Invasive Guests - Is it the Season or my Superhost Status?

Josh194
Level 2
Richmond, CA

Invasive Guests - Is it the Season or my Superhost Status?

I have been an AirBnB host for a year (next month).  I have two rooms in my 3-bedroom home that I rent to ABB guests, usually couples, so I have about 4 guests in my home at any given time.

 

In the past 3-4 months I feel that my guests have become more invasive of my home and a bit more rude.  When I started in May 2018, my guests were wonderful!  People from all over the world and locals, they were freindly, vibrant, and laidback - usually stayed 2-3 days.  Since about January my guests have been staying longer, taking over common spaces, not bothering to read rules or instructions.  My fridge is not one of the amenities I offer my guests (via ABB), but if they ask I tell them "If there is room you can put some small items in" - lately, they have been taking over the fridge, entire shelves have been reorganized by guests to fit their food.  Things have gone missing, I have had a towel (my guest towels are not cheap, they match the theme of each room) go missing, and a lamp was recently stolen(!).  Guests have gotten messier in the last few months as well, not washing dishes, soaking the bathroom floors, etc.

 

So what has changed?  Well the season obviously, but I recently reached Superhost status as well.

 

Did anybody else notice a change in guest quality when they reached Superhost status or is it a seasonal thing?

 

I have friends who host and they suggested I raise my rates to offset the additional work I am having to do lately, but I like being super affordable (it's how I like to travel), and the bad guest experiences have only been in the last few months.

18 Replies 18
Julia1
Level 8
London, United Kingdom

I feel that guests start to make themselves too at home the longer they stay whether they are friends or Airbnb and incidents such as you describe become more frequest (although not theft thankfully).  For this reason I have a limit of 6 days on stays in my room.

Hi @Julia1 ,

 

I have considered doing that, but I may make it a 5-day, these last 6-day guests are working my nerve a bit haha... they are friendly, but a bit high-maintenance.

 

I think you are correct, in the past couple of months, I have had much longer term guests than I did last Summer and Fall - plus it has been raining a lot here so they haven't been going out and exploring as much.

Nancy26
Level 3
Delray Beach, FL

Hi Josh, 

Sorry to hear all of this.  I rent a room in my house but it is locked off from the rest of the house.  Is it possible to set up your rooms this way?  Guests like having their own way in/out and privacy.  I like my privacy too.   I have only had great guests, but I look at their reviews.  Anyone without reviews I engage in conversation and, frankly, if I feel uneasy, I don't accept their request.  

My season just ended and questioning if I continue with AirBnB in the Fall. 

For you, your friend is right.  Raise the cost just a bit, but add in some freebies to make up for the additional cost (I have free beach chairs to use, etc. )  Consider putting a fridge in the garage or somewhere for only AirBnB guests. 

By all means, if someone steals a lamp, etc. put it in their review!

Wish you all the best,

Nancy

Hi @Nancy26 

 

I do have a separate entrance for the guests (that's an entire other issue, with reading check-in instructions), which is really nice.  I am a year-round heavy volume host (who knew it would go this well).  I may try to get a small electric cooler for each room.

 

I just worry about energy costs as our electric in my area is not cheap.

 

Thank you

Barry-and-Lera0
Level 10
Sarasota, FL

@Josh194: Might be worth adding a mini-fridge to your room and ticking the nightly rate up $5 a night. A mini-fridge will run you probably $150.

 

Sounds like a secuirty deposit would have also been helpful with the lamp going missing. You could claim that inside of 24hrs after check-out. After cleaning for each guest you can snap a picture of the room for time stamp purposes. Airbnb always wants to see pictures.

 

Best of luck.

Hi @Barry-and-Lera0 ,

 

I have thought about that.  I stayed at a place in the UK that had a small electric cooler (I don't have room for a mini fridge in the rooms), and I really enoyed having that.  It would also limit what they can shove in... yesterday I had two Domimos Pizza boxes balancing on items in my fridge haha

 

 

Patricia55
Level 10
Newcastle upon Tyne, United Kingdom

Hi Josh

In my experience, I don't think what you're describing has anything to do with superhost status or season – from the beginning of hosting I've had short-stay guests who've been a bit messy and longer-stay guests who've used all the facilities and been respectful of boundaries. We haven't really had anyone unbearable, but we only have a maximum of 2 guests at a time; four guests and you're multiplying the chances of getting irritated!

I've also noticed my own reactions: when guests first arrive they may be a little tentative, and then gradually use the kitchen more – my first reaction is: “Ah, they're making themselves more at home, great!” And then, after a couple of days, I start to feel rather peeved if I can't use my kitchen freely! TBH, no matter how much I like our guests, there's a part of me that's quite relieved when they leave: “Yay, I can cook when I want!”

NB1 If they're using the kitchen frequently, I would definitely expect them to leave it as they found it. The longer their stay, the stricter we need to be at the beginning.

NB2 There are guests who are using Airbnb as an alternative to permanent accommodation – I'm not saying this is a bad thing, just a fact – a couple of our favourite guests were in that tricky situation but, thankfully, they stayed aware of boundaries. I'd imagine that some long-term guests would get a little too complacent and “revert.”

NB3 Like you, I want to be affordable, and haven't noticed a drop in the quality of guests' behaviour as a consequence.

Maybe you're just having a run of bad'uns... it happens.

Anyway, I hope things get better for you!

Hi @Patricia55,

 

I hope that is what it is, maybe I have just had a string of challengers and a bit wound up haha.  I am having a lot more longer term (5-6 day) guests the past few month, I think I may be more comfortable with the 2-3 day guests.  

 

I do enjoy the people for the most part,  I will see how it goes this Summer as well.

 

Thank you

Yulianna0
Level 10
Madrid, Spain

@Josh194, i also agree that superhost status can create more expectations in some guests minds. They can think that we will eat everything just to keep it. Put your rules very very clearly and show your surprise if someone wants to break it:) Let them save their face. 

And about length of stay I have realized that after 3 days people are feeling more like at home. So I have maximum 3 days stay.

Mark116
Level 10
Jersey City, NJ

@Josh194  I have noticed an overall downturn in quality of guests beginning about 6 or so months ago. 

 

Many more cancellations, lack of responsiveness to messages, fewer guests bother to review, general lack of respect or sense that they aren't in a hotel.  I think that as airbnb has become really, really mainstream it has finally attracted the lowest common denominator of people who are looking for a deal with nothing in return.  I can barely even remember the last time I got a host gift.  I think it's  not about superhost but about a general trend toward who uses the platform and how.

Hi @Mark116 

 

Thank you!!!  I think you may have hit on something there, more and more people are using ABB as a cheap place to stay as opposed to an experience.  They have hotel expectations on a motel dime.  There are times I have to clean up after one guest so that the other guest doesn't think I'm a slob.  

 

Guests used to leave nice notes or cards, now I just get reveiws saying my house smelled like dog food... what does that even mean?  I have to seal my dog's food up now, because it smelled offensive to a guest? lol

 

As one post had said "It is what it is, I can only do the best I can"... I'll ride this train until it crashes or gets back on track 🙂

Mark,

 

 I coulnd't agree with you more.  I have had a really bad run of guests.  I used to do longer term. I switched it up to shorter term and longer term,  and had perhpas 1 or so good guest experience,  and many others just really bad.  I had two ( I have two listings at once) that were so bad, and so were the dealings with airbnb to resolve the matters) that I am activiley looking to alternatives. The listing in my home ( private entrance in a duplux, downstiars) I had to shut down for a bit because I was burned out, and to the OP -  Josh -- I feel as you do about the invasieness and needed some space).   I am hoping that I can regroup, refresh, change SOMETHING/S and get back on track. But I have noticed a huge drop in guest attitude since they took on the boutique hotels on this site, and other changes.  They are growing beyond anything remotely mangeable in my opinion, and for what we are doing -- inviting people into our homes -- the bus terminal quality it now has is disturbing.  Unless you are a mangement complany with BOUTIQUE HOTELS.  I'm not.  After doing okay -- I now need an alternative or to find another way.

As you said Mark, fewer reviews, repsones to messages during the stay, follow any house rules, or are repsectful.  I used to have much more personal stays that were really rewarding.... I saw the downturn sometime late last year but it has gotten worse this year.  And more and more people ask for discounts, early check ins and a lot of "asks", but don't seem grateful for them.

Because of one bad guest and then how my place was left -- I don't know how this happened-- but lost superhost status  Just Today, despite no cancellations, high percentages in all categories, but not at 4.8 , just 4.7 for guest stars.  So,  terrible guests and lost status becuase of them ....
 

Susan151
Level 10
Somerville, MA

@Josh194 . Your listing indicates that you allow your guests to use the kitchen to prepare meals. As a guest, I would assume that this means I can use the fridge to store the food that I plan to prepare. Could this be a source of confusion for your guests? You also welcome them to use your living room. I am not surprised that longer term guests are taking advantage of these two amenities, especially if the weather is bad.

 

It is possible, now that you know what annoys  you, you might want to tweak your offerings just a bit.

 

And sometimes, you just have to block a night or two to refind your "happy" place.

@Susan151 ,

 

I think I will have to make an amendment.  I had the two drawers cleared out for guests that needed to use the fridge, but lately they are storing larger items in the fridge that won't fit into the drawers.  Boxes of take out and pizza boxes are the norm lately - one guest actually shoved my food into the drawer so they could have the whole shelf.  I tell guests, if there is room you can put some food in there.

 

It is rare that a guest uses the living room at all, unfortunately.