How to Deal with Demanding Long staying guest

Bianca156
Level 10
São Paulo, Brazil

How to Deal with Demanding Long staying guest

Hi All,

 

I am writing to you basically to request for tips. I've been hosting for six months now. During this time, I have had basically guests that were staying in my place for no longer than 11 days. 

 

A week ago I started hosting a couple that is going to stay with me for another 45 days. They are not rude, but the lady is really demanding. I never had any problem with my guests. Everyone loves my apartment, it is all completely new, as I started from scratch and but this Airbnb together past March. It is personal, with items I brought from my travels around the world as a cruise ship crew member. It all reflects my personality and I am more than happy to share with everyone. But this lady is not happy with anything. She changed all my furniture around. Keep stuffing my personal items into the closet and asking me to buy her items that I  have but she doesn't want to use as it is. I can go along with the Communist flag that she has placed in the middle of my living room. I want her to feel comfortable

 

I got really upset to know that she was using my breakfast table tray as a table to place bags in the apartment hallway. I removed it and kindly left a message why I was doing it. I have been trying to accommodate all her requests but I am getting a bit tired of it because I have never face any guest like her. ALL my past guests were only compliments about my listing. I am anxious and afraid to lose my temper and end up with a bad review and mess up my perfect rating. 

 

I have worked on cruise ships for over 14 years I am used to all kinds of demanding people and I was always super nice and friendly with all my guests. I have been enjoying the Airbnb experience so much. But this lady thanks She is at a Hotel. How would you deal with this?

 

 

41 Replies 41
Jan384
Level 3
Dübendorf, Switzerland

Oh no that really sucks :(.

I think you have two options:

1. Talk with her

2. Talk with Airbnb to get rid of the guests early

 

Personally we would probably try to throw out such a guest. We also only allow a maximum of 14days for that specific reason.

I am however curious to see if other hosts have more creative ways to deal with the problem.

@Jan0 I don't really mind that If she wants to buy carpets, blankets and other items that she will have to take across the globe when going back to Italy. As she redecorates my apartment. When I excepted the reservation, I did because it was a recommendation. My doctor's friend was trying to help them to find a place. It was actually a favor. I opened an exception.

I don't really think Airbnb can do much about it. I am just really worried that we are going to be getting into an argument. 

Thanks for the suport!

 

David126
Level 10
Como, CO

You know it will not get better, act accordingly. To the Barricades!

David

😄 @David0 To the Barricades! I will survive! 

Jonathon10
Level 2
New York, NY

Your listing will survive. Call airbnb and tell them to refund her then tell her to GTFO.

J-Renato0
Level 10
Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

@Bianca156

It is impossible to have only good reviews. Most of the guests are fine, but once in a while it is necessary to know that, some bad guest may write an unbalanced review.

If you can not bear to continue hosting this guest I suggest

 

1- Phone Airbnb and ask for advice.

 

2- Alternatively, you can talk to her and ask her to leave. Tell her, if she cancel the stay, you will refund her regarding the remaining days.

When a guest is very demanding or are always complaining about anything, in some situations is some "crook" guest that wants to have their money returned. Or maybe some troublemaker and unbalanced person.

@J-Renato0, I am not going to ask her to leave because It was almost a favor to a friend of my to accept their reservation besides that He is a Doctor Scientist that is working for a Major University in my city. It would be really bad to ask them to leave. I don't think that they are troublemakers and going to ask money back... they are old and demanding... from a different country with different habits and behaviors.  It is the first time they stay in an Airbnb and I truly believe that they are more Suitable for a Flat Service Style of Hotel than to an Airbnb. It will be a long month and a half and a lot of Pantoprazole. 

J-Renato0
Level 10
Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

@Bianca156

If she is an old and demanding person, certainly you will get a bad review, whether you ask her to live or not.
I had a serie of 28 FIVE stars reviews, till it arrived an old couple from Canada! They did not read the description in my listing, complained about things that did not make sense and ended up giving me 3 star on overall experience! Well, when they arrived and I saw them I felt a chill on my spine! I sensed that a bad review was comming! The lady had kind of conservative looking like Margareth Tacher in casual cloths (but casual summer  conservative cloths) and her husband looked like Mr. Magoo (cartooms), but in bad mood. Anyway they were somewhat friendly and polite, I suspect that they booked the listing just for the price in low season. Once in a while, we can receive a bad review.

As for you guest, I think that, being a Doctor Scientist, she has more motives to behave properly than an average person. Moreover, if she is a Doctor Scientist, she must be clever enough to understand a civil conversation about anything, even a polite conversation about her stay and  possible motives to interrupt her stay, for the sake of both of yours. She can understand that, she can not do in other´s house whatever she wants!
She took control of your house and put a flag in the midle of the living room as you have said!
Now it is up to you to decide what you want to do! If you want to live under the rules of the Doctor Scientist and have the honour of being her faithfull servant or to restore the normality in your house.

I hope you both reach an agreement. I wish you the best.

She is a Journalist,  her husband is the Doctor and I barely saw him. She is the trouble maker and apparently, He kisses her ass. Last week she asked me for a blender because she didn't know how to connect the Hand Blender. It doesn't make sense. Anyway, I am treating them politely but not from far. I come to clean the apartment when they are not in. And I am not serving her at all. I was nice I took her on a tour and show her everything.  I did what I do with all my guests, but I gave her the finger and she took the arm. 

Jennifer976
Level 8
Calgary, Canada

I would let her know you are not replacing items that you already have because they are not to her taste and suggest that she may be happier if she were to go rent an unfurnished apartment so she can decorate it to her tastes?  Have a conversation with her about your issues and follow up with a message in Airbnb to document it.  One of those "Just to confirm that our conversation today about.....that we agreed to.....or we disagreed on....."  And if that does not improve things I would contact Airbnb and ask them the best way to have her removed from your home.

Ned-And-Laura0
Level 10
Simi Valley, CA

I wouldn't kick her out, but rather I'd try and explain to her the rules of the house and list the items you are not comfortable with.  If she gets angry then maybe call airbnb.  But really unless she is violating specific written rules I doubt there is much airbnb can do anyway.  

John1080
Level 10
Westcliffe, CO

@Bianca156 If you're not going to kick them out, you need to sit them down, possibly over a meal and explain to them what your concerns and frustrations are. Hopefully they will react well! Good luck! 

@John1080 You are right John! Thanks a lot!

Letti0
Level 10
Atascosa, TX

@Bianca156  Call me a cynic, but her behavior would have me worried she has no intentions of leaving in 45 days. People do not redecorate with expensive items they would have to ship back to another country at even more cost. I would start checking your mailbox regularly. Referred by a friend or not. What are your tenant rights there in Brazil?