a guest came back at midnight and his key wouldn't work (he could've knocked but didn't want to dist

[Cat34]

a guest came back at midnight and his key wouldn't work (he could've knocked but didn't want to disturb) so he stayed in a hotel for £65. I've checked the key and it doesn't work, but, as he said himslef,
it did previously which is plain mysterious. The question is ...do I take the hit and pay him the full £65... I'm feeling currently that I may have to.... although I only charge £20 per night 😞

[Edwin57]

yes paid him, is not like he didn't broke any thing ,plus it will make him feel you care about your Guest as a Host win win so think about

[Marzena4]

@Cat34. IMHO the guest should have contacted you if the key didn't work. You're not responsible for his actions, the compare the key with others - maybe after all it was the guest who did something with it. Some locks are sensitive even to a scratch on the key.

[Susie35]

Hi, @Cat34, I'd offer half of the 65 pounds. He could have woken you, but your lock is faulty, so 5/50 seems fair! 

[Linda108]

It appears from your post that the guest is going to be "punished" for his consideration in not disturbing you and for the failure of your key.  I am pretty sure that is not at all what you wanted to do, @Cat34.  I see the ball is in your court as to how you wish to host, but if the guest complains, it is possible Air BNB will award full refund and you will also get a negative review.

So, the question is how best to mitigate the effect on the guest.  If the guest is okay with a 50-50 approach, then go with it.  Perhaps you should let the guest suggest what is fair so you know what you are dealing with.  Meanwhile you need to explore what the heck went wrong.  Also, you might ensure guests that if something goes wrong in the middle of the night, you do not mind being "disturbed".  It may save you some considerate guest trying to handle an issue without your help and making it worse.  Hope all works out for you.

[Cat34]

Thank you for your advice everyone. At the moment he seems to be happy with the idea of 2 free nights at a future date or a £20 refund.... it was a vague but friendly conversation and I will message him with the offer formally.  The lock isnt faulty I don't think. all the other keys work and that key worked when he first arrived.  As I said, it is mysterious. I don't advertise that I don't mind being disturbed at midnight cos I don't want to encourage it! But most people I have spoken to say that in the same situation that would've been their first option. I've been renting out rooms for many years and this is the first time anything like this has happened....

[Victoria329]

I have a Schlage code lock on my door. They are expensive but well worth it. We program it to the guests last four digits of their phone number. We send them the code once their booking is complete. We put it in manually but it is very easy to do. The lock comes with its own ‘ factory code’ ( which you need in order to operate the lock each time). When  a guest leaves you take their code out & enter the code for the next guest arriving. The lock only holds 10 codes so you have to make sure that you take each code out as your guest leaves. You can also purchase a Schlage with an operating system where you can change the code, lock it & unlock it from anywhere in the world! I think we might upgrade to that one if we start doing more traveling. Don’t have to worry about your guest loosing the key or making a copy. That would freak me out! NOTE: It does operate on batteries so you have to make sure they get changed about every maybe 6~ 8 months. 

[Rene-and-Zac0]

@Cat34 Put yourself in the guest shoes. He rents a place, goes out and when he returns, the key doesn’t work.

maybe you would have pounded on the door and woke up the entire neighborhood but should you have too?

When I rent the place, I expect I can enter the place as I see fit.

Can you take the non confrontational path and just go get a hotel room? Yes you can.

Would you pitch a fit if your Host confirmed you were locked out of the listing because the key didn’t work? Or would you think “maybe they have to work tomorrow, I’ll just go get another room”.

Now imagine this, you were locked out of the listing, had to rent ANOTHER place, The host verified the key was not working and now the host is being shady and not giving me my money back.

You would be screaming “scammy mcscamster” from Atlanta to Costa Rica.

Dont be one of “Those Host” who are so jaded by a few dollars that they loose common decency. 

Give that guest their entire nights stay back and apologize for not providing what the guest paid for and didn’t receive, a working door lock.

Do the right thing and karma will reward you ten fold. 

‘You know it’s hard out here for a Host’

[Rene-and-Zac0]

@Cat34 and don’t sit around playing “What happened Scooby-Doo?” 

REPLACE THAT LOCK, TODAY! 

[Cat34]

My key, my other guests keys, and the new key I have just given him, all work..... I really don't hink it is the lock.....

[Helga0]

@Cat34, I would take the key to a locksmith And have them check it. It the key is bent or damaged, the guest should pay the replacement key. If the key is not expensive, I would consider the hotel room punishment enough. If the key was not damaged, I would consider refunding ne night, but still say, they should have knocked. 

And I say that after I was thrown out of bed by hits against my door at 1:15 am the other night, by an emergency doctor on behalf of a guest. There are good reasons to wake a host and a damages key would count for a good reason in my book. 

[Helga0]

... after all, it may be bad look it was your key, that broke somehow, but it’s not your fault, the guest is too shy for gis own good.

[Paul154]

Do not give him 65 pounds.

The decision to get a hotel  was on him.

Legally and morally, you are limited to what you received - 25 pounds.

This negates the contract and leaves both parties neutral , as before they entered the agreement. 

Because he did not knock and try to reasonably try to let you fix the problem, you are not legally responsible even for the 25 pounds , but may choose to refund.

Bummer

[Rhonda58]

I agree.  Besides, how do you know that he didn't just find a hotel after having drunk too much?  Perhaps I'm too skeptical but how do you know he even returned to your place?

[Marie82]

In my opinion he should have knocked midnight is not 3am or try to call you

i had guests who called me after 11pm as they locked themself out i got dressed and went to open the door for them and had another guests only a week ago on his arrival at Sydney airport he had to go though long security process he arrived later than midnight and i went to meet him to let him in

So midnight even if late he still ok