check out policy

[Brad3]

Why doesn't AirBnB have a check out policy? Both myself and my partner have had issues with tenants not checking out on time. It creates a real headache when you have a 11am check out and another 2pm check in. 

I have granted late check outs if I have no one coming in that same day, but only when they ask in advance. This week my partner has had two guests still asleep when she knocks to clean at her check out time of 11 am. In both cases the guests took their sweet time leaving, making the turn over a rushed affair. One guest two weeks ago wasn't even in the property at check out time and needed to be located to tell him that he was supposed to be out of the unit already.

I propose that AirBnb have some sort of policy like hotels do. If you are not checked out by the check out time and no provision has been made in advance for a late check out, the guest is automatically charged for another night. I guess that could cause problems if you have another guest checking in, but in cases detailed above, we as hosts had zero leverage. The guests all basically took as much time as they wanted to vacate.

Thanks!

Brad

[Donald28]

The space I clean is only 134 sq ft. >;-) Tinyhouses are great for quick turnarounds!

[Clare0]

@Brad3  Actually, Airbnb does have a provision for guests overstaying past the check out time.  It's in the Terms of Service.  Here's the relevant excerpt: 

"

Overstaying without the Host’s Consent

Guests agree that a confirmed Booking is merely a license granted by the Host to the Guest to enter and use the Listing for the limited duration of the confirmed Booking and in accordance with the Guest’s agreement with the Host. Guests further agree to leave the Accommodation no later than the checkout time that the Host specifies in the Listing or such other time as mutually agreed upon between the Host and Guest. If a Guest stays past the agreed upon checkout time without the Host’s consent, they no longer have a license to stay in the Listing and the Host is entitled to make the Guest leave. In addition, Guests agree that the Host can charge the Guest, for each 24 hour period that the Guest stays over the agreed period without the Host’s consent, an additional nightly fee of two times the average nightly Accommodation Fee originally paid by the Guest to cover the inconvenience suffered by the Host, plus all applicable Service Fees, Taxes, and any legal expenses incurred by the Host to make the Guest leave (collectively, “Additional Sums“). Airbnb Payments will collect Additional Sums from Guests pursuant to the Payments Terms."

If you are experiencing many over stays, I would recommend that you put in your House Rules that guests will be charged double the nightly rate for not checking out on time.  You can refer guests to the Terms of Service which they agreed to when they created their account. 

[Vasiliy0]

They sign this in. They don't care. 

[Susie5]

@Clare0, when I read this it raised the question in my mind of whether the policy kicks in before the guest has overstayed by 24 hours. If the guest is 2-3 hours late, does the policy kick in? I'm guessing it doesn't but what do you think?  Has anyone tried to enforce this rule from Airbnb?

My main suggestion is to have an earlier checkout time and a later checkin  so that you have a bigger gap - I have checkout at 11 and checkin at 5 pm (people often ask to check in earlier and if I can, I let them come earlier).

[Clare0]

@Susie5 Sadly the Terms of Service doesn't specify the amount of time of the overstay for the overcharge  to go into effect.  My personal assumption is that it relates more to overstaying days instead of hours.  

If a guest overstays by hours, I would recommend using the Resolution Center to claim compensation for the interruption caused by departing guests and your ability to receive new guests.  The fact that there is an overstay provision in the Terms of Service, vague as it is, give you, I would think, the right to seek compensation. 

If this is a chronic problem,  I would put in the House Rules that guests will be charged $X per hour past the check out time. That puts guests on notice from the beginning. 

[Mary703]

Hi Clare, this is exactly what I am looking for! It is 3:35 p.m., and my guest went to work without checking out. My next guest is coming at 5, and I don't know what the policy is as far as entering the room? She is new to Airbnb, but I have sent her 2 messages that she has not responded to.

I also have a $100 deposit on the room. Are we able to take the nightly fee out of that deposit? Thanks!

[Letti0]

@Mary703 I just had a guest screw me with a 2 hr and 10 minute late check out. Check out is 11:00 AM I do same day bookings, so the place needed to be cleaned and it takes on average 4 hours with my 2 person crew. They left a huge mess, damaged items and stole a bunch of items also. It took my cleaning people 6 hours to clean it up and and after doing the inventory looking everywhere to verify the items were in fact not in the home. I also had to pay them the 2 hour wait time at $50 an hour times 8 and block any same day booking that night. I called AirBnB and yes even 2 hours is okay to claim if it cause major issues under the policy. I did my review of the guests a thumbs down, 1 star across the board and my comment was 'Unforutanely I would not host these guest again." It was the stealing that pissed me off more than anything else. Within a few hours they sent me a 5 star review and then I sent the Request for Money with pictures, invoices, replacemet links, and used the messaging system to prove late check out not approve and a bunch of other issues we had with them. 

I do not expect a dime from AirBnB and the claim is too small to put through my commercial insurance IMHO. My costs were well over 1,000, but I only asked for $780. I wanted the documention for tax purproses in the event of an audit. 

8.2.2 You agree to leave the Accommodation no later than the checkout time that the Host specifies in the Listing or such other time as mutually agreed upon between you and the Host. If you stay past the agreed upon checkout time without the Host's consent (“Overstay”), you no longer have a license to stay in the Accommodation and the Host is entitled to make you leave in a manner consistent with applicable law. In addition, you agree to pay, if requested by the Host, for each twenty-four (24) hour period (or any portion thereof) that you Overstay, an additional nightly fee of up to two (2) times the average nightly Listing Fee originally paid by you to cover the inconvenience suffered by the Host, plus all applicable Guest Fees, Taxes, and any legal expenses incurred by the Host to make you leave (collectively, "Overstay Fees"). Overstay Fees for late checkouts on the checkout date that do not impact upcoming bookings may be limited to the additional costs incurred by the Host as a result of such Overstay. If you Overstay at an Accommodation, you authorize Airbnb (via Airbnb Payments) to charge you to collect Overstay Fees. A Security Deposit, if required by a Host, may be applied to any Overstay Fees due for a Guest’s Overstay.  

[Letti0]

Argh! this suppose to go to @Clare0, sorry...

[David126]

@Mary703

If a guest leaves on the day they are due to then they have checked out, I see your check out time is 11am. So they have gone.

I occasionally find stuff left behind, I message and tell them what they have left and if they want to come back and get it. Some do, mostly they are too far away and the stuff is too minor to bother.

[Clare0]

@Mary703. What you can do is file a Resolution Center Request for compensation for the late check out.  Go to this link: 

https://www.airbnb.com/help/article/767/what-is-the-resolution-center

Hopefully your messages were sent through Airbnb's messaging system so that there is a record of them.  

[Clare0]

@Mary703 I would prorate the amount of your claim by dividing your nightly rate by 24 then multiplying by 3 (the number of hours past your check out time).

If it were me, yes, I would go into the room and remove this guest's belongings so you can accept the new guests and clean. 

When guests make a reservation, they get all the House Rules as well as the check out time...clear as day. 

[Letti0]

@Clare0 I would be careful of removing their items please check with your state laws. There are so many old laws still on the books in the State of Texas dating back to the Old Wild, Wild, West days where inn keepers, hotels and boarding houses could not touch a renters items period, my lawyer warned me not to do it. He said people still sue under these old laws in Texas and win. They have tried to remove them, but some Texas congress critters always get them bypassed, so they remain on the books as law.  Although I will admit the current Governor Abbott has been removing a lot of them, just not that one yet. 

[Clare0]

@Letti0. Duly noted.  

[Mary703]

Hi Clare, thank you for that link! It turns out she just made an error in the booking, and didn't book enough nights. She was very apologetic, and fortunately at the new job she is training for she found someone who would let her stay at their house. Disaster averted, and room clean for new guest!  

[Clare0]

@Mary703 I love stories that end well!!