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  

[Mike-And-Jane0]

@Bez8 I suspect the guest will eventually contact customer services and persuade them to give a full refund for some obscure reason. I hope I am wrong......

[Gary-And-Rose0]

All messages can be reviewed by Airbnb staff you covered the bases there is nothing more you can do. Change your code immediately. 

if they do arrive late they will certainly contact you for a new code. 

I send a welcome message with door code and where to park, where the entrance is, again what we provide  etc. 

at the end I ask that they please reply to this message to confirm they have entry code. 

most do some don’t at least a code I’m not waiting around to hand a key over etc. 

[Mike-And-Jane0]

@Bez8 Is the reservation still showing in your calendar? There have been reports of cancellations going through with everyone but the host informed! Also has payment been released? 

[Bez8]

@Mike-And-Jane0 

Yes they still show active and the payment is to be released on the 25th (today)

I'm starting to worry that maybe something happened to them. I dont know and I'm still waiting to hear back from Airbnb (they did tell me they couldn't contact the guest either)

I think I will go ahead and change the code to be safe. 

This is the first time this has happened. It's just very odd. We've had a few recent bad experiences and my guards are up.  

[Dale711]

Salut @Bez8,

Awesome!

Indeed, you handled the situation remarkably well and managed to avoid incident happen in the listing

I've got an experience similar to you.

The guest was great at communication and has positive reviews.

She reserved a week in the private studio with self-check-in but she didn't check-in on the day

and fail in response to my call for two days.

I've been worried about her. Yet, incautious the incident.

After a few days, I received a message from Airbnb, the reservation has cancelled by the " host " and a full refund to the guest, plus a cancellation penalty in my future payout.

How could that happen?

Airbnb specialist refers to us that the guest can't find the listing location during the late night.

Unfortunately, she lost her phone at the metro station.

That explained why I can't reach her on the first and the second night.

Airbnb claims that is the host responsibility, cause I didn't send the guest message via Airbnb and fail to follow up on the third days and didn't acknowledge the site.

"It doesn't matter of any circumstances, these the host careless mistake"

Since then, when the guest did'nt show up, I called and text them, email them via Airbnb every day and night until the checkout date.

Well know, every day I noticed Airbnb request an assistant to contact the guest.

I even change the smart lock code for safety, arrange the co-host check on the listing from times to times.

Is your listing close to you? You should also drop by to prevent happening.

Please do change the access code to be safe.

Wish the guest are safe and you are fine.

[John5097]

@Bez8 Sorry to hear. I usually don't hear back from a lot of guest. You also don't know  if they lost their phone, forgot their charger, etc. As I recall you have a seperate whole house so aren't there so I suppose you have to worry more about some kind of scam or party. But yeah if there was some way you could check on it? Video camera? Log for door access? I'm not sure I would change the code just yet, but that's a tough call and just me. Some risk comes with it and not sure I would want to lock someone out. Sounds like you have done everything possible, so sorry if I wasn't much help, as it may be best to be on the safe side. Will be intersting to see if you get the payout or if you can stop by or know if they used the key code. 

[Bez8]

@John5097 @Dale711 

It's all so strange. The only thing I can think of is god forbid something happened to them. I hope they are ok. I have a friend of mine checking on the unit later today. 

It just doesn't make sense. I will keep you all posted. 

Thank you so much for your help 

[Emilia42]

@Bez8 This doesn't really seem all that unusual to me. This is probably 25% of all my guests. Are you positive they have not checked in? Or are they in your apartment but just ignoring you?

[Mary996]

I'm late for everything @Bez8 . If the payment goes through I wouldn't lock them out. Else you would have a drama!!

Is this grounds for asking for Emergency contacts???

[Alexandra316]

@Bez8 I had a similar situation two Christmases ago. The guest booked for a week, then there was radio silence. I couldn't reach them, and nether could Airbnb. Because there was a trail on messaging of me trying to contact them and I contacted Airbnb about it, customer service said the guest would not be entitled to a refund if they requested one. Like you, I was worried that maybe something had happened to them (winter, bad roads, etc. etc.). The guest never got in touch, and I have no idea what happened to them. They never contacted me or Airbnb about cancelling or a refund, so I kept the money. 

I would just change your door code and try not to worry about it. I think you've done everything you can reasonably do. It's disconcerting, I know though. 

[Cathie19]

Sorry for not seeing your post earlier @Bez8. I’m with @Alexandra316....

Send a message stating you are concerned for their welfare as you haven’t heard back from them.

Change the code for safety, but send the guest an AIrbnb message stating that due to their lack of confirmation, the entry code has been changed to protect the property, for their eventual arrival.

They may turn up, they may not: but nevertheless as a diligent host, it’s quite distressing, because you care!

After you do that, your friend will probably have let you know if they have arrived. Aside from any mishap or accident, it’s on them if they haven’t provided current contact information. This is out of your control........

Have a coffee.... just breathe and breathe in again, a bit deeper and slower.  🌻

[Helen3]

Why didn't you call Airbnb and ask them to contact the guest @Bez8 ? 

[Lawrene0]

How did it turn out, @Bez8 ? When it happened to me, I had all my messages to the guest in the messaging, which was good. In my case she had thought it might rain and so didn't come and didn't think to check the site, her emails, or her phone until many days later when she decided a refund would be in order. 

@Helen3 , Bez says he did contact Airbnb to try to get hold of the guest. They hadn't replied yet. 

Have they now, Bez?

[Branka-and-Silvia0]

I don't practice self-check-in for a few reasons and the situation you are in now is just one of them. But, if I ever decide to do it your way I would provide an access code on the day of arrival and AFTER they contact me about their arrival. Not earlier.

@Bez8