Refuse check in to hostile guests

[Kostas0]

So I had some guests that couldn’t find the flat. I have very thorough instructions in my profile. I asked them if they followed them but didn’t get an answer. However I was very responsive through the chat service and eventually they managed to arrive in the flat. They were very aggressive and they were also fighting with each other. The guy threatened to hit the girl if she didn’t let him attack me verbally, that he did, ending up shouting at me that he couldn’t reach me on the telephone for some reason I don’t know why. I have been receiving guests in a daily basis without problems. I need to say that I am also staying in the flat, so I felt really uncomfortable to host those guests and also kind of felt uncertain for my safety. I asked them to leave the house since they were already braking my house rules and by common sense.
They are asking for refund. I contacted Airbnb support and they said that I should refund them totally ditching me and my house rules. They said I should have called their support immediately when there is no possibility to call Airbnb directly, just request a call back.
i find it very unpleasant to be exposed to every crazy person that decides to stay in my place without me being possible to refuse.
i feel very awkward now.

[Kelly149]

Yes. You get to refuse them. Good for you, definitely the right thing to do. 

No. You do not get to keep their money. 

There is is no abb scenario where this will not be the case. Oh, and you will all get to review each other. Good luck with that. 

Nonetheless, it’s still better that they didn’t stay. 

[Kath9]

@Kostas0, that sounds like a terrible situation! I would have asked them to leave too (and would have considered calling the police due to the threat of physical violence). Airbnb is not known for its support of hosts unfortunately. I believe you are well within your right to not refund them - their behaviour sounds completely unacceptable. Make sure you 'report this user' (click on red flag) so that Airbnb knows they are not suitable guests. Also, PLEASE leave an honest review to warn other hosts. Check your reviews within 14 days so you can leave a public response to theirs if you have to.

[Kostas0]

Thanks for the replies, they make me feel I did the right thing, for sure. 

What I got from Airbnb support just doesn’t make any sense. They said for similar situations in the future I should call them immediately or the police...Does anybody expect to have an aggressive person in his living room and ask them politely until you call the support or even the police? Or is it possible you compromise and spend the night with some people that obviously have bad feelings about you?

Moreover what documents would they need from the police to justify my denial of hosting and when a denial is accepted from Airbnb? If a criminal enters my house I will have to call their support and ask him gently his passport ID and full Name?

For the records these people spoke very few English or almost nothing, we communicated with hand gestures....so I would find it difficult to explain anything.

Moreover they arrived way after my check in time. Shouldn’t I be eligible to refuse their entry anyway? What is the purpose of the check in times if I have to be there and wait for them for ever?

i explained Airbnb that I was actually trying to protect myself here, since I am also staying in the property, but in vain, they insisted they should protect the guests, even if they are brutal and hostile.

[Sarah977]

@Kostas0  It really is a totally inappropriate and possibly dangerous attitude on the part of Airbnb, except for the part about calling the police. That, you should have done if you felt threatened. Guests are just strangers, and if anyone else threatened you at your door, you'd probably call the police, so this is no different. Deal with Airbnb, the cancellations and refund issue later, when you no longer feel you're in immediate danger. There was a host here awhile back who had a guest in his place who he had good reason to believe was running a criminal operation out of the apartment. Airbnb told him to "confront" the guest. The CS rep actually used that word. The rep, of course, had no idea whether the guy was twice the host's size, had weapons, or anything.

[Kostas0]

@Sarah0i have a lready kicked them out form the start, but is dissapointing to officialy have this treatment from Airbnb CS.

I have eneded up turning off Instant Booking now because i can't live the same situation again. I know that i might lose bookings, but the way Airbnb suggests i deal with my guests, sets my personal safety to risk, and i can't do it like that.

I live in a difficult city with various people from all over the world arriving here for various reasons (those ones for sure were not travellers/tourists- were here either to find a job or a house to rent)

I will give them the appropriate review and expect they will do the same anyway...

[Andreas-and-Anna0]

You can't keep their money but you can ask them to leave.