Guest has mail delivered to my residence with out my consent!

[Teresa858]

Guest booked 8 nights; Sept 5 until Sept 13

On Sept 5, I checked the mailbox grabbed my mail and made my way back to the front door of my house. As I approach the door entrance I climbed the steps to the patio I noticed to the right by my bicycle a box! I assumed it was a package from Tonique company for facial soap I was elated to receive.  As I reached for the box and glared at the name I noticed it was not my name and I had to think for a minute... Its the name of the guy who is to come later this evening!! I immediately became livid. The nerve this man had to have his mail shipped to my house and did not have the sense, respect to converse with me about it. I was appalled, I felt disrespected and all types of thoughts flooded my mind. He may be a  potential "squatter," he now can calm residency, what if the item in the box is hazardous and so fourth!!

Sept.6-7

The next few days this guy just gave off bad vibes, glared at me in silence as if I did something to him. He would not look a me directly nor my husband when speaking. So I felt awkward being in his presence. He seemed suspicious, his mannerisms were just all too much for me! To the point I had my husband to move forward weeks early and build the wall in the hallway closing off the two guest rooms that have outdoor entrances, in which one of the rooms this guy stays in. Just so I could feel conformable in my home as it is my son and I at home throughout the day.

So, dealing with this impression given the first encounter and then this is why the topic is an issue!

Today is Sept 9 this guest text me:

" I ordered something, I need for work and had it shipped to your address, it should be here this week." He text this as if its the first item, he's unaware I knew  already as the package was on my patio that he helped hi, self to when he arrived and before he knocked on the side house door!

My response was as follows; " Please, get a post office box for your personal mail for next items. As I never gave permission for ANY guest to use my address to have mail shipped to! Also, you booked 8 days, your checkout is on the 13th this Friday by 12 noon as stated on Airbnb.I know you requested a longer visit (through my husband, not me) but unfortunately  for you someone has booked from the 13th till 30th of Sept. So, if your mail is delivered after your visit ends it'll be at the local post office!"

Has anyone encountered a problem like this with a guest?

[Kevin1056]

Some people should not be hosting AT ALL... If a guest receiving mail upsets you, stop hosting. This isint for you. TRY UBER.

[Teresa858]

I think I'll go back working as a Librarian instead :).. This was new to me and after the guy eccentric behavior I will not host again. I have 2 more reservations and then I am done.

Hope youre doing well with UBER, thats dealing with people in personal space again so I decline! 🙂

[Kevin1056]

Just a side note... Residency is usually  established with some kind of a utility bill. Not mail.

[Inna22]

@Kevin1056 The box could have been router with bill to follow in the mail soon (or ebilled). I know you are new to the forum. We don’t generally talk to each other this way. Perhaps Uber driver forum does

[Kevin1056]

@Inna22 I've been hosting for over 7yrs... I've learned a few secrets to hosting. You are assuming that this is my ONLY account and you would be WRONG. I've been hosting a long time and I have very close to 3000 reservations.

[Suzanne302]

@Kevin1056  I'm just going to repeat what @Inna22  said because apparently you need to hear it again: We don't talk to each other like that in this forum. 

[Kevin1056]

@Suzanne302 Hi, we have a couple units in Winston Salem... It's a great Area for Airbnb. 

People speak truths in these forums all the time, I've seen guests get into worse discussios than this.  Remember the thread where the guy was going into peoples units after they checked in and snooping around he felt it was ok. I think he ended up cancelling his Airbnb Listings after other Hosts spoke all of that  "Truth" to him.  I'm being very very nice compared to him.

I've been speaking truth in these forums for 7yrs. I'll say it again. If she freaks out over a paying guests receiving a package she needs to consider doing another line if business.  Period.

People want the money, but they don't want to help a guest out. Sheeesh.

[Yadira22]

Hi @Kevin1056 

Hope you are well. 

Though I appreciate your opinions on this matter I would have to personally disagree at least from a logistics and financial concern.

Having people use my Airbnb address for bank accounts, credit etc can put me in a lot of risk. In the situation that they were to drive a huge bill and “ghost” away then the moment debt collectors come I would be responsible for that debt. 

This could affect my credit score, my bills- particularly council tax (district administration charge in the UK) and service charges etc which are already very high in London. In the case of wanting to buy a property, car etc this could become exceedingly difficult! 

If it’s an item of high value being delivered then with the number of people entering, leaving as we have multiple listings, I can’t guarantee something will get to the right person but if delivered to the post office or an amazon locker (both are 2 mins walk from my flat) then this could save me from this added stress.

As much as I do this to protect myself, it is also for my guests and their packages. When asked if it’s something not too important then I am happy to consider it but overall I do not allow this. 

Thank you Kevin- I hope this gives you insight on the why people may be against this matter! Good luck to you! 🙂

[Kevin1056]

@Yadira22 nonsense.... Having packages (amazon, eBay, Plane tickets, concert tickets, lost items) shipped to my airBnb address and having credit card bills and utility bills shipped to your address are two totally different things. please quote where I said it's ok for people to use your AirBnb address on credit applications or apply for credit using your AirBnb address?? I'll wait........ Stop making stuff up.

2nd of I've been in the Real estate & Mortgage business for 20yrs I know how credit works, I use to fix credit, unless someone has your social security number & date of Birth it will not affect your credit. Again you are making stuff up. Please don't tell me how this stuff works.

[Yadira22]

Thank you @Kevin1056 for your enlightened sharing of knowledge on credit and mortgages but things work slightly differently in the UK, just as they would in other countries but let’s agree to disagree... 

My point was merely made on my previous experience and many other UK residents’ and I only expressed my personal concern for accepting postage in general due to the variety of its contents. Especially when post could be delivered free from hassle to other addresses, like a post office.

Anyway... good luck to you! X

[Kevin1056]

Again I never said let people use your address for bank accounts and establishing credit... And you didn't hear or see me say that!  (Post it if I did)

And I am highly highly skeptical that all you need in the UK is a person's address to establish or assume someone's credit and affect a person's credit history or score. Im so skeptical that im not even going to waste my time looking into that it sounds so outlandish.  

Nuts!!!!

[Sarah977]

@Kevin1056  Every host is unique- not everyone is comfortable with the same things and behaviors. If you want to let guests receive mail at your place, that's totally up to you. But to tell other hosts that they shouldn't be hosting simply because they don't want guests to use their address for mail is a holier-than-thou, ludicrous judgement. Just because someone has been hosting for years and has had over 3000 reservations doesn't make them an authority on how others should run their business. 

[Kevin1056]

@Sarah977 I've been in the Real estate business for 20yrs... Maybe all that experience accounts for something... Just Maybe ♥️♥️♥️

[Sarah977]

@Kevin1056  Well, personally I don't trust real estate agents as far as I can spit 🙂

I've renovated a 100 year old house and designed and was my own contractor for the second. But that doesn't make me some expert on all aspects of construction nor would I claim to be.

[Kevin1056]

@Sarah977  im in the "Real Estate Business" key word there is "Business". I wasn't a "Real Estate Agent" long because I don't trust them either, they are liars, crooks, over exaggerators & thieves.

Whats the difference between a MudCat & a Real Estate Agent??? Ones a mud sucking bottom dweller, and the other is a fish.  🙂