Hi guys,
I think this might be something that sadly a few hosts would have experienced before, but I had my second negative experience with a guest in a row over the weekend.
To put it bluntly, I am fairly confident my last guest stole money from me.
In a drawer in my bedroom, I have a wallet in which I had left 30 British pounds, gifts from family and friends from Christmas and birthdays in the last year. I am based in Ireland, and due to the pandemic, I've not had the chance to go over to the UK to spend this, or deposit it in a bank.
I normally have the door to my bedroom locked, but (stupidly) I think I left it unlocked for a period of time on Sunday night when I went shopping leaving him in my place alone.
The guest left on Monday morning, and when I was clearing out the room he stayed in, I noticed a couple of items left lying around which I know had been in my bedroom previously (an old mobile phone and a Danish phrase book). Obviously, this rang alarm bells with me, so I went to my bedroom to check the contents of the drawer. It appears nothing else had been stolen, apart from the £30 which was left in the wallet in the drawer. A cheque which another relative had sent to me, which was made out to me, was left in the wallet.
It's very difficult, as I don't think I have any real proof it was him - but it is not going to have been anyone else. Before he stayed, that money was still in the wallet. After he left, it wasn't - and items from my bedroom had been moved into the guest room.
Really disappointing, as he seemed like such a nice genuine guest. His mother actually made the booking on his behalf. He told me he was really short of cash, and I sympathised with him. If he'd really needed €30, I perhaps would have helped him out. But I'm angered that he went into my room and rifled through my belongings and took money that was given to me as gifts from relatives.
A particularly difficult part of this is he had booked to stay for the following five Sundays - although tonight, he has cancelled his upcoming stay for this Sunday.
It's a lot to take in, I know, but wondering if any of you had any advice on where I can go from here? Obviously, I'd have concerns around any bad review from him, and the impending stays. I'm not sure I want him in my apartment any more after this.
Nick