@Mark116
They say what doesn't kill you makes you stronger. My problem was Mark I have had too many good guests, I don't pursue red flags.
This guys initial message looked fine........
I thought, fine, that looks good, just the sort of info I need and am happy with......I never looked any further....and that was my mistake.
His profile had absolutely nothing on it except incorrect information! He joined last year, probably for this trip. It said he is from Adelaide, he isn't, he is from New Zealand, born and bred there on the South Island, spent almost all his life there......just happened to have lived in Adelaide for a few years at one stage. He had no verifications, just a phone number and an email address. Nothing about himself, no reviews, a complete blank canvas.
I should have looked at that, I didn't! If I had Mark, and made some sort of challenge about the profile I would have no doubt got the response that I got from him as soon as he arrived here. I would have been able to pick it, and get a better understanding of what I might be in for. The moment he walked in here I knew I was in trouble. He left his wife in the car, was only interested in looking, not listening, proceeded to drag a massive esky (too heavy to lift) loaded with beer into the cottage which then leaked on the floor........too late, he was here!
This thread since I started it has a fair bit of detail on my part, and that is quite deliberate Mark.
I hope a few hosting newcomers will read this thread and learn from it.....you can't take shortcuts.
We are inviting strangers into our homes and we need to establish they will be a reasonable fit.
Whatever this guy didn't break he criticised, that's not his fault....it's just the way he is, he's a bull in a china shop! It's my fault, I should have done my homework better and seen it coming! There are some people you don't invite into your lives!
Never mind it's in the past now, I have had two lovely guests since, the ship is upright again and today we welcome in here a very nice woman who needs a home away from home for a few weeks. I met her for a few hours the other day and I know the property is in good hands. She is suffering at the moment and needs to put her mind and her abilities to something different.
This time tomorrow we will be on a plane going to the east coast, I need a break, just unfortunate that I struck a pothole in the hosting road so close to going away. But that may be a good thing, it will make me enjoy my break that much more, get away from this for a while!
Thanks guys for your support, I hope we all can learn something from it!
Cheers......Rob
@Helen350 @Sarah977 @Suzanne302 @Ute42