How to deal with unexpected situations?

Stephanie
Community Manager
Community Manager
London, United Kingdom

How to deal with unexpected situations?

unexpected situations.jpg

Hello everyone,

 

From time to time, unexpected situations are always going to crop up, such as your washing machine taking one look at the huge pile of washing and deciding to give up the go or your guests arriving much later than expected! You can’t prevent these from happening entirely, but there are some things you can put in place to minimise the risk of them happening and ways to help deal with them if they do.  

 

Things like great communication and doing regular home maintenance, along with some handy lists of emergency support numbers for local repair companies or plumbers are just a few examples. 

 

What things do you have in place to help you deal with unexpected situations?

 

Looking forward to hearing from you. 

 

Stephanie

-----

 

Please follow the Community Guidelines 

73 Replies 73
Jennifer1809
Level 2
Grimsby, Canada

Hello everyone, We have been hosting for about 2 years now and we just had a new long term guest check in for 2 months. Our space is not a 5 star luxury place but it is nice, clean and updated. I have an average 5* reviews from about 75 stays.  I work hard to keep it clean and am always buying new things to replace. I just purchased $400 in outdoor cushions. I'm proud of the little apartment I created. The problem: This new guest has been asking me for all kinds of things that we don't offer and wasn't listed in my amenities. She has complained a few times too from the moment she arrived.(ie. there isn't enough space and it's cramped-can't fit all her clothes in the wardrobe and toiletries in the bathroom).  I feel like a concierge and that the guest is expecting too much. She also brought a dog which I agreed to as long as the dog is quiet, vetted, etc. Well the dog has been barking. Basically, Its stressing me out the thought of having this person here for 2 months...not sure what to do as she hasn't done anything really wrong but drive me nuts. 

Any advice would be great! Thanks. 

@Jennifer1809  Yes, she has done something wrong. She's complaining about everything, misrepresented the behavior of her dog, and expects you to attend to her constantly. 

 

This is the kind of situation where you need to say "XX, it is apparent to me that my place isn't a good fit for you- you have so many complaints. It would be best for both of us if you looked  for another place as soon as possible where you would be happier and we alter the dates of your booking here."

 

She willl either agree, or stop complaining if she wants to stay. If she continues in the same fashion, you should  contact Airbnb to say you are uncomfortable with this guest, she us a  bad fit for your place, and want to cancel the rest of the booking without penalties.

Thanks @Sarah977 

I spoke with my husband just now, she has only been here 2 days. We decided that if there is one more complaint we will have to talk to her about her making other arrangements. 

Also, I didn't mention that the first eve she was here she put the extra twin bed mattress out in the damp enclosed porch outside the apt. door. She said it was too cramped in the apt. with all her clothes...

 

 

do not take no more of her money once you stop or rerun payout to guest they must vacate your house. But if you have take the payout return it to her take the bad review and move on. There definitely is a learning curve I was renting for a while and when the person would not leave the police were ready to kick me out of my house, so I payed her off took the hit and moved on

 

Dot87
Level 2
St. Catharines, Canada

I'm having a learning experience with my current guest. This was a booking with very short notice, and things quickly got complicated. Could the boyfriend come early? (I should have said, "Check in time is 3:00. But I will gladly allow him to keep his bags here.") Then, "I have some clients I will be visiting. But a few friends will come to the house and I will paint their nails there." Not, "Will that be okay?" or "is that allowed". I was kind of uncomfortable with that, but I compromised by saying, "Only one other person at a time, and no one past 8:00 p.m." Again, my fault. I should have had a firm, "No!" But I had n o idea that the solvent smell would be so strong that my husband suggested we sleep in the trailer. Like I say,  I'm on a learning curve. Instead of leaving the house, my husband texted and then politely talked to the guests. They apologized and she rearranged her to see her remaining clients at their own homes.  I am not sure what kind of review we will get now, but I feel like it went as well as can be expected. In the same way that, "Good fences make good neighbours", "Clearly communicated rules make happy host and (possibly) happier guests". Has anyone else had a guest carry on business on the premises for a short term stay?

there is a section we’re you can put in house rule book residential us only no commercial or business on your property 

Paula1838
Level 1
KCMO, MO

I currently have a long term guest whom is making me a bit uncomfortable.  She is “sleeping”.repeatedly with the male guests, in addition, doing so in the commons - living room sofa.  She is also bringing in strange guys here at the house to socialize late at night.  Lastly, she has been storing full size, overflowing garbage bags.  Is it me or is this strange or is this normal?

@Paula1838  Normal? A "bit" uncomfortable? Storing bags full of garbage? Having sex on the living room couch?

Take charge of what is going on in your home. Why are you allowing her to invite other people over?

 

This guest would be read the riot act and told what is and isn't acceptable behavior in someone else's home, or told to find another place and pack up and leave, pretty much anywhere.

Don’t take any more money in payouts 

@Paula1838  You want to keep your feedback away from sounding like you are making any moral judgments.  If you don't have it in your rules, add that only registered guests are allowed on the property.  If you already have that rule, then very gently remind the guest that 'visitors' are not allowed.  I'm not sure how to discreetly mention the couch activity....maybe remind the guest that sound travels? or something like that.  

 

As far as the garbage bags, there is a class of people who more or less live in Airbnbs, so I presume she may be one of those nomads, and is hauling her stuff around with her.  I'm not sure what you can do about that now that she's already on site.  In future, add to your rules that the listing is a residence and guests are not allowed to store boxes/bags etc. 

 

ETA I tried to check out your listing, but nothing is attached to your profile?

 

I believe you are being scammed if you continue to take there payout’s you are committing to keep them in your house . As for storing ! bags , I would recommend you start taking pictures , with a date such as a Daly news paper and documenting everything. Documentation is key in any lawsuit. I would also recommend call a air B &B support agent and tell the of this situation but keep documenting so when the police get there you have you side straight

good Luck

phil 

Audra49
Level 2
Phoenix, AZ

I have current guests and the heat isn’t working… it’s a brand new system.  I believe this has caused the master shower pipes to freeze , the shower isn’t coming on.  I have a technician coming this morning for repair of the heat .. what should I do to accommodate the current guest? 

Huma0
Level 10
London, United Kingdom

A guest ignored my instructions and broke the front door lock on his way out. I only realised a while after he left that I was trapped inside the house (the window at the front has a security grill so you can't get out that way) and tried to message him but he didn't respond. I had new guests checking in shortly. 

 

Luckily, I managed to flag down the neighbour as she was leaving her house, pass the key through the letter box and get her to open the door from the outside, but it meant I could not close the door again until the locksmith came. 

 

The new guests arrived and I explained the situation to them. I showed them around while keeping an ear on the door to make sure no intruders entered! Meanwhile, the guest who broke the lock returned and, having not read his messages, closed the door and locked all of us in!! 

 

Luckily, the new guests were understanding and the locksmith came quickly to replace the lock.

 

I am not sure what I could have done to be better prepared for this situation (all guests are instructed how to operate the lock and this guest broke it through brute force and sheer carelessness) but it's useful to have a few locksmiths' numbers to hand.

Blair18
Level 2
Pensacola, FL

I'm rather disgusted that I can't find consistent reliable, correct information that a guest will receive from Airbnb when they make a reservation.  Not the things I provide, but that Airbnb provides, like my address,,, Some Guests call and want to know my address, others have rooted around and figured it out and come to my home.  I need to understand the logic and rules/procedures that airbnb follows  on this.  I have gotten at least 3 different answers from support.   It seems to me that it should be easy to direct me to the procedures and the logic for the structure.