Guest put heat on 90F/33C should I ask for some of the security?

Alie0
Level 1
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States

Guest put heat on 90F/33C should I ask for some of the security?

I had a guest who put the heat up to 90F/33C. When I came home I felt that the heat was very high so I turned it back down to 65 F. I live in Philadephia we are having a mild late fall with temperatures around 40-50 F but I understand the guest is not used to these temperatures as he is traveling from a warmer climate. 

 

I messaged the guest to discuss and he apologized. I offered more blankets for him to use and told him I have to keep the heat on 65/70 F due to the cost.

 

However, my concern is that the one day the heat was on 90F it was left on for 12 hours which is going to raise my heating bill by at least an additional $25.

 

Can I ask my guest for this amount from his security deposit?

9 Replies 9
Peter0
Level 10
London, United Kingdom

Had some people from Hong Kong recently and came back to the same experience.  The next guest kept the room door open all night just to try to cool the place down.  Singapore people do the same.  I don't understand it.  Surely they have Aircon back home to make the temperature like we have here up north?  Why do they want the inside of our homes to feel like the outsides of their countries?!

 

I don't think you will get anywhere unless your house notes have some strictures like "do not interfere with the heating".  That wouldn't go down well with the typical guest who just wants it a bit warmer or cooler.  It won't happen every time and I think you should just let it pass and make a private comment in your review to them to try to educate them about the perils of global warming/your bank account.  

Rita13
Level 1
Incline Village, NV

I am having the same issue my guest is here now till tomorrow and I want to tell her that the cost is to high for me and to  please use the extra blankets I have provided Thoughts ?

 

 

Try expaining to your guest that you believe in conserving energy because you live in a very special environmental place (whether you do or not) and you would appreciate if they would do the same by turning the heat down and lights off when they leave. I work this angle because guests do not care what it cost you in utilities because they have already paid.

I had some ice climbers stay for a few weeks and I could see condensation dripping down their windows when they were gone for 7+ hours of the day. That night when they returned, I brought over some baked goods and acted surprised at how hot it was in the apartment and asked if they were having problems with the heat. Then we had a "conversation" about global warming - you would think ICE CLIMBERS would be really aware of this! and they began to turn the heat down. I know this is only one group of guests but it is a start. 

I also took one of the batteries out of the 2nd thermostat and gave them a space heater-they were there for 20 days. My utility bill was not normally high but the WATER bill was! Another discussion I suppose.

Robin4
Level 10
Mount Barker, Australia

@Alie0 Look Alie All my guests have been lovely but, they each have their interesting little peccadilos!! Our location is in the Adelaide Hills in South Australia and during the day during this unusaully warm summer the temp can get to 44c (109f) but as soon as the sun goes down the temperature plummets and throughout the night will sit around 11-17c what is that, 50s to low 60s? One young girl flogged our air conditioning in the cottage along all night....set it down as low as it would go, because she said, even in the middle of summer she still liked to cuddle up in a Duvee!!! It doesn't particularly phase me because we make all our own electricity....we have solar in the summer and a wind turbine for the winter, so it's no big deal but if I was paying big costs like other hosts in some parts of the world I would have been a bit pissed off.... cheers....Rob

Brittany1
Level 10
Chicago, IL

This is why we use a Nest in all three of our units. We have all three locked at 72 minimum for AC and 72 maximum for heat. We have had a few issues with people wanting to raise or lower it and we will usually work with people (as long as they are being resonable). It is also great because we are able to adjust the heat and ac remotely.

 

We would definitely attempt to get money to cover the thermostat bill if they left it blaring at 90 degrees! That is just so frivulous and disrespectful to you as a host.

Ed-and-Hugh0
Level 10
Miami, FL

I second the recommendation to get a Nest or similar smart thermostat. They won't be able to set it outside the range you set without the PIN.

Rhonda64
Level 2
Warren, OR

How to control a guest cranking up the heat then leaving all the windows and doors open in the middle of winter on Mt Hood?
The propane company estimated the 400 gallons of propane should last from December to August and it is the middle of January and is empty.  The only thing we can imagine is guests are leaving the windows and/or doors open with the heat cranked up high.

I am going to install the thermostats that limit the heat setting to 72 but what to do about leaving windows and doors open?

 

I thought of installing a digital guage on the propane tank and monitoring the average use.  Then indicate to the guests if their usage is outside a certain range they will be charged.  But only charge if it is exttreme.  And will AirBnB let me charge for that?  Or refund if they use within a certain range?

 

I appreciate your input.

I don't do take many rentals, but my neighbor does full-time rentals, and I see the windows open all the time in the middle of winter in Park City, UT. They will leave the house to go skiing and leave them open.

 

I, as others, have Nest thermostats that I keep locked at 74.

 

Good luck.

Brenda313
Level 5
Hamilton Township, NJ

I have a guests currently who lower my thermostat to 60F ... it's the end of August.  I came home from working a night shift and walked into a freezing house.  The temperature outside is currently 67F.  I usually have it set to 72 in the summer and the house is cool inside because of all the shade. 

 It had to be running all night non stop.  This is their first airbnb experience and they are here another 2 nights, and I'll be at work. I don't mind if they'd like it lowered to 68... but 60 is obnoxious. 

I don't even charge much for the room I rent, yet offer full access to my gym, kitchen, their own living room, give them seasonal beach tags... I'm very accommodating.  

I guess I'll have to figure something out or put a lock on it.  I came home to nap before working another shift - if I were rich I wouldn't be depending on the extra income and having strangers in my house. They complained that they were hot at night - the AC was set to 70. 

 

I've watched as this Airbnb experience has been changing to Airbnb resolutions in favor of the guests and not offering hosts much back up. 

 

I had another guest last week who sent me a private message berating me for getting up at 9am on a weekday.  I was quiet, I tiptoed around my house and avoided the side of the house where he was.  My quiet hours are clearly listed as 10pm-8am.... and I asked him specifically if he needed any special accommodations or if I could do anything to help his stay more pleasant. He accused me of waking him between 8am-830am....(again, past the listed quiet hours) but that's not even true because I came home from work at 7am and slept till 9am.

He never told me he needed to sleep in so late.  Yet he threatened to give me a 1 star rating (I have a 5 star rating). I apologized and was bullied into refunding him his lasts night stay by Airbnb since he complained. 

At first, I was happy to host and meet new people. I was happy to be able to help people save money by avoiding the high costs of hotels in my area (I'm at the shore), but airbnb needs to start offering host support.  Anymore, I feel like I'm a servant to the whims of these entitled guests.  

I turned the temp up to 65F.  I added 2 blankets and am shivering.  

I'm ready to quit hosting due to lack of support from Airbnb and how guests renting just a room feel entitled to bully and overtake my home.