Need some guidance on a situation I'm having regarding a guest

[Bez8]

Hello lovely CC members. 

I wanted to get some guidance regarding an issue that I'm having right now with a uncommunicative guest. 

We had good communication until the booking was confirmed (this was about 1 month ago). Since then I sent a message a week ago asking if they had any questions or if there was anything I could do to make their stay more enjoyable. I did not get a reply to that, 

They were supposed to check in yesterday and stay for 18 days. I sent a message 1 day before check in and the radio silence continued. 

I sent 2 messages yesterday (day of check in) and didn't receive a reply. Our check-in time limit is 11pm and we didn't hear a word. 

This morning (1 day after check in) I have yet to hear from the guest. 

Their listed phone number is disconnected. They have 12  reviews and all of them are 5 star. However the guest told me that they should update their profile since they had moved in the last 2 years. 

I contacted Airbnb to see if they could get a hold of the guest and haven't heard anything back. 

We have a contact-less check in through a code that gives access to our unit. I'm thinking of changing the code to be safe. I have no idea what to do and would appreciate some feedback from host's who have gone through something similar. 

I hope they are ok, but I'm starting to worry for the safety of our home. 

Thank you  

[Bez8]

@Cathie19 @Helen3 @Branka-and-Silvia0 @Lawrene0 @Emilia42 @Alexandra316 

Thank you for all your help. Airbnb was not able to reach the guest either. I finally got a message from the guest yesterday. There was a family emergency and they would be checking in last night (which never happened)

I've decided to just let it go and see what happens. I understand that emergencies do happen. But a simple message isn't too much to ask for. 

[Emilia42]

@Bez8 I'm glad you at least got some sort of clarification. 

But a simple message isn't too much to ask for.  No, it isn't. But this is one of those guests who has a hotel mindset. The guest wouldn't be expected to call the hotel and the hotel wouldn't reach out. How many more nights in this guest's stay? Have you thought about the review?

[Mary996]

@Bez8  Phew glad that they got in touch eventually. Sorry to hear of the emergency but as you were there for them and on high alert I'm sure they won't be asking for, nor receiving, any refund. It would be nice if they are able to relax enough to stay for the remaining fortnight or so. Any indication?

[Sarah977]

@Bez8  As I have to send a map to my place to guests, as it's impossible to find otherwise, I ask the guests to confirm that they received it.

I had a booking once where the guest wasn't answering multiple messages and as it was only 3 days until check-in and she was coming from overseas, I was getting concerned. Airbnb tried for 2 days to contact her, and finally suceeded, at which point she messaged me back and said there had been a death in the family, so she wouldn't be coming. She said she had never received any of my messages, and I believed her, as she apologized profusely and never asked for refund.

I don 't know if she just didn't have her notifications turned on, and because of the family death checking her Airbnb account was far from her mind, or there was a glitch in the messaging, or what. 

But I also messaged her back, offering my condolences and offering to refund her, and she never answered that message, either. 

[James2566]

You’re right to be concerned. I had a similar situation and two days after the scheduled arrival, a friend forwards me a news article about a couple who was arrested. Having been concerned about my guests dropping off the face of the earth (who were very chatty up until their scheduled arrival), I recognized their names immediately. I couldn’t believe it. I contacted AirBnb support and they gave me instructions. The reservation remained active just in case they were released on bail and arrived at my rental which you can imagine made me nervous and uncomfortable so I waited ans never contacted them beyond my messages checking if they’d arrived safely. I never mentioned seeing in the news that they’d been arrested, I just let the check-out day come and go. Weeks later, I’d forgotten about it when I get a call from AirBnb. I suppose, after the dust settled, the guests decided they wanted a full refund. I’ll spare you my response because others may feel differently, but I was fully supported by AirBnb and did everything right. After that experience, yes I will be concerned if I don’t at least get a one word confirmation guests have arrived. Sometimes I ring the landline after two days as a safety check and 99% of the time, the excitement of adventure made them unplug, and that’s the end of it. But this is one I’ll never forget!