Issues with current guest

[Janine221]

Looking for advice please. I have only been hosting since last July, 26 guests so far, in my static caravan.  My current guest is an elderly lady who booked to stay 7 nights alone for max 4 adults but with family members joining her over the week to visit sick son. she turned up at 9.30pm the first night (check in 2-8pm) and her 8 yo grandson stayed with her. On the second day we had cause to speak to her regarding allowing the 8 yo to wander unsupervised on the farm, our House Rules are quite clear on this and also regarding them wandering on our neighbours land. On the second night she had issues understanding how the hob worked with gas ignition switch and used half a box of matches trying to light it before calling us. Again the child stayed. There was a terrible storm that night and the following day the child informed us that this granny had left th windows wide open overnight and soaked the beds/curtains/floors! she called him a tittle tattle but didn't deny it. She went shopping on the third day and crammed the fridge with food and had 6 members of family over for lunch/afternoon. At 8.50pm that night she again called saying there was water on the floor in the kitchen area. I went straight up! Someone had knocked the internal temperature adjustment dial down to 0 effectively turning it off and also snapped the plastic dial clean off! As a consequence the fridge started to defrost. I cleaned up for her and spoke to her regarding the damage and she has completely denied causing it! I managed to turn the fridge temperature back up using the broken dial and advised her we would sort it the following day which she was happy about and stated she would leave the door unlocked for us. At 9.35pm members of her family arrived at the farm and then left at 10pm. Upon inspecting the fridge the following day we saw that her family member the previous night had dragged the fridge out and torn the lino underneath. She has since been sleeping there but not in evidence during the day time.  We have ordered a new fridge to be delivered. Today, the 6th day she has left the caravan to visit family and left the windows open in the heavy rain and also the French door was wide and swinging open with the curtain billowing out in the rain! Do I speak to her again, ask Airbnb to make a claim for us or just wait out the last 2 nights and be glad to get rid? If we get a bad review from her, Im a super host, do I contest it now with Airbnb or after? thanks for the advice all.

[Gordon0]

This sounds much like one of the grin and bear it/suck it up type guests, @Janine221 . We've all had them. Personally I'd just be angry inside for the next few days while smiling. If you get a bad review from her it's tough; don't expect Airbnb to remove it for you. That's not how it works (more's the pity).  

[Janine221]

Thanks Gordon. Do you think I should speak to Airbnb about it?

[Gordon0]

Short of the kid wandering around unsupervised, I don't understand which of your house rules she has broken. Yes, she might be a bit daft, but there's little malicious behaviour going on unless you say otherwise?

Kick her out if you think it's warranted.  

[Janine221]

regarding the damage Gordon not house rules. But thanks for your input

[Paul154]

Kick her out immedately. Call Airbnb. 

Agree to return the last days prorated rent

Even though you should have done it earlier, it is still not to late.

She has proven she does not respect you or your home. It will not get better.

[Janine221]

She definitely doesn't respect our home/investment or the house rules which frankly I don't believe she's even read! 

[HannahyMartín0]

Hello,

Did the guest have a thorough check-in, explaining about your guest policy, walking the farm alone, what to do Incase of rain etc? Sometimes in the past, when a guest leaves my house windows open while away or put food in the trash instead of compost, I think to myself whether or not I was clear with instructions. Also, some guests can just be plain disrespectful, in those cases I’ve contacted Airbnb about the situation right away.

[Janine221]

No as she turned up at half 9 at night and wouldn't listen. I tried again the following day even with an aerial photo of the farm and surrounding land marked out where they could go and that the child must be supervised and not go on our neighbours fields and their large pond, which he and his learning difficulty sister and carer already had been seen at! I have a file in the static to be read with house rules and how everything works but she's definitely not read it. She is elderly, ulcerated legs so not able to walk anywhere really let alone supervise her grandchildren.It\s the lying over the fridge and the damage that's got to us tbh

[Ian-And-Anne-Marie0]

@Janine221 

Speaking with Airbnb about your situation wouldn't be an issue. You are quite at liberty to ask them questions, you can even 'mention' your concerns and their outcome. Possibly, they will give you a preferred action plan ("Reach to to the guest and try to consolidate matters").. and maybe you could just say you think the guest might be awkward if you reach out with mentioning the broken items and ripped flooring issues so you expect you might be unfairly reviewed. They might note it and it could be beneficial to you later.

You might go around the caravan with her on departure and check items in her presence? Wet items, dirty french window curtains, ripped vinyl, broken fridge. and try to remedy the situation in an agreeable way?

Disrespecting your home,  not reading house rules, ... Yep!

[Janine221]

Thank you! An informative reply to a novice in these matters. Really helpful. 

[Branka-and-Silvia0]

Jesus, you should have kicked her out a few days ago.

[Linda108]

@Janine221   What a beautiful, clean and modern caravan (RV) you have!  And the pictures about the farm are so welcoming.  You have just begun to offer this listing and the two reviews are very positive.  

Being a person that has no idea about how to manage the amenities in an RV, I would not have booked this listing even though it is so lovely unless I could be sure I either travelled with someone more experienced or I was certain to have a very thorough orientation.

How do you vet a potential guest suitability for your listing?  You state the guest is elderly, so do you think she was not totally aware and remembering what is expected of her?

During all these incidents of problems, did you only communicate verbally or did you also message through the Air BNB system so that Air BNB can have a record to the many problems and the guest response?  I do not see that you have a rule about unregistered guests visiting or staying in the RV, so was the guest within expectations to have multiple other people using the RV?  

You mention the tear in the linoleum, do you have other damages that require repair or replacement?  If you do, it is important to document these damages.

Before you contact Air BNB, it is best for you to be clear about you want from Air BNB.  If you want to have the guest booking cancelled, then you will refund the guest for unused nights.  

[Janine221]

Hi Linda thank you for your reply. I have 2 listings and I think youve looked at the smaller more recently listed one. It’s Paddock View in this instance a 2 bed static caravan. The guests profile doesn’t indicate age etc and in fairness the amenities are very normal and mains drainage etc. Max occupancy is 6 only but we actually don’t state no visitors so perhaps we should. She just won’t listen when we speak to her and hasn’t read the file in the accommodation with the house rules and advice/explanations. The truth is she is elderly, visiting her local son who is undergoing chemo so we’re loathe to upset her but it’s a little upsetting for us as we live and work on the farm. We’ve not received a bad review before but perhaps this will be the one as she refuses to accept the damage caused by them. Thank you for your positivity! 

[Marie82]

@Janine221 , i know some guests make hosts crazy, but considerating her situation, mature guest and son under chemo, she has other worries at the moment.  If she has only 2 nights left to let it go don't try to get her booking cancelled. Grandkids don't always listen to their grandmother. 

When guests book my space and they are going through a difficult personal situation I tend to let things go easily. As the last things, I want to bring during their stay is more stress.