How to look out for "picky" guests?

[Peter3004]

So I have a rating of 4.7 and hosted over 50 guests and I never had any complaints, one person have rated cleanliness 3 all others 4 to 5. Yesterday I had 4 guests that arrived and said everything was perfect 10 minutes after check-in (of course maybe they just meant location, rooms etc) and after 30 minutes they said the place was to dirty and they are booking a hotel instead. 

Now the thing is that I don't think the place is dirty and it looks like it done for all other guests so on my opinion these guests are more picky than all my previous. I cancelled them with full refund as I don't want any trouble but I would off course want to avoid this in the future. I would like a system where you can see if a guest for example "rated previous bookings less than average" or similar. 

My other alternative would be to be on-site at every arrival and ask the guest to approve everything and "check-in". 

[Ross648]

Picky guests are hard to predict, but be careful of guests who have never used AirBnB. 

I have instabook, and last summer had a couple that had never used the platform before.  They seemed fine when I contacted them after checkin (no complaints) but after leaving complained about the "uncomfortable sofa" (which is Restoration Hardware).  Also,  I allow pets, and they came with their dog.   They should have been grateful BUT they rated me a 2.  A 2!    

In short, perhaps do not accept guests who have never used AirBnB before, but more importantly, forget about ratings.  The system was designed to drive you crazy.  

[James2566]

I looked at your listing it’s a very low cleaning fee (under US50) for such a large place. If you’re cleaning it yourself, that experience was the sign you need to hire a professional and increase the fee. Cleanliness is the most important thing here and with Airbnb’s impossible new guidelines, I wouldn’t risk any complaints to them about whether or not you’re following them. I’d also recommend not having your toes or your dog in your photos, and upgrading the bedding. If guests must provide their own bedding, then have a mattress protector and pillow protectors that are removable and wash those between each stay. 

[Noelle25]

@Peter3004 I’m so sorry you’ve dealt with this. Thankfully I’ve only had something like this happen once. I’ve since updated my house manual to introduce the home and make sure that each guest sends a password that’s “hidden” in the manual details. This is basically like them signing an agreement understanding that I personally sanitize after each guest and not to expect what they would have if they went to a hotel with professional cleaners. I also am sure to list that my home is pet friendly and that I use the same washer and dryer. I was just as shocked as you were when my guest came in. Seemed to use the room for what he needed, a shower and some rest, and then all of the sudden he decided my place wasn’t perfect for him. I have a moderate cancellation policy and because Airbnb is amazing I called and asked them for their opinion. They let me know they would be awaiting and were thankful I made them aware. When everything came down to it the guest canceled, I did not. And I’m not sure what happened on the other end of the phone call but because I was able to let Airbnb know that I thought the guest was trying to take advantage of a situation, they were able to help me, their host. So I was very thankful. 

maybe you can add a similar idea into your house manual so that people know what to expect, especially if it’s their 1st Airbnb experience. And leave a password for them to give you before check in. After all, it is mandatory that guests read the manual prior to booking 🙂