Entitlement

Linda166
Level 2
Ozark, MO

Entitlement

 I have done AIRBNB for 3 years and have been a super host every quarter.   I live in my home upstairs where I have private quarters and  the main floor is  for AIRBNB. We share kitchen and laundry. The last 6 months I have had guest to  feel they can "tour" my entire home ( even though it states Upstairs is off limit) , eat out of my pantry and freezer by cooking their meals etc.  I even had a couple of guest take the entire pack of laundry pods with them when they left. I clearly state that they always have a shelf in the fridge for their items. How do you handle this when talking to them just gets you a bad review.   Same with the thermostat but that is a different discussion. Do you all lock the thermostat down?

6 Replies 6
Jim472
Level 10
Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

I can't comment on the boundaries issue but as far as thermostat goes I'd invest in a NEST one. You can lock it down to a specific temp zone and monitor it remotely. 

Thanks I will be checking on that.

 

Alexandra316
Level 10
Lincoln, Canada

@Linda166 I use a Nest thermostat. You have a few choices with it: you can set a range that the guest can adjust between, or you can just keep it locked entirely so the guest can't adjust it at all. I also like the fact that you can adjust it remotely from your smartphone, so if you're coming home on a cold night and you would like it warm, or you get a guest complaint about temperature, you can jump on and look at what's happening.

 

For the issue of guests coming upstairs, do you specifically address it when you take the guests on a tour? Is there a door that you can close (and possibly lock) between the spaces? Can you put up a reminder sign? They make some nice cast iron "Private" signs. I would also be a bit more specific in your description and rules that upstairs is strictly off limits: right now, it says certain areas are shared, but doesn't specify that they aren't allowed in certain areas.

 

I see that you have a coffee bar in your guests' space: could you add a bar fridge and tell them the kitchen is off limits? It blows my mind that guests just take your food and make their meals with it.

 

With consumable products, I don't put out any more than I'm prepared to lose. I would recommend putting out a nice glass jar with a few laundry pods in it, and putting the rest away. That's what I do, and it works.

Thanks for the ideas. I do tell them on the tour it is off limits and it is posted. But some feel they can continue to do as they wish.  The kitchen is a big part of my home so I don't mind them using  it as it feels more like home. There is not a door between spaces but all three rooms upstairs I plan on putting locks on. Thanks again Linda

I would go a step further and invest in a camera monitoring the stairway. "Guests are not allowed in our private upstairs space. The stairway is monitored. Trespassers will be asked to leave immediately without refund."

 

We had issues with people entering our private spaces. Some people don't have the respect required for shared home stays. They're only deterred by heavy penalties.

Sean433
Level 10
Toronto, Canada

Linda, is there a possibility to install a small kitchenette? I know this is an expense but it will alleviate your problems and also give the guest added value in that they have their own kitchen which means you can price it higher and will achieve a return on your investment. Not to mention, this will increase the value of your home.

 

I also rent my walk-out basement. The way my home is set up is that I live upstairs and the guests have the main floor with their own private entrance at the side. They have their own kitchen and laundry. With that, I can charge easily $60 extra per night. I spent about $10,000 on the second kitchen only because I went high end (good fridge, quartz counters, marble backsplash) but you can easily to do for cheaper. I made that money back in 8 months and after that, it's pure profit, less hassles, more privacy for me and guests and value of home went up. If you have the cash flow, it's a win-win