Guests just arrived and are complaining of dust; I had a professional cleaned

[Kelley3]

I have my apartment professionally cleaned between rentals; I have my husband check the apartment for renters arrived. He even checked for dust on the ceiling fans. Guess are complaining and want to cleaning fee waved. Help please what do you recommend?

[Tom36]

I have to tell you that about one out of every 21 guest will complain. It took me awhile to figure out why they do this and then I realized that they are professional complainers. The item they will complain about will not make sense since guest were there previously and afterwards and did not have similar complaints. So what gives? Some guest come in knowing they are going to compalin and ask for a refund. You will notice that they stay the first day before they start to complain. It is simply to get airbnb to try and gove them 50% or more back as a refund which I automatically do. 

[Rene-and-Zac0]

@Kelley3 ‘Not for nothing’, as they say in NY but just because they are a ‘professional’ doesn’t mean the task was done to your standard.

I’ve  hired a few ‘professional’ cleaners who shouldn’t be in that business.

So anytime I hear ‘professional cleaner”, I don’t add extra weight to that statement.

Document the complaint in writing from the guest and forward that to your ‘professional cleaner’.

A ‘Pro’ will eat that fee they charged you for that cleaning and be put on notice that ‘things ain’t right and my guest are complaining about the cleanliness’.

Teach me your secret to having your husband critically inspect your listing.

I can’t get mine to buy the right dog food when it’s on sale. LOL. 

All jokes aside, if the ‘house’ takes a hit in revenue, any department or vendor responsible for that loss is accountable.

An in house housekeeper could receive a formal training session and no money lost from their check but a ‘professional’ has to eat that house loss and return the fees paid. 

Provide the vendor with the documentation of the complaint from the guest, this proves you didn’t just make it up and ask them to eat the houses loss because you had to refund because of cleaning.

Good Luck!

’You know it’s hard out here for a Host’

[Marit-Anne0]

@Kelley3

The trick is not to offer any compensation - offer to rectify the issue by having the cleaners come and redo their job.

Write what you said here on the airbnb message platform; that you have noted their complaint and you are surprised as you have professional cleaners and had the apartment inspected after cleaning. Then play the ball over to the cleaners, that you will contact them with the issue and ask them to return to do their job properly. Ask the guest to point out the problem areas, take photos to back up.

Do not give in - these are not complaining about cleanliness, they are after a refund, knowing very well that hosts are terrified of the possibility of a bad review.  

Be prepared for a less than stellar review - be proactive and do everything you can to stop their progress.