How do I deal with Guests breaking house rules

[MaryKathryn0]

Hi, 

I could use some information or feedback about a guest that broke house rules. My problem right now is that airbnb won't give me the deposit. We rent out our whole house on the beach. One big house rule is No weddings/parties. One quest clearly had a wedding and I have lots of pictures to prove it. By having the big party they also made the plumbing flare up and there was literally crap in the shower and toilets because too many people where using the bathrooms and clogging everything up. One reason we say no parties. It cost about $1000 to call a plumber and a septic tank guy, plus cleaning up some elses crap in a shower and having to put things back were they belong. 

Anyway, if we have house rules and they get broken why doesn't airbnb compesate for that? I mean whats the point in having house rules or a contract if it does nothing? 

Thanks

[Kelly149]

@Fred13 Right, @Fred, rules are never a substitute for oversight. This is why the Halloween candy must be hidden from children and jewelry stores have guards & locked doors. Some people have manners and some people have morals but human nature being what it is, one cannot assume that your guests have either. Though, of course, it is ideal, wonderful and happy when they do.

[Fred13]

Exactly @Kelly149. House Rules comes with two requirements: expressing them & enforcing them. The second part sometimes is the no fun part.

[Fred13]

"It is much better to write your rules as a deterrent rather than believing that they will actually protect you. " Well said" @Kelly-And-Dan0.

I really can appreciate how many hosts, especially new ones, start with some un-realistic expectations; i.e. if something happens then Airbnb will cover me. They don't and really oftentimes they can't. It is a situation where everyone has so many countervailing rights everything quickly comes to an pregnant pause.

Perhaps it is best to always keep in mind that #1 - Airbnb is a booking agency, primarily, with a FEW added perks: #2 - You should maintain control over your place at all times, #3 - Screen your guests as best as humanly possible. All three principles are governed by the old axiom:  'Prevention is worth a pound of cure'.

[Christiana18]

Has anyone used Slice for extra insurance to cover these types of issues? It looks like reasonable coverage (you only pay for the nights rented) and would cover you for these damages if your state is covered. We are considering it for larger groups at my property.

[Christiana18]

https://www.slice.is/homeshare/

[Allison116]

I agree with some others. Get reimbursement for the damage they caused. I don’t think you can get money for the fact that they held a party when they weren’t supposed to, but you can get for the damage. And then of course leave them a review thumbs down.

[Karen677]

If you specifically state No Smoking and you have evidence that smoking was present e.g Ash everywhere, smoke smell (but no actual damage), can you claim for extra cleaning to get rid of the smoke smell? Can this be considered "damage"?

[Hugh0]

I make the following suggestions.

1) install a Party Squasher. It counts the number of mobile phones on your property and alerts you of the party
2) Update your rules to make it explicit that the guests will be held responsible for the cost to repair your septic if the maximum number of guests is recorded by your Party Swuasher

[Susie5]

@Hugh0, Party Squasher looks amazing!!!  thanks for the tip. My place is too small for a party but if I had a beach house or mountain chalet, I'd be all over that little magic box! 

[Edwin57]

Did you cheack them me or some one else you trust  

[Fred13]

The upshot is, best to keep an eye on your property and maintain personal control over it at all times.

[Elizabeth429]

@Fred13,

How do you keep an eye over your property and actual guests without invading their right to privacy?

If I could I would go over there twice a day to make sure my guests arent breaking my house rules, but it is not possible. They are paying for a service, I feel they also have a right to privacy while staying at my place. I usually call or send a message to ask if everything is alright. But literally, if any damage is done, I will only be able to see it once they are gone, not before. So, in my case there is not way for me to get ride of them if house rules are broken or something has been damaged..

[Fred13]

If you notice many examples here of what guests have done concerns how they packed the place with un-authorized extra guests, having parties and even a wedding. Also smoking inside the place, coming and going at crazy hours, disturbing the neighborhood, etc etc. One doesn't have toalways see inside the place to get a clue what is happening.

The choice is yours, roll the dice, and hope for the best and then fight Airbnb to make a wrong a right OR be pro-active in preventing a hassle to materialize in the first place as best as humanly possible. It is not an either or situation.

[Kelly149]

so @Elizabeth429 what @Fred13 is referencing is that it is quite easy to monitor your property, without invading your guest's privacy. Ring doorbell, security cameras at the entrance, an enlisted next door neighbor who alerts you that somehow your reservation for 4 people now magically has parked 8 cars in front of your house, or hey, it's 11pm all the lights are on and disco is pumping out the back door. These are the obvious signs of trouble. And all hosts should be prepared to jump on it and address those kinds of things IMMEDIATELY.

Now, when you've rented to someone who doesn't understand the meaning of wipe up spills and take out the trash, you're not going to know that until after they leave. But "my guests had an ENTIRE WEDDING", well, that tends to have a few tells. Just a matter of are you paying attention and are you prepared to step in?

The point that many of us are trying to make is that it is unwise to rent to people who you've never met and who you've never gotten any details from and then leave them totally to their own devices with no kind of monitoring whatsoever for 2 days or 2 weeks and then dream that somehow if anything goes wrong "well, it doesn't matter, ABB will take care of it". ABB may take care of it, they may not, but it's your place and keeping an eye on it is a good plan.

[Steve-And-Julie-Ann0]

I'm thinking of adding a couple of outdoor webcams. Nothing that would invade privacy, but somethig that would show a street view in front of my place where it would show number of cars, people coming and going, etc.