How can I restrict the entry for friends of guests?

Answered!
Tom41
Level 3
Houston, TX

How can I restrict the entry for friends of guests?

I would like the opinions of hosts regarding the issue of friends gathering in my unit.  This seems to be my biggest issue as an Airbnb host.  

 

If a "guest" is defined as the one who will stay overnight, what do you call all of the friends of the guest, who the guest immediately invites over to enjoy the evening inside the unit?   The conversation goes like this: "How many people are there?"  "Six, but they aren't staying overnight."   "Is it a party?"  "No, it is just some friends who came over to visit for awhile."  

 

The semantics of what constitutes "a party" and what does not, is exhausting.  It seems the only solution is to restrict entry to all persons other than who is the registered guest.  

 

Do hosts have the right to RESTRICT entry into the unit, to ONLY the guests named in the reservation?  

1 Best Answer
Michael956
Level 10
Salvador, Brazil

I host 2 bedrooms in the home I live in.  Occasionally guests invite a few friends over to gather before going out to eat, or to chat, or even to show them the Airbnb they're staying in.  I allow it.   After i've told them when they arrive that "this is your home while you're visting San Francisco", it seems awfully inhospitable and contradictory to not allow them to invite a guest over.  No one has ever stayed for more than an hour or so, and mostly they sit in the living room.  As long as they don't invite them to spend the night or take too many liberties in the house, I allow it.  Of course I'm home to monitor and control the situation.  

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22 Replies 22
Tom41
Level 3
Houston, TX

It has been three months since I instituted my new policy,  and I must say it has gone extremely well.  Noise complaints have gone way down,  and I have not noticed any lag in bookings either.   I am busier than ever!  It has been a perfect solution.  My house rules impose a monetary fine if outsiders are caught in my unit or in my building.  This fine has never been challenged since I have never caught anyone,  nor have my neighbors.  I believe the fine has become a terrific deterrent.  Which is all I really wanted to begin with. 

 

I don't know why I didn't think of this sooner!

 

 

Laura2592
Level 10
Frederick, MD

Hi Tom!

 

We learned really quickly that this was a common guest MO. We don't live on our property and its pretty secluded. We have a Ring doorbell that alerted us to the issue-- reservation for 2, but SURPRISE! Four people with bags coming in! Here are a few things we do now.

 

1. House rules include a note that extra guests will incur charges. 

2. Per night fee for guests over a certain number

3. Note to guest before check in verifying that they still are planning on the same number staying as they were when they made the reservation (nicely worded "we understand plans change") If they have more guests, we send instructions on how up to update the reservation.

4. We took the sofa off the listing and mention of the air mattress-- we really only want 4 guests and the extra sleeping space was giving a different impression. We mention this to families or trot this out when needed, but it makes more sense.

 

So far so good with the above. Its really cut down on the extra people. Best of luck!

i hear you loud and clear about the sofa and airbed.  pittsburgh is a sports town.  so when we're all full with sports attendees things can get dicier especially the more last minute it gets...people start getting desperate.   sofa/airbed 6-8 guests can indeed set the wrong message.  i get 6s for weddings when 2 parties are elderly folk/parents and that's less egriguious.  but generally do not book more than 4 except at the orlando condo which is easily suited for 8-16 with a our lockoff unit.

its ashame that 6-8 can be such misery when 4 can do nicely.  but there's too many crash pad type travelers (and sports fans are--can be--rowdy) who have no common sense.  i find that lacking common sense is the worst enemy to airbnb hosts.   

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like nikey: just do it
Tom41
Level 3
Houston, TX

Great post! 

 

In my case....

 

I don't even want more than 2 guests.  And I am not interested in "approving"  extra guests,  even for a fee.

 

And I am not referring to guests that will stay over.  For me,  it is about not even allowing friends to enter our building.  Thin walls create problems for neighbors.  That is my MO.  Keeping my neighbors happy. 

 

No More Noise.   The fewer the people, the fewer the noise. 

I would just be very very clear prior to the stay. Recently we attended a wedding for a friend and stayed in a charming small town at a local Airbnb. My husband's sister was also attending and she and her husband wanted to check out our space as she was going to be back in the area in a few months and wanted to possibly book it. So they came by for about a half hour and had some tea prior to the four of us going to dinner. The host lived in a home nearby and we gave her a quick heads up that we wanted to do this-- she was fine with it. She made really clear in her listing and communication that she wanted to be informed if anyone other than the reserved guests were visiting her space, so we knew that was something we had to address. If she had not, honestly, I wouldn't think twice about having my sister in law and her husband over for a half hour for a quiet activity like a glass of tea. My sister in law ended up booking that same space, so it worked out well for all concerned!

"If she had not, honestly, I wouldn't think twice about having my sister in law and her husband over for a half hour for a quiet activity like a glass of tea."

 

without permission or asking prior?  uninvited or unapproved?
eeek??!!!!

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like nikey: just do it

Yes. We don't mind if guests stay at our place and have family drop by for a quiet visit and to show it off a bit 🙂 We have gotten some great bookings that way. We don't want overnight guests who are not on the reservation, but an afternoon sat outside in our garden is not a big problem to us as long as no neighbors are disturbed. But our property is very rural and we have a large lot.  It would take some energy to disturb the neighbors with a cup of tea. I am sure in urban spaces its quite different. But as a guest AND a host, I would expect that these restrictions were pretty clear on the listing. 

Wow Tom ! I think I'm heading in that route to minimize my neighbors complaints. It's been too much and they are starting to hate every Airbnb guest that host, well one neighbor in particular.