How to deal with extra guests?

Answered!
Deborah0
Level 10
California, United States

How to deal with extra guests?

A host (call him Mark) recently described a problem, that seems to me to be an exceptionally common problem which hosts bring to the host communities to ask about.   Mark said that the guest booked 4 people, but that 6 people actually arrived.  He thought at first that only 4 guests would stay, as this had been the arrangement and what they paid for (and he doesn't allow more than 4 to stay at his home -- which is an entire house listing).  However, the next day when he went by the house to see the guests off and check them out, he saw all 6 people inside, and as they left, he saw that they were all carrying luggage, so it was clear they had all stayed there. 

 

Do you have any advice for Mark?

1 Best Answer
Quincy
Community Manager
Community Manager
London, United Kingdom

Hi everyone,

 

Please note that this content has been archived.

 

You can still access if if you have the link but it won't appear when you search on the Community Center.

 

Please take a look at our Help Center article on "When guests want to bring more people" for more information. 

 

To ask a new question just click below:

 

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Thanks

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236 Replies 236

Hi Maria - I'm relatively new to hosting. 

Our home sleeps 12 ... and to date our maximun group size has been 8.

I just had a womens foot ball team of 10 book ... and the person who booked said 'we may have a few team mates come over in the afternoon'.  

I'm feeling a bit nervous!

What's your experience with large groups in your home ... say 9-12 people?

Thank you,

Bryon

Helen3
Level 10
Bristol, United Kingdom

@Bryon4 What are your house rules about guests who haven't booked being on your property? What are your rules around late night noise? With a larger property you will have people who want to party, so having these rules in place is essential in help you manage your place, particularly if you host remotely.

 

In your situation I would set a maximum of the additional number of guests you would be happy having at the property and remind them about your rules around late night /early morning noise.

 

 

Thanks Helen.

I'll revisit my 'rule book' ... and get that posted.

How did that when out by the way ? I have stopped taking groups of athletes because they always seem to be really rough on the kitchen and loud.

Theoretically, you can.  You need to meet them at the door, and not let them in until they have paid via Airbnb.  That said, this is awkward, and tricky to do, and I'm not sure I would have the guts.  And, even though you are totally in the right, I could imagine it would affect your review..

 

Best option for the future is excellent communication with lots of questions to clarify all these things ahead of time.  And chalk this one up to a learning experience.

When I have to have this conversation, I couch it in a statement that is all about better service for the guest. Example:

Me: Oh, I thought there were only 3 people coming. There are 4?

Guest: Yes, my cousin decided to join us last-minute.

Me: We'll have to update the reservation on Airbnb then. There will be an additional fee of $15/night.

Guest: Do we have to? She's going to share the queen bed with me, it won't be any extra work.

Me: This is for your protection, as well as mine. Suppose there's some kind of problem with your staying here, and you have to file a complaint with Airbnb. Now, I will do everything possible to make sure your stay is good, but things happen. And if the complaint has an extra person not accounted for, you won't be able to complain.

OR

Me: Oh, the house isn't set up for 4 people! Only for 3. Your stay will be a lot more comfortable if the house is set up for all the people that will be here. I will need to call my housekeeper to come and set it up for 4, and I have to pay for that. So I will need to ask you to pay for the extra person.

OR

Me: During the cleanup afterward, my housekeeper charges me per person that stayed. So I will need to charge you for the extra person.

 

My housekeeper doesn't charge me per person, but the guest doesn't need to know that. 🙂 And I have never had a guest give me a bad review because of this. I tell them, after the transaction is done, that this will not affect the review *I* give them, and when they see that I'm not angry, they're relieved, if anything.

Rui304
Level 2
Bonfim, Portugal

I just read the initial 3 pages and the last one of this thread but I feel that this needs another point of view:

First of all let me state that I never hosted people for money. I have been part of a free hosting community on which I gave more than I have taken, so I know the extra work of hosting extra people.

I have also stayed in some hotels, and rarely have I seen any extra charge for 2 people in a room instead of 1 (breakfast excluded naturally).

Also I very much want to pay the fair price, and completely understand that each sets their own rules at their own house.

BUT some policies just feel so unfair that they are begging to be disrespected: I'm now searching for a house to spend the weekend with some friends. Some of them aren't sure if they will come, so when comparing houses with a friend we found the same house but for a radically different price: he was searching as if we would go just 4 guys, to a 4 bedroom house: 2 days, 250€. I searched for 8 people, assuming our girlfriends would manage to show up, and the price went from 250€ to 400€. This is absolutely insane! Plus I know that the house will probably be left tidyer if they come, there's no way they will cause 150€ worth of extra expense for the host in 2 days. I really want to play it strait and pay what the host asks but this just feels really unfair and greedy, specially given the uncertainty of how many people will manage to come. Maybe we'll end up staying somewhere else entirely. Anyway I hope this gives hosts another view of this issue.

@Rui304  It doesn't sound insane at all to me for 4 people (if your girlfriends join you) to pay an extra 37.50 each.  That sounds like a really fair price. 4 extra people means washing towels for 4 people (and girls tend to go through more towels than guys) 4 more people taking hot showers, 4 more people using up toilet paper (definitely more usage by women) , soap, etc, 4 more people using electricity charging their phones and devices, and whatever other amenities are provided, like coffee and tea, and so on. After paying those added expenses, the host is making a piddling amount of profit on those extra 4 people.

 

What you can do is look for a place that accepts 8, charges a base price for 4, with extra guest fee for anything above that. Then communicate with the host, saying you're not sure at this point if your girlfriends will be joining you, but it's a possibility, and if they decide to come, then you pay the extra guest fee, as opposed to paying for 8 to start with just in case they come with you.

@Rui304 I think you should stay elsewhere. You should get a hotel room for you and your guy friends.

 

If your girlfriends end up coming you can then get two hotel rooms. Which would double your pice. 

 

But that's okay. It's okay at a hotel but not in a host's home, right?

Rhonda45
Level 6
Eminence, MO

I am having the same problem and we cannot prove it because we live across the street but can’t see them entering from the back.  What do we do when we suspect there are more guests?  It’s become a real problem and I’m thinking about security cameras at both doors.

**[Inappropriate comment removed in line with the Community Center Guidelines]

Brian2036
Level 10
Arkansas, United States

@Press16 

 

If you are so experienced as both guest and host, why is it that you have no listing and no reviews?

@Brian2036 

 

I typed out a huge long msg, sorry uiu couldn't read it.

 

The gist:

Not my main

**

#stopasianhate

#squidgames

**[Inappropriate content removed in line with the Community Center Guidelines]

 

Yanqin1
Level 1
Tampa, FL

This is 2022, after 7 years, and this problem happened to me. 7 guests on reservation and 17 guests actually.  Airbnb customer service still can do nothing but told me they EDUCATE the guest. They're not able the charge the guest because she denied that, even I've provided all camera records that showed they've 17 people checked in and out. Now that guest knows video records cannot stop her.

Amin1777
Level 2
Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

Im in shock to have dealt with this difficult guest. My listing clearly stated can accommodate 6 person with extra 1 person.A day before arrival this guest said total guest coming would be 14!

 

FOURTEEN PERSON ! Its a 3BR condo unit not a bungalow with a compound.

 

After explaining that I wont be able to host that many, she then said 9 person 1 baby will come.

 

However on the check in day she came with a total of 11 person! Considering this guest have to pay 4 extra guest charges, not to mention the damages of my wall and floor, how would i go if they use this to blackmail me by giving a bad review?

 

i have picture during the check in the amount of people and the list of guest shes bringing in. I am waiting them to check out to request for extra pay.