Why does Airbnb invite problems?

[Paul154]

I got a stressful scare today.  Airbnb called me at 12:30pm with a complaint about cleanliness and subsequent cancellation.

I wracked my brain thinking who?, what? when?

Then I found out it was for today - two hours before checkin!

While I "know" that I have my setting set for 2 pm checkin, CS rep insisted it was "on the computer" as an 11 am - 1 pm checkin 😞

I double checked my setting and reviewed that My checkin is correctly stated as 2 pm.

Of course CS rep is referring to the ability of the guest to choose an early checkin - regardless of my agreement.

Why does Airbnb do this? They are very smart people. It is easy to line up checkin settings with allowed checkin times.

Airbnb is totally awesome about automating scheduling with little host input. But this oversight of Airbnb causes stress between the host and the guest.  Airbnb's suggestion for an early checkin "blesses" the undesired early arrival.

As of right now, I am going to get paid for today's cancellation. But I would rather provide service than get stressed out needlessly.

[Kelly149]

What?!?

so did the guest arrive early and not like what they saw??

im so confused 

[Paul154]

@Kelly149,

Yes, this is exactly what happened. They arrived sometime between 11 am and noon.

Housekeepers came at noon.

And yes, the previous guests left the key in the door, so the new guests could see the unclean suite 😞

[Kelly149]

@Paul154 Oh my. This is why I trust nothing from the site if I haven’t directly verified with guests. 

Chevk in time

check out time

guest count

dog

car - no car

on and on

and I for sure don’t set a code until I’m ready for them to enter. 

Maybe switch over to WiFi locks? Or have a end of stay key location that is different from the beginning of stay key location??

did guests really leave the key in the door?!?

[Victoria567]

Hi @Paul154

I think hotels will not let guests in to see an unmade room and perhaps it out them off seeing the unmade room and changed their mind about staying after seeing it.

[Letti0]

@Paul154   Did they actually show up at the place to claim it was unclean? Hopefully AirBnB will continue to back you up on this. Sounds like they wanted to cancel penalty free and AirBnB was going along with it until they talked to you. If they call and you had not answered they would have immediately sided with the guest and you would be held responsive is the sad reality. So I have a seperate phone for Rentals and my venue that always get answered day or night to cover my a$$ in a situation like this. 

[Pete28]

This is why I stick to a physical key, which isn't available until 3pm in the lockbox. 2-3% of guests will appear at a random early hour and I certainly don't want them inspecting the previous guests trash and towels 😞

[Letti0]

@Pete28  We do not actually change the door code to their code issued until a few minutes or so before check in, so if they arrive early they can not get access without going through us. 

[Emilia42]

Last spring I switched out the front door knob with one of those keypad locks. Now guests get their own personalized code (the last 4 digits of their cell phone #.) When I head over to clean I delete the checkout guest’s code and program the check-in guest's code once the space is ready. I let guests know that their code will not work until 3pm. I will send them a message if it is any earlier (which often times it is.) One of my biggest fears is a guest walking into another guest’s mess. This way I think I will avoid that situation. 

[Letti0]

@Emilia42  We have had guests walk in when the cleaning crew was still cleaning or check in 4 or more hours early without asking, so that's when we started setting it right before check in time. We're on property, so it's easy to do. I don't trust the WiFi setting it as if there's an internet issue or a power outage which is possible during heavy rain or a bird flying into your transformer this has happened the day a family from Japan was checking in. Luckily the power company came out on a Saturday morning and got it fixed in about 4 hours, but there was panic lol. 

[Emilia42]

@Letti, lol dang birds! Where I live the biggest cause of wide spread power outages are squirrels jumping into the transformers. It happens a couple times a year! We get huge snowstorms and won’t loose power but when the squirrels are roaming around, watch out!

[Lawrene0]

But now there will be a review, is that right, @Paul154?

[Letti0]

@Lawrene0  Yes their will be hopefully they say something @Paul154  can use to get it pulled. Otherwise he just tells the truth. Guess checked themselves in without permission at 11 AM  prior to the cleaner coming at 12 PM to get the place ready for their 2 PM check in. 

[Emilia42]

@Paul, what I don't understand is why can't Airbnb work to "solve" the problem instead of just letting the guests cancel so quickly. What if the CS rep told the guest that check-in is at 2pm and if the space is not cleaned by that time then that is grounds for canceling? Where is this "ability of the guest to choose an early checkin" an option?

I tell guests "the apartment will be guaranteed to you by 3pm, if it is ready any earlier I would be happy to have you check-in and will send you a message to let you know but I cannot make the guarantee until 3pm." (I used to work at a high-end hotel and that is what we'd say for early check-in requests. If the room wasn’t ready by 3pm and the guest was waiting then it looks like they’d be getting a free room.)

[Jessica-and-Henry0]

What a nightmare @Paul154 but at least you will be paid. I totally agree that Airbnb really needs to work on better+clearer communication. So many of their frequently used expressions/comments are confusing (and often not really accurate)!!!!!!