Strange guest... and some damage. How to approach?

[Amy1105]

We’ve been hosting for a little over two months and loving it so far. We’ve been lucky to have great guests. I’ve heard the horror stories and this isn’t one of them, so I’m not sure how best to handle it. This may be a bit long...sorry for that. 

We recently had a guest guest who was very poor at communicating. I send a PDF guidebook and code for the door to our guests a week in advance. I ask that they reply to the email to let me know they got it (mostly so they have directions and can get in). Never has been an issue. This guest didn’t reply after a few days so I messaged on Airbnb asking if they got it. Waited a few more days (now 2 days before they were due to arrive) and wrote again with no reply. Decided to text them the day of arrival and they replied that yes they did get the email. I am easy going so I viewed this as a minor annoyance. 

They were due to stay 4 days. After the 3rd day our cleaner made a mistake and thought it was their checkout day and started cleaning up. They messaged me to tell me that there was a large stain of possibly a Burn ring from hot cookware on our wood countertop. It would not come out. I do supply trivets. I let them know the guest was still staying and they told me there was no personal belongings in the cottage at all. I asked the cleaner to leave and come again tomorrow. 

I reached out to the guest and apologized and explained that the cleaners came early. After a few hours they wrote back saying no problem. I was hoping they’d bring up the damage because in our guidebook we ask people to let us know right away, and truthfully I get accidents happen and understand that’s part of the business. They said nothing. My husband decided to check our log on our door lock and the door was locked by the guest very early in the morning and they did not return. It’s now almost midnight and they have still not come back. This may be completely fine, but with the lack of communication and the damage I am getting an uneasy feeling. 

We can probably fix the counters but have to make sure we get it done ahead of the next guest and it really upsets me that they didn’t let us know. It feels like they possibly even left early and didn’t communicate. 

How should I handle this? I’d like to keep all interaction on the Airbnb platform but this guest simply doesn’t reply there. Should I start a dialogue or make a claim?

thank you for your input!

[Linda108]

Let's think like a business person, @Amy1105 .  Your guest paid for 4 days and stayed 3 days.  How much damage could you claim?  Now, I am not stating that the guest acted in an admirable way. Are you concerned about the cost of repairing damage? Do you think this guest will cop to the damage and that you will get a full damage claim reimbursement?  If not, then you might just deal with it and right a thumbs down review.

Many hosts experience "moral outrage" at guest behavior and usually they are correct.  But having 4 years experience, I have become more pragmatic.  Just a thought

[Amy1105]

That is excellent advice. I am not one to try and get even and we anticipated wear and tear. You’re right that probably the best course of action is to leave a less than favourable review so future hosts can be aware of this guest and make their own informed decisions. 

[Sarah977]

@Amy1105  Yes, do leave an honest review, don't try to sugar coat it. Guests who acknowledge when you text them that they received the email but couldn't be bothered to have the manners to let you know that, as requested, are the type of guests I hate dealing with. It's just plain rude and there's zero excuse for it as far as I'm concerned.

And setting a hot pan right off the stove on a wooden countertop is clueless and uncaring behavior, as is leaving without mentioning it. 

You're right, it's not a horror show, but pretty disrespectful behavior.

[Ann72]

@Amy1105 This is a real head-scratcher!  I too ask guests to let me know when something breaks, "so I can fix it for you or the next person," but not everyone does - probably only 50%.  It's frustrating but, as you seem to understand, the cost of doing business.  

I've gotten more frustrated by the lack of response from guests in the last year or so, so I've added this to  my pre-booking message under "Guest Requirements":  "Finally, make sure notifications in the app are on so you don’t miss important messages."  I think part of the reason I don't hear from them is that they don't turn the notifications on and might even choose a lesser-used email address for the Airbnb messages.  People have been a bit more communicative since I added that.  But this guest of yours sounds as if he's been unusually frustrating!  Feeling for you!

[Pat271]

If I really need to communicate with a guest, I use the messaging system first.  If I get no response after a day or so, I use ”Email guest” to send the same message.  More often than not, this elicits a response from the guests, although not always.  I think @Ann72 is correct that sometimes no response in messages means the guest’s notifications aren’t turned on.  They have no idea they got a message.

As far as damage to the counter, that is a real bummer.  How will that be repaired?  Can it be sanded down?

[Paul154]

Depends on how much damage and how much you can fix.

There is nothing wrong with asking for actual damages, if you do it in a professional neutral way.

If it's less the $20 bucks, it's not worth it to me. But if it's $100, I would put in an effort to collect.

"So sorry, I noticed the damage to the counter. It will cost me $94 to repair. Please accept the charge in the resolution center. Thank you"

If they don't pay, explain damage in review - neutrally.

Guest can deny it, then go to Airbnb to collect. Take pictures.

[Paul154]

I also had a trivet. I cleverly put the tea pot on it, so that guests would notice it.

Then I had kids rent the apartment. 

They put the trivet and tea pot  ON the gas stove! 

Destroyed the trivet 😞

[Sarah977]

@Paul154  There should be a required course in high school called "Basic Life Skills, Simple Observation, and How to Think Before You Act." You don't get to graduate unless you pass.

[Anonymous]

@Amy1105  One problem with allowing kitchen usage is that you have all the most dangerous and fragile things in your house, right there in the room that requires the most knowledge and skill to use correctly.  All it takes is one second of thoughtlessness to wind up with burns, when you have wooden surfaces right next to a stove. Knowing that this is bound to happen again, this might be the time to install a built-in trivet by the stove.

The burn ring should mostly come out with a good sanding and a fresh coat of mineral oil, unless it's a particularly deep one. The only amount I can imagine charging the guest is for those materials - which doesn't really seem worth the hassle. If you don't have time to do the repair before your previous guest, it's not the end of the world - the counter is still functional and can be temporarily covered with a large chopping block.