First Airbnb Nightmare

First Airbnb Nightmare

Hello, i just had my first Airbnb nightmare experience. Well... it is still going on. I am sharing to you my story asking for opinions. I am clarifying that i am a superhost, but it doesn't show it like this because the owner is my father's account and i use both.
This is my listing: https://www.airbnb.com/rooms/19266976?source_impression_id=p3_1567549603_HPjeevFlVIw68Z0N
This is the message i sent to Airbnb support:

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Hello, i really need your help. I always knew that there are also people in this community that are no respectful at all and that there is a low but still a possibility to encounter them, and this time i have to deal with one of them.  Simone is my guest. He booked my place for 10 days for 5 persons in total. He arrived with a family (5 in total) the first day.

1) Simone

2) His wife (Tatiana)

3) Their son (a little kid)

4) Tatiana's mother

5) Tatiana's father

This is how they introduced themselves.

 

The troubles began from the first day.

During their arrival, when i gathered them to give them a tour in the house and guide them. They spread out without letting me speak with them, as a result i ended up chasing them to re-mention some basic rules, to tell them how to use things and where they should watch out. So not all of them heard everything i fear. Tatiana and Simone then asked me if i was living upstairs. Then i realized that they didn't have read my listing's description even though i mentioned them to read them the first day they booked. I Answered them and asked them if they had read our rules. They responded with "rules?" I told them the basic rules, "like the no smoking, no parties, etc" and i told them to read them again, but all of them (also the additional rules) and to read the listing's details and description.

 

From the next day i could hear that they let their child use a scooter inside the house (i hear wheels running every morning and i see their kid with the scooter in the garden sometimes, but i know he uses it in the house as well)  and that didn't give me the best impression.

 

2 days later they started bringing extra guests in without asking for permission or saying anything. I just heard more people talking outside. So i asked them politely if they had any extra guests. They responded "yes my brother came here to find us".  I didn't want to be a stickler with the rules and tell them that they had to ask for permission first, so i was just satisfied that they didn't hide it when i asked, so i told them to have fun. I thought that it was just a visit and that they were aware of the rules. My rules are clear, i don't allow any extra guests apart from those who requested to book my place to stay overnight, but i allow day visitors ONLY if they ask for permission from me first. The next days i could see different figures at night entering without exiting the house and it was then i knew they didn't respect the rules. I had suspicions that they let extra people live inside but no proof because they were very careful when entering and exiting during daylight. I could just spot them at night but i wasn't sure, so i didn't tell anything.

 

Then the day came that they did something very scary. The first day while i showed them the place around, i showed them that i offer 2 bikes. They asked if the small bike they could see in the garage was available (for their kid), but i pointed them its condition and i refused by telling that "as you can see this bike is in no condition to be used, you can use only the 2 ones i showed you". Then after a few days, i saw the small bike with the tyres inflatable, and i saw that someone has accessed my workshop where i keep my personal tools (a place that i forbid from my guests by saying in the rules and in person, that they only have access to the parking slot and the amenities i provide and nothing else down in the garage). I noticed that the valve of my compress air tool was open, something very dangerous for the machine and anyone who uses it. I quickly sent Simone a message and told him once more to read my rules, and that he shouldn't have trespassed and if he wants to do something that i rule out, he has to ask for permission first. He apologized and said it won't happen again, and i responded that i appreciate that. In that text i also included to read specifically our "garage doors" rules and "extra guests" rules to let him know that letting extra people stay overnight is forbidden.

 

Then today comes after 7 days of their stay and i see new day-guests leaving the place (again without my permission even though i told them again and again that they had to read my rules about the extra-guests). A few moments pass and hear my fire alarm downstairs. I rushed out of fear and i saw they had all the windows and doors open in panic and a lot of gray smoke filling the air exiting through all openings.

I shouted "is there a fire?". Then i saw a stranger guy walking in the living room. In my panic i asked him "Who are you?" Then they appeared and hid him from me in the balkony by "focusing" more on the fire. They had left the kitchen cooking in max heat and forgot about the food while relaxing outside in the balkony. Luckily no fire yet, but my home was filled with gray smoke. I didn't say anything to them except "what happened here?". I left to go grab my ladder to stop the roof fire alarm from ringing. When i returned, Tatiana's mother started being aggressive towards me by starting a monologue (without me even responding) "It happened only once so? ... You call that an oven?... I didn't forget the food, it's your oven that overheats easily..." (meanwhile you couldn't breath or see clearly from the smoke, so that means they left it a while THANK GOD I HAD A FIRE ALARM!)

When i stopped the alarm, all of them ignored me and continued their talk on the balkony like nothing happened. I called Simone if he could come out so we can speak in private. Simone came to me and i asked him "Who was that guy that i saw? Is he a guest?" He responded "Yes he is Tatiana's brother" Then i asked him "Does he stay here with you?" He responded "Yes with his wife" Then he left in the middle of the conversation as if i was not even there. Tatiana's mother then came to me and increased the tension and the aggression and started disrespecting me in my own house. She said "he is my son, what is your problem... we stayed in other places before, i assure you we won't come here again... we paid 800€ and we bought the place for 10days and we will do whatever we want..."

I was just... stunned...  The only words that came out of my mouth by then were only "Who is that?" and "Is he a guest or is he staying here overnight with you?"

and i heard all of that.

Then she proceeded to say "We informed you about that and you know it very well..."

i told her "No you never did that, you never informed me and never asked for permission, i found out myself and i allowed you to have A VISIT from him"

She continued: "yes you know it very well... my daughter told you about it"

then i snapped and told her: "Are you calling me a liar inside my own house? If that is the case, get Tatiana here to tell that to me herself, i can show you the conversation to see with your own eyes that you never told me anything"

Then she called her daughter Tatiana, and she was calmer and i was able to make conversation with her. I explained that airbnb is not a hotel but an agreement between the host and the guest and they have to agree with the host's rules first (something they did), and they have to follow them. I explained that they keep breaking my rules but now not only they are confessing but they are also disrespectful  to me as well. Tatiana told me that indeed her brother was staying in the place with them.

In the meanwhile her mother would pop up in the conversation by saying things like: "We will leave in 3 days... so what's the problem, just deal with it, let it go"

I tried to ignore the disrespectful lady that almost started a fire a few moments ago and focused on the talk with Tatiana. I told her how airbnb works, i told her that it is her responsibility that all of the guests are aware of the rules and they have to obey them. She did told me about her brother that he was staying here (but not anything about her brother's wife, which i never saw but Simone did mentioned her). So i told her that he is allowed to stay but they will have to tell me the exact number of days he stayed/planning to stay and that they were going to get charged for this 15€ per day of his stay (as i have it on my listing for more than 5 persons). She told me that he came the second day after they arrived and he was going to leave 1 day before they leave (to me it sounds like they were trying to hide him so i wouldn't see him during check out). When i mentioned that they had to pay for the extra guests her mother again starting taunting me in Italian and make gestures (get out of here). I told Tatiana to do me the favor, and post the exact number of days he stayed also here in your site, so i will have my proof (if they still respect me and were just unaware of the rules and bad guests but not guests with bad intentions to exploit me) She responded with just "Ok"

They closed the door and i returned upstairs.

 

I never talked to them besides the airbnb chat and face to face, so all of our conversations are on our chat, and what i say here. I never actually understood who is talking to me through airbnb. The profile says "Simone", and he speaks broken Greek here. While on face to face, Simone doesn't understand Greek and it seems that Tatiana is using her husband's profile. So maybe i am talking with Tatiana and Simone is never informed (or just doesn't care once he left me in the middle of the conversation with the attitude of [i don't care, resolve this with Tatiana]) In any case, i informed all of the group, but they are all disrespectful.

 

So to summarize:

-Disrespectful guests towards the house

-Didn't bother reading the rules and broke many of them again and again

-Re-Broke rules after i let them know about them

-Trespassed in non authorized area

-Used forbidden personal things of mine without asking for permission

-Brought in multiple unauthorized extra-guests

-Sneaked in unauthorized extra-guests and let them stay overnight

-Causing accidents and damage in my property

-Refusing to pay for the unauthorized guests

-Taunted me and disrespect me by calling me names and a liar in their language

-Bullied me by saying "let it go, we will leave anyway in 3 days"

 

I want to let you know that i don't feel comfortable at all with those guests and after their verbal aggression i contacted a friend of mine in the police department. He informed me about our local laws and he told me "if you need us, we will be there in a matter of minutes". I am alone and they are many and they are aggressive sometimes and i am afraid. But if they are polite and calm there is no problem.

I don't want them anymore, i feel like i might find things broken just out of retaliation. I don't mind taking her advice and just "let it go, it's just 3 more days" and wait for the storm to pass and just blacken them with a honest review, but i don't want to be exploited. I saw the sneaked extra guest with my eyes and they confessed. (If it's only him and there are no extra persons like his "wife" that Simone mentioned but i didn't see her)

I will just ask them to pay for the extra person as polite as i can and play stupid until they finally leave, but if they refuse after all this, i will tell them to leave the property tomorrow. And if they refuse to leave, i will call the police.

 

I am very troubled, and i am a bit afraid. It is the first time i encounter such guests. What is your opinion on this? Did you have similar cases before? What do you suggest me to do? How can you help me?

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

I actually don't find as bad the fire+Sneaking incident as much as i find the fact that they didn't even apologize for it but turned an aggressive stance instead.
I mean, come on! You just caused a fire in another man's house as guest. The least you can do is apologize not blame the oven when you clearly ignored the stove until the smoke filled half the room! Same for the sneaking. I mean... i caught you! Apologize at least and ask for permission even if it's already done. Don't say "ok, so what are you going to do about it? let it go"
These are not guests, they are pests...


Here is also the pm i texted them for the unauthorized use of my tools and trespassing:

Me:
Hello Simone! I noticed that the worskshop door in the garage was open. I wanted to ask you, did you access the room?

Him:
The door is open from the first day I had to put the bicycles because they were broken.

Me:
To avoid misunderstandings better read again the listing's description and all of our rules (inclusing additional rules), i am very clear there and you will find all the information you need. (also about our "extra-guest" policy and our "outer gates that shouldn't remain open after exit" garage policy)
You don't have access to the workshop.
You have full access to the 1st floor,
shared access to the garden (light activities described)
and shared partially access to the garage (only the parking slot and the amenities i provide)
Please don't get me wrong but i don't share my tools with my guests. This room has tools that can be described as dangerous to use, and some of them can be used as weapons. Many of them are also old and worn out and only me can access them safely because i know their malfunctions.
I understand that you just wanted to fix the bikes, but the amenities i provide and your safety in the house are my responsibility. The tyres of the small bike, the rubber and the balloon inside are so old that by inflating them you risk an explosion. And i have lost 30% of my vision in the right eye because of such accident. I explained you the first day that i provide only these 2 bikes and but not the small 3rd one because of its condition and it's not fixed yet. I won't even comment the condition of its brakes.

Please, If you need help with something contact me first and i will come in person to help you resolve the issue, Inform me if something i provide isn't working properly and ask for permission if you need something that i rule out.

Him:
I'm so sorry it will not happening again

Me:
It's ok and i appreciate your answer. You have my permission to use the small bike lf you believe you fixed it but only at your own risk. I am not responsible if anything happens to you if you use it. And i must again warn you, i consider it as dangerous. My personal opinion: i wouldn't let my child ride 20y old rotten hardened tyres.

6 Replies 6
Emiel1
Level 10
Leeuwarden, The Netherlands

@Κωνσταντίνος7 

It is a long story.....but what is your question ?

You ask for opinions:

it is clear you encountered disrespectfull guests and i suggest to reflect that in your review..

On the other hand:  i feel you are not "in control" and you must be more strict towards this guests, so they become aware they can not play games with you.

 

I just wrote the whole story. They are terrible guests i do not doubt that.
The question is about the sneak-guest. I charge more for more persons. They hid him and when i discovered that i asked them to tell me how many days he stayed so i can charge them the right price. 
They basically just told me what's done is done and you cannot do anything about it rather than just wait for us to leave.
What do i do if they do not agree to pay for the sneak-guest? Do i ask them to leave or accept my fate?

@Κωνσταντίνος7  You always have the right to evict the guests for breaking your House Rules, or behaving in a way that makes you feel unsafe in your home. It's generally easier to do this if you agree to refund the unused nights.

 

I can't begin to imagine why you would let these horrible guests continue their stay, but you are the boss of the property; Airbnb is only your listing service.

I didn't know that i can evict only by breaking the House Rules, good to know. You are right, i am the boss of my property. I allowed them to stay but i gave them options. They have to pay for the extra guest and stay, or they will have to leave. 

*Update*
They accepted the request for money and paid for the extra guest. 
They sent me that they thought it was no problem, and i replied that it is their responsibility to acknowledge the rules, accept them, follow them.
I also told them that asides the rule breaking with the way they talked to me they showed total disrespect and i only allow them to continue staying. 
(because they told me "i paid so i can do whatever i want")

Miriam436
Level 2
Austin, TX

I would contact AirBNB so they're aware of the situation, then request the money for the brother's stay through the resolution center. Did they admit that he is staying in the AirBNB system?  If so, you should be able to get the money and AirBNB SHOULD back you up. Since it's kind of the end of the stay, you could just endure, although you of course have the option of kicking them out. Just let AirBNB know first and inform the guests on the platform.

I did contact Airbnb right away. This message above is what i sent to Airbnb and i forwarded it here.
The Airbnb support guys helped me a lot, and with their help i made the request for money and my guests accepted them.

I told her the last night to add the specific days of her brother's stay in the platform (so i will have their valid proof there as well) but she tried to avoid it and never sent anything. So today i tried to force it out of her:

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Me:
Hello, from the last night's discussion to the best of my knowledge i understand that your brother was also accommodated in this house during the same period. Unless i hear to the opposite, I am intended to charge you with 15€ per night per extra person other than the 5 that booked.

Her:
I'm sorry but my brother started to sleep with us in sunday and will leave the house tomorrow i'm sorry but i didn't k now it was a problem but i must pay i'll pAy the four nights so 60 because in the Other days didn't slept

Me:
*created 60€ request*


Very well. I made a request for 60€ for the extra guest.

I have to let you know that airbnb is not working like a hotel. Airbnb is a platform that allows hosts to create contracts of accomotation to accept guests. These contracts come with rules that you have to acknowledge, accept, and follow. And each house and host has his individual rules. So it is your responsibility to know of our rules and follow them, thus know about our extra guest policy, thus know that every any other person that comes in the property as a guest must be reported and noone is allowed to stay overnight, thus you should be aware that this was causing trouble.

You breached those rules, and when a contract is getting breached, a host is allowed to end it and cancel the accommodation.
As a matter of good will, i didn't do such thing and instead i gave you many opportunities by asking you to read our rules again multiple times and i allowed you to continue your stay by just charging money for the extra guest.

I am also letting you know, that i don't have trouble with you and your group or your actions. Unfortunate things happen all the time and my priority was always your safety and your pleasant stay. But i do have trouble with one thing. The tone of the increased voice of your mother last night and the things she said to me and called me a liar and that "we paid so we can do whatever we want" were a sing of total disrespect to me. I didn't appreciate it at all. Your calm manner when i spoke with you was the only reason i gave you the opportunity to continue staying here because i saw that at least you are a decent person and care.
I didn't even mention the fire accident to you yesterday when i came down to help, but the least i was expecting from you was an apology, and not the aggressive stance of your mother that blamed the oven and tried only to justify herself.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Now i will just wait for them to leave and hope they won't break anything out of retaliation and anger