Wouldn't that piss you off too?? What would you do if the guest did this...

[Mark-and-Andra0]

Our last guest was a nightmare.  

Excerpts from the initial email:

"My situation is a bit unusual...I have had to leave my home due to a health situation. We recently renovated, and I have become 'allergic' to my house. I have to get out immediately so I can heal. The fact that your house is tiled, and near the water makes it ideal for me."

and..

"We will be the greenest, cleanest guests you've ever had, due to my condition!  I know this may sound strange- I promise I am not crazy!"

She then asked for a reduced rate for the month. We gave them 57% discount, and she eagerly accepted.

Mark felt there were too many red flags, but I gave her the benefit of the doubt. 

We went out of our way and scrubbed the house from top to bottom with nothing else but vinegar, baking soda, alcohol, and peroxide. We installed two heating systems, one in one bedroom, the other one in a bathroom that cost us $2400, which we were not planning to do for the moment since our beach house rents in the spring/summer/fall. However, based on the fact that they were going to stay for a month, we wanted to make sure they were going to be 100% comfortable. We also wanted to be good samaritans and help this woman in need. 

She, her husband and her son came, and the next day she said she "had a reaction to the house" and "is devastated". They left after two days and requested a partial refund. We discussed it with a case manager and decided to keep the value of two nights at regular price. I was reluctant to do it right away, because, as I told our case manager, we couldn't check the property for a week.

Sure enough, we went to our house yesterday, a week after they left: front door was unlocked; anyone could've walked right in; two sliding doors opening to the deck were unlocked as well.  Several windows were unlocked, one was half-open. We are in New York, it is cold, and it's been raining. The heat was jacked up; the lights were on everywhere.  Dishes left dirty in the sink. I am so pissed that we put so much thought into this and this guest was so unbelievably inconsiderate. I am so pissed, and I feel that they ought to pay for this in some way.   What would you do?  

[Julie143]

The best way to make them "pay" is to leave a bad review and thumbs down. I wouldn't mention allergies, just that after you made special preparations for them and gave them a discount, they left your house unsecured and messy. 

[Mark-and-Andra0]

Unfortunately, the case manager closed the review section before we concluded the issue, to protect us, so she wouldn't think to leave a review claiming the property "made her sick because of mold"; otherwise, I would've totally done that. 

[Mark-and-Andra0]

Unfortunately, the review section was blocked by the case manager, because he was concerned they might leave a bad review to justify leaving and imply something in our house was making her allergic...sigh 

[Kelly149]

@Mark-and-Andra0 so sorry this happened

1. any guest who declares that they are "allergic" to certain things, but they're sure that your house will be fine is one that I would avoid at all costs.

2. spending money that you normally wouldn't in order to please "a" guest (meaning, this one, not typical, different guest) is not money I would spend.

3. all hosts really must have an immediate way to supervise/secure their property. A week with heat running, windows open, doors unlocked... Nightmare

Sorry this happened, looks like the only solace you'll have going forward is the lessons you've learned

[Mark-and-Andra0]

Thank you Kelly,

Yes, lesson learned! 🙂

[Sarah977]

@Mark-and-Andra0  Even if the review isn't possible, I'd be really tempted to send this guest an Airbnb message, listing all the things you did and the money you spent to accomodate her, with a list of all the brainless things she did when she left, and how unappreciated and taken advantage of her behavior made you feel. People shouldn't just get off scott-free and not be called out on this kind of entitled, witless stuff. She obviously has a very delusional idea of who she is. Leaving the heat blasting and window open and all the lights on, is about as far from "green" as you can get.

[Mark-and-Andra0]

That is a great idea! Yes, you are so right, that was definitely not green.

Thanks!

[Scott-and-Mary-Ellen0]

Not a psychologist but this sounds like a sociopath and/or someone pulling a scam/fleeing the police/fishy all around. Even if I bought into the allergy story, I would not offer that much of a discount or agree to that long a stay. Given the alleged sensitivity, I would perhaps agree to a full-price stay of 1 week at most to start to see if the environment was "suitable" first. Then take it from there. I don't understand the case manager/no review part--other potential hosts should be warned to stay away from this guest in the future. So sorry you had to deal with this! 

[Mark-and-Andra0]

Thank you, that is great advice!

Well, this woman had 10 positive reviews, so we sort of based our decision on that.  I am not sure now that the case manager handled the situation in the best way, but we sure learned from this experience.

[Downtown-Yogi0]

Sorry this happened to you. Please tag the guest names, maybe this way when other people get a booking from them, they'll use the community search and find  this has happened. Airbnb is not what it's used to be, some guests have no respect for other people's property.

[Helen56]

You can leave your review on the facebook airbnb guest blacklist: https://www.facebook.com/groups/188885775174427/

Follow the posting instructions so that the guest's name is searchable.

[Mark-and-Andra0]

Really?? Is this such a thing? Wow!

[Mark116]

I'm sorry for all the allergy sufferers in the world, but if someone sent me a message like that I would consider it a very high risk guest, as you found out.  

I'm not sure why airbnb doesn't want you to leave a review, you can wait until the last day and leave your review, when there is a low chance that the guest will have time to leave a review, it seems unfair to future hosts to potentially also feel sorry for these terrible people and again extend generosity where it isn't deserved.

[Mark-and-Andra0]

I guess they thought she could do the same and claim our house has mold or something else that would damage the reputation of the property on Airbnb..Thank you!