Reviewing a 'not great' guest

Margy6
Level 4
Clunes, Australia

Reviewing a 'not great' guest

Hi fellow hosts. I need advice.  I posted a similar query earlier today but it's not showing up yet, so apologies if this pops up twice.

 

I recently hosted a family and it wasn't a great experience but not horrible either:

 

1. The guest didn't have a profile photo or Airbnb host reviews (joined in December 2018 and no previous stays).

2. They didn't respond to my messages asking what time they expected to arrive.

3.  The booking was for 2 adults and 2 children. They arrived with 3 children and commented "oh we meant to tell you we were bringing an extra kid". I told them the extra child would have to share a bed because we didn't have a spare one.  I didn't ask them to add an extra guest to their booking to change the fee, thinking that they would just do it (yes, naive of me).

4.  They checked-out without saying goodbye or leaving a message so I didn't get a chance to ask for the additional fee in person. 

5.  When I went to clean, the cottage was untidy - food, dinnerware, used tissues, rubbish on the floor, wet towels on furniture, furniture and appliances moved, used chopsticks in the bedroom, a whole bottle of body wash was spread over the shower floor (it took ages to clean as it was so thick and slippery), plus my not inexpensive couch cushions were outside.

6. Bizarrely, our entire first aid kit (with 80 items) was empty.  I can't prove it was them as I didn't check supplies before they arrived but the previous guests were lovely and I can't imagine it was them.

 

They didn't trash the place like some of the awful stories I've read in the CC but they weren't respectful of me or our home.

 

How do I rate them?  I wouldn't be comfortable hosting them again but as they were Airbnb newbies maybe they don't understand how this world works.  Maybe I'm just making excuses for bad behaviour because I'm worried they'll retaliate with a bad review.

 

Ironically, an hour after they checked out I got a message on my mobile (not via the Airbnb app) that they loved their stay and would recommend us to all their friends.   

 

Any advice?  Thanks.

14 Replies 14
Branka-and-Silvia0
Level 10
Zagreb, Croatia

@Margy6

as they didn't communicate before arrival and after check out I assume their message about recommending you is sent to soften you and encourage you to write a good review for them too. It means they ARE aware of the mess they left.

 

If you don't want them to book with you again you should give them 3* for all categories and thumb down. I don't think there is another way to block them.

 

Regarding review maybe something along these lines:

Guests were unresponsive about the time of their rrival, showed up with more children then booked and more then usual cleaning time was needed after they left. Unfortunatelly I can't recommend them.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

@Branka0 & Silvi thank you for your wise advice and I like the suggested wording for the review; much more diplomatic than I want to be but it sends a clear message.  I think I'm more upset about the first aid kit - why on earth would someone steal the contents?   Thanks again.

Children LOOOOOVE bandaids. Could have been a “toy”

The kids were 9-13 ... I understand about kids loving bandaids (my kids always NEED one!). The removal of 80 items including bandages, scissors, tweezers, arm sling, gauze, antibacterial wips and a resuscitation mask takes it to a whole different level.

And unfortunately @Marg0, an expensive level that you can’t prove! Very frustrating for you.....

Annette136
Level 2
Tasmania, Australia

I fully agree with Branka &Silvia!  I had a similar experience and gave them 3 stars and much the same review.  I deliberated over it for some time then asked myself ‘do I really want them back as guests?’ The answer was no so I didn’t recommend them.

One tip I learnt from another host that hosted the same very arrogant and rude guest. She had a similar listing to mine in the North Island and I noticed a few guests that have been with me also stayed with her with glowing reviews and high recommendations. When I got to Miss Rude all she said in the review was, "Enjoy the rest of your trip in NZ." 

I manage to talk to this host and she was about to leave Airbnb.

I did the same wording in my review and believe it is CODE amongst hosts. You are not nasty and prevents unfair come back on their part.

All the best with your cleptomaniac guest. Linda

This is not hard. Rate them a 2 and a thumbs down.

 

Plus, they stole from you (who takes all the first aid stuff?)

 

Otherwise I agree with the suggested review. Hosts need to be warned. I sometimes honk people like that believe everything is available for taking home. Even hotels don’t appreciate that!

 

If you give them a thumbs down they can’t book you again.

Ben551
Level 10
Wellington, New Zealand

Poodling

/'poo-del-ing'/

 

verb

1. The act of taking more than a persons fair share of free consumable items.

2. When guests rob AirBnb hosts blind and take every consumable in the place, including the batteries and light bulbs.

3. Different to stealing, since items were expected to be used, though at a slower frequency.

Kath9
Level 10
Albany, Australia

@Margy6, NOBODY wants guests like these - leave an honest review and give them a thumbs down. I would also send them a request for payment through the resolution centre for the 1st aid kit - perhaps they will think twice before stealing from other hosts...

Sam397
Level 10
Reno, NV

@Maggi3 It sounds to me like you're on the fence with this. You can take the hardcore approach as some have suggested or you can take some advise from someone who has been known to act before thinking it all the way through,  it's better to NOT do something and wish you had then it is to do something and then wished you hadn't of done it. Regret is bad but guilt is worse. (I know its stupid but in my case its true)

@Christine615 as for who steals first aid supplies? I have had my first aid box emptied 3 or 4 times already, it is weird I will admit but it happens.

@Margy6 My apologies Margy, I must have highlighted the wrong name.

@Sam397

 

 Yep, I learned the hard way to put a small container of bandages in the bathroom closet. But all my other lotions and bandages and soaps are up on a high cabinet in the kitchen. I wants had someone steal toilet paper. I want to told someone they could have some friends over after church, and they win in all the cabinets and help them self to snacks and food  that was not put out for guests because it was for our family.

 

I never underestimate what people think they’re entitled to. But 99% of my guests have been fabulous so I consider it part of the cost of doing business. But I keep track, and I will have comments if those people decide to try to book me a second time.

Francesca-and-Dave0
Level 10
Vermont, United States

So sorry you were taken advantage  of! They knew what they were doing and didn’t care. This type of guest used to be relatively rare in ABB, but with the deleterious restrictions now blocking hosts from accessing guest profiles and ratings, their move towards commercial multi-property listings and the corporatization of ABB, the type of guests, and their expectations, are changing. Guests used to be looking for an experience where as many are now just looking for a cheap room. Nothing wrong with a cheap room, but when you are in someone’s home your behavior should reflect your respect of that. If they don’t want a traditional ABB experience, they should go to a hotel...there are plenty of them listed now on ABB!

 

The way I would handle that situation is to tell them upon arrival that the reservation agreement is for TWO children and request the additional fee upfront — or give them the choice to leave. I have a maximum occupancy agreed upon by my insurance company and my local fire safety brigade. I’ve never had such an issue, but if I did I would tell the violating guests right up front they either need to find other accommodations for the extra people, or for all of them. As hosts it is hard to hold the line because we WANT to give our guests a wonderful experience, but we cannot enable such discourteousness and trespasses for our own sake and for that of other hosts. I know it’s hard, but an honest review is critical to the future success of the “classic” ABB program.

 

In such a situation if you did turn them away, I feel strongly that ABB should NOT refund the guest money since the guests broke the clearly delineated rules. The guest screwed up or tried to scam you, and THEY, not the host, should pay the price. However, ABB seems to support hosts less and less and these types of incidents are multiplying because the new ABB policies enable and reward unacceptable, bad and dangerous behavior in guests. I can only assume it must somehow line the pockets of ABB and continue these damaging policies.