Guest from Hell

[Diane509]

We have the guest from hell in our caravan at the moment.  From before she arrived (message after message) and then, when she arrived on the park where our caravan is sited she couldn't find it.  This is despite a map being one of the photos on our listing.  Hubby talked her around site, turn by turn, until she found the caravan.  

Then, the oven broke.  It was working earlier that day but it broke.  When her food was cooking - or not, unfortunately.

We offered to get her and her teenagers a takeaway - no, she didn't want that.  We offered her alternative accommodation - no, she didn't want that, it was too late.

To cut the story short - the cooker is still broken as it's a Saturday and we've been unable to get a Gas Safe Engineer out to it today.  So the emails have started again.  She's been out all day and hasn't received my messages informing her that no-one is available to mend it and therefore there is still no oven.  She's come home from her day out hoping to be able to cook and it's all my fault that she's now having to go hungry.

I've reimbursed her the money from her spoiled food and offered her a 50% refund if she leaves today.  No - she's leaving when she's due to leave.

My magic wand is broken so I can do no more - it's Saturday so I can't get that mended either!

I can see a bad review coming - but I also would like to warn other hosts, as I suspect she's extremely difficult to please.  

My question is - how do I word this in a way that isn't how I'd like to word it but that lets others know to beware?

[Marie21]

@Diane509 sorry to hear that, similar happened to me with boiler and hot water during week end. My advice if u have something essential to guests use and it is damage and cannot be repair because of week end or bank holiday, do not enter into to endless discussion with guests, call ABB and explained to them u prefer the guests to be re house and let them take care of it. It is happened to me i have spent week end trying to find solution give more than half of money back to guests, spending endless time messaging and end up loosing money at the end, and unhappy guests. Lesson learn the hard way. The best way is to ask ABB to take care of them.  and make the repair asap and focus to next arriving guests

[Pete28]

No doubt they will ask Airbnb for refund after they are done. Easier to just get them out if possible ? A certain type of,person knows how to play the Airbnb game it seems...

[Robin4]

@Diane509 Diane this is very unfortunate for you...why is it that things always break down at the most inconvenient time!

For me, the 'message after message' bit tells me she would have been difficult in any event, even if everything had run perfectly for her. I am sorry but you are going to get a poor review here and there is not a lot that you can do about that.

But Diane, try to be diplomatic here and ride this storm as best you can! Keep your review brief and say something like....."I looked forward to hosting xxxxxxxx but unfortunately things did not run smoothly for her. A stove breakdown which could not be repaired over the weekend compromised her stay and I hope my refund to her has been taken in good spirit and that she will give me the opportunity to make ammends if she would choose to stay again in future"! 

You have not criticised the guest, you have shown the world that you are genuinely sorry for this inconvenience and you have thrown her an olive branch for the future.....not that you would ever want to host her again Diane, but, that is a very dignified review for what is a difficult situation all round, and it makes you look good.

People will judge you by the way you present yourself in the review process. Keep it short and simple and no matter what she says, it will soon disappear Diane. If you start getting into a verbal he said/she said  exchange with her in the review and the subsequent public review response, it will keep on attracting people to read all about it.

Just one other small point Diane, I have back-ups here for all major ammenities. I have another 2 burner hotplate set which I bought in a discount department store for $20 AU  (9 pounds).  I have a small back-up air conditioner I can wheel in if the main cottage system should fail, courtesy of the local Salvos op shop. I have an instant gas hot water unit I can change over to on a moments notice if the main electric one should fail.

Just one breakdown can cost you more in repairs and lost income than the cost of having all these back-ups combined. Maybe something to think about for the future....you know what Murphy's Law says!

All the best here Diane, I hope it does not go too pear-shaped for you

Cheers.....Rob

Edit typos....damned fingers and aging brain!

[Diane509]

Thanks Rob - our accommodation is actually a static caravan, so it's not possible to have back ups.  Everything is built in and you can't overload the system.  She still had the four cooker rings, the grill and the microwave.  However, she's now gone (she was booked in for two nights but refused to go earlier, despite my offer of alternative accommodation).  We've been renting out for ten years - so we're no novices  and she was the worst guest we've ever had - I suspect she's wanting money!

[Kenneth12]

How many potential guests actually go review hosts' reviews for others?   
I agree that the review should be accurate,  but saying "guest bombarded me with messages that I felt were trying and inappropriate,  regardless of situation,  and thus I cannot recommend" seems perfectly fine to me-- and perhaps (worded slightly differently) will give the guest a wakeup call.

[Victoria567]

Hello @Diane509

I feel for you, I really do.

The march of the cheapskate is bad enough through the platform if AirBnB without the added “bonus” of entitlement.

Phone the London air bnb number now!

Its open 24/7 and get air bnb to relocate this pain in the stump asap....without further delay.

Explain the situation and your attempt  to quickly resolve matters with this guest who is still unhappy despite your mammoth efforts.

Get air bnb to deal and communicate directly with this unreasonable and entitled individual and get air bnb to regime them elsewhere.

The accomodation is clearly not suited to their needs and this guest is clearly not suited to your peace of mind!

[Diane509]

I didn't even know this was possible - I'll have a search for the number and keep it in my phone (hopefully I'll never need it)!  Thank you x

[Letti0]

@Diane509  Here you go:

AirBnB United Kingdom +44 203 318 1111

[Diane509]

Thank you, it's safely in my phone now.

[Victoria567]

For all us air bnb hosts in the U.K. the phone number is 020 3318 1111.

I have it handy on my contacts section of my phone.

It is open 24/7 so fellow UK hosts use it at the very first inkling of the Entitled guest, and don’t put up with any of their snash.

[Fred13]

'Pain in the stump', British people are so polite. 🙂

[Diane509]

Not so polite really.  She's given the type of review I expected, as have I her.  My reply to her review states very clearly the type of guest she is.  Politely(ish) but very clear.  I can't do with people like her - my comments to my hubby about her stay (co-host) have not been so polite!!

[Victoria567]

Hi @Fred13

Yes we are as a nation very polite but we DO get so shocked and cheesed off with entitled people.

[Crystal144]

Hi! How does Airbnb deal with issues like this? I mean, what solution do they offer? Cheers!