I just wanted some peace and quiet.

I would be so mad!!!

Our host is entering the property when we are not there. Once was to place towels which was nice, however the second time I realized was when a door was left open that had previously been locked. We had been told this room is private and we could not use it. We have not been notified that they would be entering the property during the day. 
It’s made us a little uncomfortable as this wasn’t the apartment we were meant to be in.

if a Hot enters my apartment, I will be very very pissed.

**[Inappropriate comment removed in line with the Community Center Guidelines]

Kevin1644
Level 1
Alameda, CA

What's the official policy for hosts entering the premises?  I've been looking on the site, but haven't found anything yet.  

 

I have a tenant in the other unit who informed me that there is a sudden significant loss of water pressure and it is impacting their use of showering, etc.  I Informed my AirBNB guest they we'll be entering the property in 24 hours to check and make sure we have no active leaks and investigate the cause.  With a potential threat of damage to the property from a potential water leak, we need to make sure there isn't a problem.  If I could get someone to stop by sooner, I would.  

 

I was curious what the AirBNB policy was.  With regular tenants, a landlord can enter at a moments notice if there is an emergency.  Otherwise, it's 24 hours notice for inspections and non emergency visits.   

 


@Kevin1644 wrote:

What's the official policy for hosts entering the premises?  


There is no official policy. Each host is just winging it; justifying their choices based on their own experiences, tenant law [though not fully applicable at all,] and gut instincts.

Guests are not tenants;    while discretion and courtesy is advised to preserve the guest experience,  and entering without very good reason is not advised (per comments below),  absolutely no notice of any kind is required.

I always message my guests and wait -- but if I had a water leak or thought there was some violation of the rules that merited entering without asking?