Key not on the property

[Kalpana7]

HI! My property is in the hills, over 300 km from where I live. The key to the property is with me, in the city and it says on my page that guests need to access the key from me. 

A guest has booked. When I confirmed the booking I thought she was in a suburb of my city. Turns out she is 150 km away. She is now demanding I get the key to her somehow. I asked her to cancel as it isn't possible to get the key to her. She neither responded to my message nor cancelled within the 48  hour window. She still wants to 'send someone' to get the key from me. I feel very uncomfortable with this guest as she seems irresponsible and I don't think she'll make as much effort to return the key as to get it. 

I could ask her to leave it with a neighbour after her stay (the cleaning lady can't be given the key as she uses the property to keep her own guests, but I can't get anyone else right now) but I don't really want this guest to stay now since she has been so unresponsive. 

I can't cancel because I have a strict cancellation policy and will be penalised as well as having the dates blocked off. I'm actually very annoyed about these inconsiderate guests. 

Suggestions?

[Ian-And-Anne-Marie0]

@Kalpana7 

I think that this is your main issue:

but I don't really want this guest to stay now since she has been so unresponsive.

For that purpose alone you need to cancel. Would that be covered in the Trust & Safety terms for your benefit anywhere?

Mitigating the consequential review will be a problem so you might just have to accept it. At least you won't be living with the fear of them in your apartment AS WELL AS them getting the key back, AS WELL AS the review.

[Kalpana7]

Thank you Ian and Anne-Marie. You're right - this is the main issue. I don't really want her to stay. Anyway, as predicted Airbnb is being very unhelpful and as pressurising as the guest herself so I will have to travel those 300 km to arrange for this wonderful guest. I don't really trust her so I'll make sure I'm there when she leaves so that I can check the premises myself. It's just a gut feeling I have. 

[Ian-And-Anne-Marie0]

@Kalpana7 

Trust & Safety: https://www.airbnb.co.uk/trust/hosting Item 6: Rebooking service.

Be the host with the most. Phone ABB, tell them you need to cancel due to your trust issue and get them to rebook the guests.

Still the review issue but you will have done what you could do.

[Kalpana7]

We don't have this trust and security rebooking service in India as far as I can make out right now. Instead, the company, like others on this forum, are pressurising me to believe my arrangements don't make the cut and therefore I must accomodate a careless guest. 

[Gordon0]

This is a tricky one, @Kalpana7, and I feel CS may side with the guest due to the key arrangement. Good luck either way, and do let us know how it goes. 

[Helen3]

Why don't you have a key lock or automated electronic check in @Kalpana7  rather than expecting the guest to get the key from you?

And if you are hosting remotely, you should have a local co-host to be on hand for emergencies and to manage the property.

It is not reasonable for you expect guests to pick up keys from a location which is 300 miles away from the property.

[Kalpana7]

Hi Helen! 

I don't espect the guest to get the key from me. I have it delivered, or deliver it myself. This has worked fine for the last couple of months till I get the key lock but now the guest and I have are in this soup because she thought the key is on the property and I thought she's in the same city as I am. 

I don't know what's reasonable and unreasonable, it's just the way it is right now and the guest can choose not to book. They shouldn't actually book and then insist it be done differently. This will involve me going and delivering the key DESPITE what I have written and because of a lack of support from airbnb. You'd think the property belongs to Airbnb - the way they're behaving. 

[Sarah977]

@Kalpana7  I have never heard of a situation where guests are expected to personally pick up a key from a host who lives 300 kilometers, or even 3 kilometers, from the listing. That seems really strange and I can't imagine that many guests would be okay with that.

There needs to be a way for guests to get keys on site.

[Kalpana7]

Babe - the key is delivered to the guests. It's a holiday home so it is 300 km away from me. It isn't all that strange and quite a few guests were fine with me delivering the key and then picking it up from them. 

However, thanks to your scorn I see that if one is going to host one's home one has to make it as convenient as a hotel. 

I'm seriously thinking it isn't worth the headache. 

[Sarah977]

@Kalpana7  My response was based on what you originally wrote: "The key to the property is with me, in the city and it says on my page that guests need to access the key from me."

I'm sorry, but that indicates the opposite of " the key is delivered to the guests", doesn't it? 

Responses to posts here can only be based on the information given, not personal interpretation.

I'm not sure why you read my response as scorn, it certainly wasn't intended as such- it just seemed like a very odd and inconvenient situation.

Of course one doesn't have to host as if it was a hotel. Personally, I don't have self-check-in and have to show most of my guests how the door locks work, as they are not common outside of Mexico.

[Ian-And-Anne-Marie0]

@Helen3 @Sarah977 

Whilst I agree that the key arrangement is crazy, @Kalpana7  explained the key situation and the guest accepted it. To kick up a fuss on the day of arrival is equally crazy.

[Kalpana7]

'Crazy?" Ok.

I live in a city. The property is in the wilds. This is the arrangement till I can import a key box from the UK. we don't have them in India. 

But yes, it is quite awkward and now that this has happened I guess it;'s best to take the property off AIRBNB until the key box is installed. 

[Robin4]

@Kalpana7 

Hey Kalpana, there are very few rights or wrongs to hosting, you have to do what works for you! 

You will get some backlash 'comments' here about this arrangement of yours but I understand why you do it. You are concerned about the security of leaving a key on site. And the comments you will get here are made because we as hosts are concerned you are making your listing access un-neseccarilly hard on yourself. Nobody is criticizing you, just trying say, it could be easier for you!

Where the problem comes in here, you have probably cost yourself more in time, money  and effort getting that key to each guest and then retrieving it at the end of each stay than what it would have cost you to have an Airbnb supplied access code to a smart lock system where by the guest either holds their phone to the door lock and it opens, or else they are supplied with a specific code that only operates for the duration of that stay.

Google 'Smartlock' and you will find different versions will be displayed, some of which would no doubt be available in India.

I just did a Google search and a number of alternatives came up including this link.....

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GxfNVLdRyLk

Kalpana, you have a beautiful property in what looks like a heavenly location. A lot of money has been spent on presenting this property to the state that it is in, and it's a credit to you.

I would urge you to look at remote feature door locks so you don't find yourself in this situation again!

Cheers......Rob

[Sarah977]

@Robin4  FYI- I don't know if that would be the case for @Kalpana7, but there is no way an electronic smart lock could be fitted to the type of doors and locks common in Mexico and which I have. And there is not necessarily Wifi access everywhere for guests to use their phones.