wrong number of guests.

[Shaun69]

My lodges are insured for four guests to stay in each, public liability insurance in the UK is vital for the protection of both hosts and guests in my mind. Recently i had a booking from Italy for one lodge, four guests and one car, no problem I thought! However when the guests checked in there was six not four, big problem for me because i am only insured for four. This was not a money issue it was an insurance issue. I resolved it by making the guests pitch a small tent in the garden so that two of them could sleep there instead of the lodge. OK i hear you say but it was clear to me that with hindsight I should have refused permission to check in and informed AIRBNB TO CANCEL the booking even at this late hour. I have checked with other hosts in my area and this problem seems to be getting more common. Please could you offer advise about what to do and how best to resolve this issue?

Many thanks Shaun

[Elizabeth429]

@Shaun69,

I am one of those hosts who think you should have cancelled the reservation. It seems to me they wanted to take advantage, and your good nature let them. 

More and more cheeky guests are doing it more often than you may think. It has become a dishonest practice where a reservation is made for a number of guests only to find out they doble it on their check in day. And to my despair, many hosts are allowing it or dont care enough. I personally know a particular host who only cares about the money getting into his bank account even though he knows that a significant number of guests are doing it with his own listing.

Maybe you could add the information regarding your policy of ONLY 4 guests per lodge in your main profile or listing tittle. Be firm!!

[Shaun69]

Hi Elizabeth,

We have made it plain in our house rules etc but maybe your idea about main profile might work!

Thanks Shaun

[David2337]

This happened to us only yesterday! Our 6 guests turned into 10! It's a horrible situation but this is a major safety and insurance issue! If there had been a fire we wouldn't even know how many where in the property!! I made the decision to ask them to leave the property (I gave them an hour to pack) then contacted Airbnb to inform them! They were not particularly helpful and made me feel that I was at fault for asking them to leave! We are now angry and feel we can't trust guests or Airbnb in their support. 

[Shaun69]

Hi David,

I did contact AIRBNB and tell them what was going on, however I do not think that the lovely lady I was talking to understood the significance of public liability insurance numbers, I might be wrong in this but I had to explain to her what it was!!!!!!! Unlike you I did not have the "balls" to ask the guests to leave because i was unsure on what my legal position was however next time it happens I will be better prepared.

Thanks Shaun

[David2337]

Hi Shaun

I also had to explain about insurance to the man from Airbnb! And when he said that I shouldn't have made them leave I had to remind him that as the guests had lied about numbers I no longer trusted them. And also if there was a fire how would I know if people needed help or rescue! I think Airbnb are all about taking the money and don't care much for the hosts. 

Ps lovely area you live in! Used to live around there before moving to France. 

[Rebecca181]

@Shaun69 This appears to be a weak link at Airbnb Support - Customer Service reps understanding insurance issues and limitations. I had a couple Instant Book and inform me afterwards that they were bringing an infant. I told them we needed to get the infant registered even though it was staying for 'free' (courtesy of Airbnb's rather generous policy on this). I was not able to register the infant - the Computer Bot kept denying the adjustment, saying 'Infants stay for free, you don't need to change the reservation', or something like that. However, I am aware that no one is covered under the Host Protection Guarantee unless they are registered. I imagine that this includes infants. I called Customer Service and an obviously new rep immediately said, "Don't worry, the infant is covered." I asked him to quote the policy or Terms of Service stating that an unregistered infant would be covered by Airbnb's Host Protection Guarantee -  and he could not. I asked him to find someone who could, perhaps his manager. He could not. I was on hold for quite a while, and next thing I knew, the rep had called my guests to tell them they needed to cancel the reservation and do a new one and include the infant, all the while still telling me the infant was covered by the Host Protection Guarantee. 

To this day I don't know if unregistered infants are covered or not, but given I also have my own commercial insurance, I am quite certain my property insurer would like ALL guests registered, including infants. So I state this in my House Rules. That ALL guests, including infants, must be registered at the time of booking. 

[Shaun69]

Hi Rebecca,

Very good point regarding infants, I will take that onboard and change my House rules accordingly!

Regards Shaun

[Rebecca160]

@Shaun69 you are just too sweet! Practice saying No. really, get in front of a mirror and say “I am sorry, but I cannot let you in, as the reservation was for four and insurance permits no more. Please contact Airbnb for relocation.” 

And then contact Airbnb to cancel. Quote all of the TOS necessary to get them to cancel. 

You can do it! 

[Shaun69]

Hi Rebecca,

I have been called many things in my life but never "sweet", thank you that has made my day! I think the bottom line is you are right and I should have said no, but when you are new to AIRBNB its human nature to air on the side of caution!!!!!!! 

Regards Shaun

[Gerry-And-Rashid0]

@Shaun69

First people can make honest mistakes and the AirBnB booking platform is not the clearest. It sounds like they didn't even try to hide it from you that there were six....

That aside, in your email confirmation to your guests following their booking you should make it clear that for insurance purposes that maximum number of adults plus children is 4 people. At least that offers you some protection if someone sneaks someone in and there is an accident/damage, etc

[Shaun69]

Hi G and R,

Thanks for the advise I will ensure that I include the maximum number of guests in my email confirmation, its so simple I should have thought of it myself!!!!!!!!

Thanks Shaun

[Colin15]

I have had this on many occasions. Luckily the guests gave themselves away when they have booked for one person and mention WE when I ask for flight details and approximate time of arrival. I inform them to pay the extra or I will inform Airbnb to cancel the reservation. 

I think it’s about time when a guest makes a booking that they must list all the guests names and passport or ID numbers as you have to when booking an airline ticket. 

[Shaun69]

Thanks Colin. Food for thought! Shaun.