Problem with guests having visitors after hours and staying the night.

[Chris1578]

I recently had a problem with guests having unauthorized visitors showing up at 2 o'clock in the morning and not leaving untill later in that morning. My space only accomodates 2 people and do not have the option for extra guests. This was their last night staying so I dont have the option of canceling their stay. Any advice for what to do in this situation? I had unauthorized people in my house and feel like this is a safety issue. I now have to change the lock code for the space.

[Gerry-And-Rashid0]

@Chris1578

Sounds like this is a one off - or at least the first time it has happened to you.

is it clear in your house rules that no visitors are allowed at the property unless agreed by you in advance? If not then make that very clear.

Its good practice to change the code regularly- some people do it after every guest, which makes sense. You wouldn’t give a guest a key to take away after their stay - so they shouldn’t have a valid code either.

Think about whether or not you want to give a public negative review- or whether you want to provide it as private feedback to the guest

During the review process you can give them a thumbs down (which they won’t see) and then give a neutral or if you feel like doing so something that will raise a flag for other hosts. 

Good luck

[Ricardo85]

@Chris1578

Airbnb Terms

"8.3.3 You may not bring any additional individuals to an Experience, Event or other Host Service unless such an individual was added by you as an additional guest during the booking process on the Airbnb Platform."

Ricardo

[Allison2]

Sorry you had to deal with this! Guests that bring extras, especially to a shared home, are such a headache.

First, as others mentioned, make sure you have a house rule against visitors. "Only registered guests are allowed on the property" works well. I also ask guests to confirm their guest count in the e-mail I send a few days before their arrival. ("I have you down for X guests arriving Friday and leaving Sunday. Please confirm your guest count and let me know your expected arrival time.")

In a situation like yours (last night of a stay when you don't wish to cancel) I've just allowed the extra person and slammed them in the review.

If you choose to address it, do so right away: "Dear guest, I noticed you brought an extra person with you. We have a house rule against unregistered guests which is necessary to protect the safety of our home. Please ask your guest to leave immediately or get in touch with me to have them added to the reservation."

I purposely set my extra guest fee high ($50) because it pisses me off that the reserving guest lied to me.

Keep in mind that if you address it your guest will almost certainly give you a lower review. One guest paid the $50 fee for bringing a 5th to our "4-person max" listing. Then the next night snuck a SIXTH person. So $100 in extra fees because he was an entitled liar and jerk. He gave me 3-stars for value.

[Ian-And-Anne-Marie0]

@Allison0

Keep in mind that if you address it your guest will almost certainly give you a lower review. One guest paid the $50 fee for bringing a 5th to our "4-person max" listing. Then the next night snuck a SIXTH person. So $100 in extra fees because he was an entitled liar and jerk. He gave me 3-stars for value.

You need to double your extra fee to $100 so there's a little more 'hurt' there.

I agree with your actions entirely, and I think that guests who break house rules should forfeit the right to leave a review.

[Terence4]

I am not worried about reviews anymore. If I have a feeling I will get slammed, I just don't review. It's not worth it anyway. I just cannot believe how outrageous some guests are.  We are talking here about private homes, there needs to be more respect. I can tell more and more that guests just use Airbnb for a cheap stay, not for an actual experience to connect or to be interested in the life of us etc.  It's a shame.  They should just stay in hotels that have strict rules! 

[Sarah977]

@Terence4  What is your rationale for not reviewing? You do know that the guest's review will  get published regardless of whether you submit one or not, right?  If you get disrespectful guests, it's a service to other hosts to let them know what this guest is like by leaving a review. I'm sure you would have appreciated seeing honest reviews for these types of guests yourself, so you would know not to accept their booking.

[Terence4]

I absolutely want to warn other hosts.  She's also been so messy in the bathroom.  I have hosted over 100 people and have never seen anything like this. Walking in with dirty shoes, missing the toilet bowl (tp) and not flushing, but isn't a review only shown if both parties review?  

[Sarah977]

@Terence4   No, reviews are published 14 days after the guest checks out, whether only one party leaves one or not. If both submit reviews before the 14 days, they're published as soon as they're both submitted. 

A trick many hosts use when faced with writing a bad review for a guest is to wait until day 13 and a half (but make sure you don't miss the deadline- you should get notification prompts like "You have 1 day left to review this guest", but don't depend on that) to submit your review if you haven't gotten a notification that the guest has already submitted one. That way, if you're pretty sure they'd review poorly, they might not notice you've left a review in time to write one themselves. If you get a notification they've already done a review, then there's no point in waiting.

Bad guests may not be inclined to leave a review at all, but if they get a notification that the host has left a review, they think "Uh oh, I know she's gonna slam me, I better write a review saying how filthy the place was and that there was no hot water and the husband was really creepy".  But you can leave a response to a review if they lie or complain, making it clear to the future guests who will see that response that none of that is true (without blatantly saying the guest is a liar).

I think that's one reason we often don't see bad reviews for a bad guest- the host is under the mistaken idea that reviews only get published if they're mutual. I'm not sure why people assume this.

[Terence4]

Wow, after all my years of hosting I have never known this.  Thanks for clarifying, Sarah.

[Magalí-Sofia0]

Interesting how we deal with bad guests. 

I had a woman this week who came in 3 hours early for check in, 3 hours late for check out (YES did have guests coming!) and didn’t answer a single call or email. I was nice to her and when I was sure she was on the plane home, I wrote my review. Why would I wait til she’s gone? I’m afraid of retaliation both verbal and physical. 

She left a good review but I definitely earned other hosts to avoid this lady. If she had written poorly, I would have been honest with my reply. 

[Ian-And-Anne-Marie0]

@Magalí-Sofia0 

Firstly if a guest checks out late Airbnb terms and conditions allows the host to charge up to 200% of the nightly fee unless it was previously agreed. You do not need to be intimidated by guests, use the rule book.

She left a good review but I definitely earned other hosts to avoid this lady. If she had written poorly, I would have been honest with my reply.

You should just tell the truth anyway. Such guests receive a half decent review then dump on further guests in their travels. A truthful review helps other hosts.

[Magalí-Sofia0]

Actually, I contacted Airbnb and you can NOT charge them an additional night if they check out late. The Airbnb rep told me “Only if they stayed past 24 or more hours after.”

which is ridiculous cause if she had stayed til the night, I wouldn’t be able to charge an extra night. 

I am always extremely honest with my reviews. I didn’t want to write my honest review WHILE the guest was inside my Airbnb after check our time because if she sees I wrote poorly of her, maybe she will ruin my place. I rather wait til she’s gone to avoid more problems. Please don’t get confused, I never said I was dishonest not any intent to ever be dishonest. Don’t get me confused. 

Also, like I said Airbnb didn’t allow me to charge the additional night or a late check our fee. They wanted her to spend the actual night to charge her. Ridiculous 

[Sarah977]

@Magalí-Sofia0 The rep you spoke to is wrong, as they often are. A know-nothing who hasn't even read the TOS.

[Ian-And-Anne-Marie0]

@Magalí-Sofia0 

You Can.

https://www.airbnb.co.uk/terms#eusec8

Section 8.2 - 

Terms specific for Guests

 If you stay past the agreed upon checkout time without the Host's consent (“Overstay”), you no longer have a license to stay in the Accommodation and the Host is entitled to make you leave in a manner consistent with applicable law. In addition, you agree to pay, if requested by the Host, for each twenty-four (24) hour period (or any portion thereof) that you Overstay, an additional nightly fee of up to two (2) times the average nightly Listing Fee originally paid by you to cover the inconvenience suffered by the Host, plus all applicable Guest Fees, Taxes, and any legal expenses incurred by the Host to make you leave (collectively, "Overstay Fees")

Your CS Rep omitted to state "for each twenty-four (24) hour period (or any portion thereof"

I think that term is specifically written for your case of a guest who doesn't leave and causes hinderance to your cleaning. "Checkout time" is pertinent, so too is "you agree to pay, if requested by the Host,"

I think you must need to make a payment request for "Overstay Fees".