Unreasonable guest complaint and refund request?

[Joanna13]

Hi all. I have an unexpected challenge.

My partner and I are "superhosts" in Lisbon, Portugal. We rent one room in our own home - that is, a private bedroom and bathroom in an apartment that is shared with us (and our dog). We've had many guests, all excellent reviews and no complaints. Until today!

A couple who were booked in our guest room for three nights have stayed just one and are checking out early. Early-to-bed and early-to-rise types, they are complaining of noises at night and demand a refund. She insists that she is a very sound sleeper but was utterly disturbed for two full hours, from midnight until 2:00 a.m. She says that they pay for a good night's sleep, and they are not getting it, and therefore they want their money back.

It's true that my partner and I arrived home around 1:00 last night after a concert, but this is not at all uncommon for us. In fact, it's not at all uncommon for Portuguese culture in general, which is - like Spain - highly noctournal. But we're always extremely careful to be quiet and considerate of our guests and, as I said, we've never had anyone complain or make any mention of it. We are very sensitive to it, such that we even provide new earplugs to all guests when they check in, just in case!

Our guests obviously understood that they were renting a room in a shared house, and this means that the hosts will be present and moving around, living our lives. This is not a hotel, nor is it a private apartment. We feel entirely certain that we have not done anything out of line, inappropriate or unacceptable and I do not feel that a refund is in order. 

Does Airbnb policy obligate us to refund the guests' money?

Any suggestions regarding how to deal with their inevitable bad review?

Thanks!

[Earl4]

People's plans change and they decide to complain as a way of reinbursment.  Sorry Folks, sleeping in strange places can keep you awake, Thats life. No refund.

[Rachel132]

I would let them cancel and not charge them for the day or days they didn't stay. They have to submit a refund request for the days they did stay and you can deny it and provide your reasoning. This has happened to me once. The guest escalated it to get Airbnb involved but hey closed it out quickly and said I owed nothing.

[Mandi-S-Just-Business-Ro0]

I've accommodated people from all over the world. I'm presently accommodating people who go to bed very early (surgeon) or come in late (accountant) so it's bit like a morgue in here presently, and even normal nighttime noises carry.

So you're darned if it's noisy, and darned if it's not 😉

In a previous life I worked on a cruise ship. Most of the crew are insane, partying right outside my door. Earplugs spared all of them from my wrath, and gave me a good night's sleep. I get them in bulk from hardware outlets. 

And I probably use them more than any of my guests! 

[Jamie69]

This has been a concern of mine since I work evenings and usually arrive home from work well after midnight.

I point this out in my listing, as well as when I personally greet my guests. I tell them they may hear me arrive home from work and may hear me preparing a late-night snack in the kitchen.

So far, nobody has complained or commented about being disturbed at night. I'm following this thread to see how it turns out.

Jamie

[Cormac0]

@Joanna1

It’s a Bogus Claim,

I've stayed in Hotels where I could not sleep, because of the Air conditioning system noise or as stated by previous Host unfamiliar surrounding.

These people are selfish and self-regarding, while quite happy to stay in a person home for a very reasonable price, they want to take over and control you space.

Tell them to cancel if there not happy and point them to the nearest hotel (don’t tell them it’s a five Star hotel that might get them thinking when there asked to pay Euros 1,000 a night)

Regards

Cormac

The Explorer's Club Krakow III

The Explorer's Club Krakow VIII

Regards
Cormac
The Explorer’s Club Krakow III
The Explorer’s Club Krakow VIII

[Hope11]

Good advice 

[Andrea9]

@Joanna13

Anybody familiar with southern culture will know they don't go to bed at sundown!! 

Traveling has become so easy that even the absolutely clueless are let loose on other cultures without first informing themselves about them. 

Certainly let them cancel. What I would do is send them a message through the booking page saying that you are sorry that they are bothered by the perfectly normal nocturnal life in Portugal and that if they wish, you would very much regret it but would have to accept them cancelling and are willing to refund them all nights of their stay that you are able to rebook on such short notice.

That leaves a record for Airbnb in case they tell terrible stories about why they are leaving, also shows you as friendly and responsible host.

Maybe for other guests you can leave some packaged ear plugs with a note: If the normal local rythm of Portugese-flavored nocturnal life isn't yet your rhythm.

[Andrea9]

and @Joanna13

unless something has changed, they shouldn't be able to leave a review if they cancel.

[Helga0]

I handle such cases exactly as @Andrea9 says, with one variation: I refund rebooked nights to reasonable people but not to unreasonable or insulting ones. And certainly not before the reviews are written 😉

[Mara130]

There are definately scammers as guests- and air bnb sides with them to the absolute detriment of the host.

I had a guest who brought 12 people - YES I SAID. 12 people - they stayed for 2 nights and partied the whole time- then 2 DAYS LATER - he contacts air bnb and complains that the Wi-fi was down-

Air bnb gave him back HALF OF THE MONEY BUT........HALF OF THE MONEY IS REALLY 70%

 So I provided a six-bedroom house Linens towels hot water to kitchens backyard front yard parking cleaning all the utilities it's a half a million dollar house and the cleaning cost $380 after 12 people stayed at this place and partied for 2 days left garbage the cleaning fee was $400 and Airbnb gave me $350 because they took all the rest of the money but Airbnb made $700

Airbnb is this a scam and they are actually fraudsters and Crooks they use my property and make more money than me it cost me money to have Airbnb this is outrageous we need to bring a class action against them including interrupting their ability to make an IPO they are criminals

Not only did the guest get back all the money after he had 12 people staying there for credibly discounted price in the first place he tampered with the breaker box and caused over 6,000 maybe up to $15,000 worth of damage to the electrical system. And Airbnb sides with him this is how criminal Airbnb is

This is So outrageous I have not met more unreasonable people then the majority of the supposed guests on Airbnb. Right at this moment I'm sitting in a hotel room that cost $350 a night it's got old furniture bad carpet cheap Construction and nobody could possibly get their money back I charge $250 for a 6 bedroom house and this is how I'm treated it ends up at the end it cost me money to have the people there they're complaining it's a gorgeous place but Airbnb in steals in the guests the ability to criminally steal the use of property.

As you can see I am outraged outraged outraged

[Agnes190]

Hey Mara. 

That's sickening..!!!totally get you. Did you have a time period to react to this.? I just got a "request to refund.. A guest asking half of the money after they completed their stay . I have options to. Decline , lesser amount etc. How can airbnb automate a refund like that?

Hope to hear from you

Agnes

[Mandi-S-Just-Business-Ro0]

You need to take a deep breath.

1. With that kind of damage, you need to file a police report. 

2. Air will ask you to complete information and take photos.

3. You need to be factual. Is it $6k damage, or $15k?

4. This is a bitter pill to swallow, but you own that house, not Airbnb. What did YOU do personally to prevent this from happening? 

[Nadine315]

Bed and breakfast implies that people go there to sleep. I can understand a guest's point of view in this. It's not being unreasonable to expect a sleep friendly environment after a certain time. Why are you renting to people if you don't care what they're needs might be? I see that it is mainly hosts discussing this issue so you have no empathy for guests by the comments I see. Not all guests are scammers. You don't mind earning money from them but not offering a reasonable environment.

[Laura2592 · Accepted solution]

@Joanna13 I would ask the guest to cancel as follows:

"Hi guest-- I am so sorry to hear that we disturbed you. As this is a shared home, we do our very best to make guests comfortable. Please feel free to cancel your reservation and I will alert Airbnb that you are looking for a space that is a better fit."

Then get ready with your review..."So and so was /clean/communicated well (whatever nice thing you can say) but was uncomfortable in our home share space. It seemed that they were not fully aware of the information in the listing about our habits and what we offer. They would be best suited to a private, self-catering situation like a hotel where they have more control of the entire environment."

It gets to the point with some of these guests where you have to really take stock of the fact that this is YOUR space. There is definitely a line between helpful feedback and dictating the terms of how the actual homeowner lives. Not all guests are a fit for all hosts. 

[Sarah977]

@Laura2592  Johanna's post is 5 years old 🙂