Guest review for bizarre behavior

[Tamara3]

Hi All,

I'm torn on how to leave a review for a recent guest. She was a pleasant enough woman, but had such bizarre behavior that I actually added seven NEW items to my house rules since her departure. There were things she did that I didn't even think about, like, "Please don't take my sheets with you when you go to your mom's for Thanksgiving" or "Please supply your own medication"  as this woman constantly asked me for medical supplies as if I was suppose to provide them.  She wasn't mean-spirited or bratty, just clueless. I don't want to tear her down, but I also want to be honest.

Also, do you know what part of the review the guests see? Do they see their own star ratings and whether you'd recommend them? I can't tell from the form what is visible to them besides the write up at the top. 

Thanks for any advice!

[Helga0]

@Tamara3, to such extent, it's not normal behaviour. Some people will ask for more stuff if you start providing some, having a beach side home, you have to be clear if you let them take towels to the beach or if they have to provide their own for outside, but nobody ever in 12 years had the idea to take my sheets with them for a sleepover. 

As for your question: the guest sees the public review but not the stars. They will realise a thumbs down if they cannot Instant Book, but might take it for a glitch at first. Or not know who gave it to them. The host needs to set the filter for IB to Recommended Guests Only, otherwise they can still IB.

What you write to airbnb in the private airbnb part, nobody reads. Only if she ever has a problem with another host and staff has to be involved, they can look up the history of remarks. In case of strange behaviour, I leave a detailes note for airbnb to have it on file in case the guest gets worse. 

There is a private feedback part to the guest, in which you can write things like "See a doctor for that condition" if you feel like it. (I did that twice, in much nicer words).

[Tamara3]

Hi Helga

Thank you for your perspective. It helps to hear some confirmation from someone who had done this so long! (I'm entering year 2.) And thank you for informing me what the guest sees. I searched AirBnb for that info and could not find it anywhere.

And yes, I did have to start telling her I didn't have things since telling her to supply her own wasn't enough feedback. I'm shaking my head about that still...

"See a doctor for that condition" has me cracking up. 

[Grace9]

Hi Tami!

Uff we have the same concerns. We are planning to send them the rules again when they are in the process of booking and also print a hard copyand place it in the guest room. We even made a 'hard rule' clearly stating that if you stain our rug, we WILL take away your deposit!

We are renting a room, so we do like the short 3 days-stays as you don't have to worry about getting along for long but you can have a great time meeting new friends if you are lucky 🙂 

Now we have monthly requests and we are torn about accepting them or not. Because they would really become your 'flatmates' and it would suck if they are not your kind of people. 

What are you thoughts?

cheers

Grace

[Tamara3]

Hi Grace!

I keep a hardcopy in the room already, but I think it's a good idea to deliver the rules before they book and hope they understand them and plan to follow through on them.

For me, I prefer longer stays just because of the turnover issue. While this is good income, I still hold a full-time job while renting and can't manage all the turnover that would come with short stays. And, if I book short stays, that prohibits those who need longer stays from booking.  So far, I've had luck with doing this, even made a friend who stayed for 7 months. Most people have stayed for 3 months. (I live really close to a hospital and have had a lot of traveling nurses, and they need 3-month+ stays. And they're great because they're clean, quiet, busy and too tired to cause trouble.)  But, as you said, I do experience fatigue at during the last few weeks as it does become a roommate situation. People naturally get more comfortable and start to cross boundaries a bit. Even the woman who stayed for 7 months who I adored broke a rule a few months in, just by being too comfortable. (I have a house rule that no one should feed my dogs and then found out she was filling them with treats on a daily basis!)

I'm revisiting what long term means since this last experience. (I'm still texting her about things I'm now realizing she took with her when she moved out a month ago. SIGH!!) I may try a month and see how that goes, if I can get enough requests and income. I say do what you're comfortable with. If you can handle short term turnover and it gives you peace of mind, then do it. If you're use to a few days and jump to a month, you may go a little nuts. Maybe try two weeks first?

[Kara1]

Aren't travel nurses great!  

[Margaret0]

You cant have rules for everything. Taking any of your things out of the house to somewhere else is way out of line and should not have to be covered by rules (towels to the beach is wrong but a bit different, sheets is plain odd) . She was just a bad guest. I would suggest you review her and say she had a problem with boundaries  and following house rules and possibly that she was quite demanding.  Say she would be more suited to a hotel than someones homw

Giving anyone medication of any kind is a bad idea. I know that sounds extreme and I would myself give someone a dispirin if asked but we were warned on a first aid course to be very very careful as if the medication causedan adverse reaction for any reason you were liable. 

[Tamara3]

@Margaret0 Sorry for the delay in responding. I just got a notice when someone mentioned me, which made me realize that folks were still offering great advice. So thank you for yours.

I truly get that you can't have rules for everything. This last one is evidence of that for sure. She did stuff I couldn't have predicted. But, my new house rules do lay things out preventatively so I can at least say I put it out there. And you're right, she was just a bad guest. I had never had anyone act like that. Sure, few small things in the past, like leaving lights on, but she was beyond normal.

@Momi0 Jinx! I actually did something similar with the latest guest, who arrives later this week. (Another traveling nurse, so I have a good feeling.) I sent her the rules via email before she booked and made sure she read them. But, I also put in a note that I realize some of those rules are basic, but I've had some BASIC people come through, so I'm safer than sorry now. She understood and said it was fine. I think most people who would be surprised to learn that some of the rules even need to be stated would be fine with this approach as long as you let them know why you're putting it out there 

Thank you to everyone for the confirmation and great ideas. 

Tamara

[Momi0]

@Tamara

you crack me up....JINX! hahaha....I really needed that laugh....haven't heard that since high school....

Glad to hear that at least my advice to you is on the same page as you approach this upcoming guests.

I literally have found that writing my guests those specific messages.....reminds them that I am very serious about needing them o read our rules, and following them.  Its also now in my room guidebook. 

You wouldn't believe how many guests have fed my dogs....one actually got my dog sick and I should have sent him the vet bill.  But instead, I scolded him on his review.  Now every host will know what I dealt with including him eating a jelly doughnut at 2a.m in the room dropping rasberry jelly into the carpet....and this is the same guest I woke up at 6am for, to make him a healthy smoothie bc of his diabetes he informed me about. (He admitted to me that he had eaten those doughnuts in the middle of the night.  I was so sad for him. 

Wish you all the best...and thanks for taking the time to read what I wrote.  If you ever want to take a vacation, look me up....I will spoil you rotten...hahahaha  I call it the Hawaiian Red Carpet but more like Hawaiian beach sand instead.  lol 

[Momi0]

@Tara and @Tamara 

Yes Travel Nurses are AWESOME.... I met my wonderful husband of 18 years through his college friend Julie who was a travel nurse in Honolulu and she introduced us at her birthday party 8 weeks after she was my nurse in the hospital. I am forever grateful for her and the profession she chose.  She healed me physically and emotionally by introducing her best friend to me who later became MY BEST FRIEND, husband, lover and father to my beautiful daughter.  

Aloha, Momi

#AirbnbHawaii

[Tamara3]

LOVE traveling nurses. They've been the best so far. They're busy and they understand the importance of cleanliness!

[Linda0]

When the guest pays for the reservation house rule are on the reservation and they must sign that they have read the house rules.

[Lois-and-Darryl0]

I just read this 2nd post, and I do agree with you - there are too many items to ignore in your review.  I figured she was just "clueless."  Sorry about this experience for you.

[Annies0]

The sheet taking is odd, maybe something happened to them during the night that she didn't want to tell you about?

[Robin4]

@Tamara3...My god, that is bizzare...the sheets thing!!!

Tammi I have produced a 'house Rules' booklet and video which is put together in a fun way with stuff that I would like to read if I were the guest....It's not just a list of do's and don'ts...it involves them, and it fits together seemlessly with a 6 minute video that plays on the cottage TV through the USB system. It revolves around the cottage and its facilities and my local area with it's attractions. It is slightly indulgent because I have played a piano/keyboard all my life (Still play for at least an hour a day) and I back a lot of the video! But I tell you what, every guest says how fantastic it is and how it gets the point across without treating them as idiots.

You know Tammi a lot of people think this sort of thing is stupid....but none of my guests do!!  I even had one say it was 'THE ultimate Airbnb experience'....Read Ginny's review.

So...Tamara, house rules are important but, don't make them like a Gideons Bible....make them fun and then people will take notice of them....Cheers....Rob

[Lois-and-Darryl0]

I agree with others that a young Guest who may be inexperienced in visiting peoples' homes may do things that you think are bizarre, but isn't actually spiteful or damaging.  I think you said it:  "She was clueless."  I personally don't feel that warrants negative comments unless there was damages.  We're new to this too, and I have similar experiences as you.  We offer a lot of supplies for our guests, including a bottle of Advil.  Our home is in the mountains where hiking is the primary activity; people come home sore, so we have a First Aid kit, another package of bandaids, and Advil in the cabinets.  I also spend a lot on linens, so my House Rules say in caps:  DO NOT WASH THE LINENS OR TOWELS.  (I can't afford to have someone ruin them.)  Also, our House Rules end up getting revised about every third Guest, as we learn more and more from Guests.  BUT, our problem has been that while Guests are given the House Rules three times, including hard copies, and they all confirm they've read them, only a very small percentage of Guests have actually read the House Rules.  This particular issue makes me nuts, but I don't have a clue as to what more can be done to encourage people to read them.  Good Luck.