Guest actions...

[Lauren39]

I am not sure how to deal with this... We have a guy and his son staying with us now for a week... They are from out of town but only a 4-5 hour drive away. They asked if they could use the laundry services and we of course said yes. However, they have only been here for three nights and have done one to two loads every single day! I don't want to tell them they need to stop but also don't want my utilities to jump from so many loads. What should I do? We also came home today and they grabbed our cooler from our garage and are soaking some dirty item of clothing in it out in the front yard? I've been a guest through the site all over the world and only started hosting in the past year but all of our other guests never did anything like this. I just don't understand going through someone else's garage and using something like that... How would I start a conversation about these things without upsetting the guest or ending up with a bad review? Any help would be appreciated!

[Carol-Anne1]

I would ask them why and if they brought laundry to do at your home. Then I would involve airbnb and ask for their advice on the situation

[Suzanne60]

I would start off by being curious.  Being curious, you give them a chance to explain, instead of accusing, which automaticly puts

people on the defensive.  I would say I notice you took our cooler out of the garage and are soaking clothes in it?

Then pause and see what he says. If he thinks nothing is wrong with that,  I would then say something like, I really don't appreciate you helping yourself to our things. Also we wont beable to use the cooler now that it has had dirty clothes in it.  If it was an expense cooler perhaps ask that he pays for it.  The laundry everyday thing is another matter.  Seems strange, but not sure how to handle that. Hopefully they are leaving soon.  Good luck!

[Suzanne60]

Also I would definetly give them a bad review to warn others about this inappropriate behavior.

[Sandra126]

Totally inappropriate and inexplicable. Where is all this laundry coming from? As I rely on my washing machine not breaking from things left in pockets or whatever, I do not let guests use the laundry and I have a padlock on that door. When I show guests through it is the only space which is locked. I tell them that ''it is my mess in there, and not a really interesting room anyway'' which it isn't as my guests are all really short stays. There is a laundrymat they can use in town. I have unlocked the room once or twice as I know the guests, they are staying a little longer and they are super respectful people.

I would tell your guests that you don't usually let visitors use your laundry, but since they asked you made an exception but you imagined it would be for one or two loads, no more. So really, you would prefer that they used the nearest laundry facility (show on map) from now on.

As far as the cooler and the garage goes, I am with the previous response using curiosity in a friendly way. ''Could you not find a bucket in the laundry?'' sort of thing.

VERY odd. Good luck.

[Lauren39]

Before he arrived he asked about doing laundry and typically for a week stay, guests do a load or two and I have no problem with that. It looks like he is washing his sons baseball clothes everyday as they are very small loads. He just went out front and grabbed the dirty shorts that were soaking and put them (and JUST them) in the washer with hot water and ALL of our bleach. He left the empty bleach container on the floor in the laundry room... I'm going to try the curious approach to the cooler thing if we see them again tonight but not sure if there is anything I can do about the laundry thing right now. I will definitely be adding a house rule about it for future guests though!

[Gladys8]

I have a similar problem at this very moment. I posted it on another forum. I have guests who have been here 6 days and have filled the bath tub every day and done heavy washing of dresses, pants, etc., hanging them on the shower curtain rod to dry. That uses a lot more water than my water efficient laundry system. I charge only $4 to do the laundry and it is spelled out in the listing, but I won't do it every day and put a sign on the back of the bedroom door stating I was happy to do the laundry for a small fee but in America we don't do laundry every day, but I will be happy to give them the address of a nearby laundromat if they need daily laundry. I just today put a statement in my listing about not using the bathtub for laundry because there is a more efficient use of water by using the washing machine. I added that if it is a frequent occurrance I will charge them the same fee as using the laundry.  Thank goodnes they leave tomorrow. A couple of years ago, one guest bought their pots and pans and had them spread out over my kitchen counters. I almost cried.

[Ricardo71]

I ran through the same problem not once but consistetnly in my listing in Quito, Ecuador.  We run a B&B.

Ecuador is an Adventure Travel destination and people would arrive after being  trekking in the  Amazon, hiking on the Andes mountains or visiting the Galapagos islands with not a piece of clean clothing to wear.  The clothes would be heavily soiled too because of the nature of their travel.   When I realized this would be an undesired trend I starting writing little personalized cards reminding people of amenities ans suxh and stating laundry facilities are available at a cost of $10.00 per load.  

The listing also mentions laundry faciliities are available for an additional fee.

Guess what:  They stopped doing laundry .  It went from a problem to a non issue.  I have a "resource center" a table with visitors information and I have there places that do your laundry for a couple dollars less and almost every single one prefers the inconvenience of taking the laundry somewhere as long as they are saving $2.00.  I love it !!

[Sandra126]

@Ricardo71, this is a brilliant solution, well done. Offering a service at a slightly higher price for the convenience. So good. If I was hiking at your place, I would love for you to do it even if I had to pay more... But I am 50 and like a convenience for the price of a couple of dollars.

[Serena44]

Not to be dramatic - but from personal experience: It seeems it's time to speak up. It is very strange - They either have very different social boundaries and / or they're seeing what they can do until there is a point you  stop them by giving them house rules. You wouldn't be at fault if they left early due to a conflict in acceptable behavior. Be sure they leave at the end of their reservation time and make sure you get your keys back. -- I hate to say it, bu tif they don't leave the keys, have your door locks rekeyed for any key they had in their posession. 

[Dawn33]

I am semi-new here and have quickly learned that if you generously give an inch, some guests will selfishly take a mile.

Instead of stewing over the behavior and disregard for house rules, I address it immediately. It costs me less mentally.

Curb this immediately and learn from this. Nice doesn't get us everywhere.

Good luck!

[C-C0]

Oooo, Suzanne, I really like the second part of your suggestion, telling them what you don't appreciate, but I hate the first, passive-aggressive question thing!

[Linda108]

I realize that this forum will naturally have problematic issues rather than the many lovely experiences.  That being said, as a host I have to take responsibility for learning from each guest to realize that guests may not necessarily be like me.  I like all the brainstorming we have on the forum for how to handle or anticipate a guest's mis-use of an amenity. 

So one little suggestion I have is to read through the postings in the community room for hosts.  I have come across a great deal of information from other hosts  about issues I NEVER would have anticipated...shorts in the cooler...really?!