The most flabbergasting inquiry I got

[Jessica-and-Henry0]

This was the first inquiry I got as a host.

A woman from D city (about 3.5hrs distance from where I live) sent an inquiry about having her 14 yo son stay at my listing. Just the boy. For 8?9? nights. 

She also wanted me to let the boy's tutor come to my house to give him private lessons (during spring break). She did mention that the tutoring was to prepare for a high school entrance exam interview so it might be noisy. She also wanted me to provide 3 meals a day or at least make stuff that can be refridgerated so the boy could use the microwave to heat up meals I prepared for him in advance in case I was not home to provide meals.  WTF?!?! 

I sent a short "Hosting only a minor is not only illegal but not allowed by Airbnb" and declined. BUT SERIOUSLY! What was she thinking???? Does my listing look like some sort of boarding house?? Take care of my 14yo kid and feed him 3 meals a day~ HA!!!!!

I can't forget how speechless I was when I got my first inquiry..... 

[Linda108]

Potential guests can be soooo creative!  Right, @Jessica-and-Henry0  Please share what message you sent back to this mother...

[Jessica-and-Henry0]

@Linda108

It was in Korean (of course) but a rough translation of my reply was this.

"We do not allow people other than the guest to enter our home. We also do not provide meals to our guests. This is all covered in our house rules and descriptions. Also hosting a minor alone with no guardian is illegal and not allowed by Airbnb" 

[Linda108]

@Jessica-and-Henry0  Your restraint and professionalism is a great example to all of us who often have to restrain from sharing our inner thoughts.  Thanks for sharing

[Hilary-And-Ed0]

@Linda108@Jessica-and-Henry0,

I was thinking the exact same thing.

[Hilary-And-Ed0]

@Jessica-and-Henry0,

Yo.  That is bizarre.  That poor child.

[Jessica-and-Henry0]

@Hilary-And-Ed0

In my head I was going back and forth between "Is she serious?!?!" and "WTF!!!!" while being totally speechless :-0 for at least a full 5 minutes just staring at my screen before I calmed down enough to draft my response 🙂 

[Hilary-And-Ed0]

And your response was perfect and calm even with the circus going on in your head.  🙂

[Farah1]

@Jessica-and-Henry0 one time I got a request with this message from the guest > Could you provide us with a rice cooker (in addition to existing cookware)? Do you provide seasoning such as sugar, salt, cooking wine, soy sauce, vinegar, and canola oil?

Rice cooker "in addition to existing cookware"?! Cooking Wine?! Not only oil, but specifically canola?! >_<

[Jessica-and-Henry0]

@Farah1 

Sounds like your guest was Asian 🙂 

Guessing from the "canola" oil request, quite possibly a fellow countryman/woman of mine 🙂

[Branka-and-Silvia0]

Only universe and stupidity are endless. ... but for universe is not proven jet.

[Cor3]

In my village we have a saying: Fortunately stupidity doesn’t hurt. Otherwise they would be screaming it all out, all day long. And we would be in need of ear-protectors.

[Andrea9]

@Jessica-and-Henry0

Best thread I've seen in a while!

Special Offer:

Room rental:     268 euros

Accommodating extra person during day (tutor):   150 eu

Meal catering:                      900 eu

Nanny rental for underage supervision:     2000 eu

Organizing fee:                      1000 eu

First estimate handling unexpected circumstances:     3682 eu

Total:                       8000 eu

[Jessica-and-Henry0]

@Andrea9 

For a split second I did actually consider sending a "special offer" - kind of like what you suggested 🙂 

[Lilian20]

nice one thank you @Andrea9