NO Smokers period...guest ignoring this. Using instant book!

[Nancy22]

Hello Everyone.  I just starting using INSTANT book to increase my rating and presence on Airbnb.  It is working, I am getting more rentals but I find they are ignoring the rules. My rules are VERY clear- NO SMOKERS period. I currently have guests that just checked in asking if it's ok to smoke on the deck? I am furious. I told them that I don't allow smokERS and again they asked if they could smoke off the property!!  I should ask them to leave, I won't this time but will the next time. What is the process to do this? 

[Helen3]

Just make it clear in your house rules where they can smoke completely off your property. @Nancy22 

You can reinforce this with your check in details.

Unfortunately as you will come to know guests don't read the listings thoroughly let alone house rules.

[Andrea-and-Francis0]

I have it listed in my listing & house rules: Non Smoking Guests Only:
Due to our sensitivity to smells we only accept non-smokers so if you or your other registered guests partake in smoking, drugs, tobacco, marijuana, vaping cigarettes & or e-cigarettes we kindly ask you to please book elsewhere. We also confirm they are non-smokers in our messages when they book & if any problems, we have told guests that unfortunately we will be calling airbnb & have them relocated. You might want to make it more clear in your listing & house rules too 🙂

[Nancy22]

Thank you guys, this is perfect. I will add this wording.  I always confirm that they have read the house rules but  never have I specifically asked if they are smokers because it says that in what I believe is very clear language... but yours is better. 

Again thanks for taking the time to respond. 

I need to understand the procedure to ask them to leave, do I contact Airbnb first? From what you said, I understand that Airbnb will facilitate? 

Cheers

Nanc 

[Andrea-and-Francis0]

Yes we contacted Airbnb to explain the situation & they then contacted the guests & said they will find them a more suitable place to stay. Unfortunately the guests do get a full refund for the days they didn't stay in your home so you will be out the money as it's hard to find new guests to stay last minute. That's why I double check they are non-smokers when they book to try to avoid this situation 🙂 

[Nancy22]

Really, I'm stunned that they get a full refund. If they broke a rule,  for example were smoking, would they still receive a refund?

[Rebecca181]

@Nancy22 Airbnb's policies are grossly guestcentric - and more and more-so each year. Guests are learning they can break rules, destroy property, and cause all kinds of mayhem and get a full refund - In some cases, even for nights they actually stayed (via making up a lie about the host, and Airbnb does not investigate or check with the host to see if it is true). So there are no real protections at all for hosts anymore on the platform, in my opinion, which is why I de-listed my property recently. 

[Nancy22]

Oh my Rebecca, that is extraordinarily disheartening. I need to find the rules on this. I am a Superhost with Airbnb and worry about my reputation greatly- these types of guests I don't want period! 

[Anonymous]

 @Nancy22  Airbnb's non-discrimination policy doesn't regard "smokers" as a protected class, so if you deactivate Instant Book you are free to screen guests in the request process to make sure they are non-smokers. 

But the jurisdiction of your House Rules would generally end at the boundaries of your property. That's why they're called House Rules and not "The Guest's Whole Trip Rules." Even if a guest identifies as a non-smoker, they may choose to partake outside of your property during their visit, or spend time in a place where their clothing and hair might absorb secondhand smoke, and your nonsmoking policy doesn't really apply. You can terminate a booking at any time - Airbnb can't force you to keep someone in your home that you're uncomfortable with - but as @Andrea-and-Francis0  points out, you don't get to keep money for unused nights just because you don't like the guests' smell. 

[Nancy22]

Hi, I believe I am also free to screen my guests (inquiries) with instant book. They are told to read the house rules and  confirm the understanding of  house rules. My house rules are:  only NON- smoking guests. If they are smokers, they are smokers regardless of location. 

[Linda-And-Richard0]

@Nancy22  I understand your reasons for using Instant Book but as you know, guests do not always read the information or house rules for a listing.  They look at all the pretty pictures and presume they can do whatever they please while at your property.  This is why I refuse to use Instant Book.  Each and every guest request or inquiry receives my response stating that my listing is no smoking, no pets, no parties and occupancy is limited to 6 persons.  Only when they reply agreeing to these rules will I accept a reservation.   My husband and I live next door to our listing so we meet each and every guest in person.  Once again, I state the house rules and refer them to a hard copy for their review. 

[Nancy22]

Hi, yes that is how I have always done it, but wanted to try the Instant Book to increase my ranking, which it for sure did. I have researched this Linda/Richard and they MUST confirm they have read the house rules, so they obviously are ignoring the rules, hit the 'check box' and didn't read the rules, or are complete jerks.  I will continue to use instant book and ALSO now confirming myself that they are NON smokers et al- same as you guys. If they don't respond favourably, I will cancel their booking.  And I will not accept another person that feigns ignorance- if they show up and ask if the can "smoke on the deck", will will ask them to leave. Maybe if we ALL do this, Airbnb with do a charge-back to them for lying or ignoring. Some people are just scammers and cons- really wish we could rid the world of such people! 

[Andrea-and-Francis0]

We have had so many problems with smokers in the past from them smoking by our side door & the smell comes in when they re-enter, lots of rude guests have thrown their cigarette butts all over our property which I then have to clean up more of their mess & the last straw was when our next door neighbour told us he had cigarette butts thrown over his fence on his property from our guests which I was incredibly embarrassed, disgusted & had to apologise for our rude & disrespectful guests which is why we no longer host smokers. Life is too short to deal with their nonsense 🙂

[Nancy22]

Exactly.