Not so honest guests

[Nicole57]

What do I do when guests are not so honest? I just started renting out my ground floor suite with a private entrance. On my profile, I advertised two bedrooms for 3 guests max. I am frequently having trouble with some guests because they will book 3 guests instead of the maximum number of two (hoping to have a 4 to 5 guests checking in). When I say no, they are not happy and I feel bad and uncomfortable with the situation. In addition, when the guests leave from this experience, they leave poor reviews while often requesting a refund.

I need feedback as I am seriosuly considering unlisting my place from Airbnb to save myself the trouble.

[Nicole57]

Do i say no checking when 4 guests shows up at checkin instead of 3 guests? 

There was also a situation when I found a 4th guests staying when I thought, they were 3.   I was told sorry.

[Trish16]

You could put up a pretty sign outside the bnb saying something like "Thank you for choosing our bnb.   Please be advised that extra guests beyond the number originally booked will be charged accordingly.   Have a wonderful stay."   That way you will have informed them of the situation before they begin their stay.   Sometimes they are really horrible people. But don't give up on Airbnb.   Their service is second to none.   It happpened to me just once (my bnb is so small it's really difficult to find extra room) when a young guy fresh out the army took the room for one night and when I went to ask him what he'd like for breakfast I found four guys there!  I told them off explaining that had there been any emergency such as a fire I would not have known how many people were left inside.   Then I brought them more food for breakfast.

[Andrea9]

@Nicole57

You would need to be more strict. Tell them it's an insurance thing, whatever. Add in your house rules that no unbooked visitors or additional guests are allowed on the premises. That so doing will be grounds for immediate cancellation of the booking.

When it's in your house rules (which guests have to agree to upon booking) it's written in stone and in case of a dispute Airbnb would side with you. It also means that any guest excuse about a visitor only being there for socially a few hours is out the window.

If you include an ID check in your check-in procedure in a kind of guest register list (possibly even writing down ID #s) it would be a good way of deterring some to bring extra. And you really have to stick to your guns, and make sure there is a record on the Airbnb messaging platform in case there's trouble, even by shortly summing up in writing after you may have verbally confronted them.

Consider getting a security surveillance camera for the front door. As long as it doesn't record private areas it's within your right to protect your property from intruders, and at the same time it will reveal any extra unbooked guests. 

You should be more worried about guests not respecting your stipulations and not so much about the reviews.

If somebody does leave you a negative review in the public section because you maybe turned back one of their party, you always have the option of leaving a public response which will be visible right under their review. Keep it short and professional though and don't write it in anger because it can't be redacted later. You can always just write that guest tried to bring in another (unpaid?) guest past the maximum occupancy and that that person had to be turned down. That will automatically show their review in a completely different light.

Another recurring theme on the forums is the price haggling guest with a lower budget who usually ends up trying to get even more for their money and expecting a 5-star service while at it. Just a thought worth considering.

[Hugh0]

I recently had a single guest, a male checkout from a four night stay. He left behind three used beds, 10 used towels and tampons with the trash. I messaged him to ask how many people stayed. He replied "why cannot I use more than one bed".

I thought this would be open and shut with Airbnb. I have 700+ trips and almost 500 great reviews. However, it was not easy to claim extra person and cleaning charges. Airbnb says that there is no evidence of the extra guests. I asked why my statement is not evidence and if Airbnb wanted me to install cameras in my apartments. They finally gave me extra person charges but no additional cleaning costs. I was very disappointed with the lack of support for committed hosts.

[Andrea9]

@Hugh0

Unfortunately, there is always the odd problem guest or group to marr an otherwise pleasant guest hosting experience.

And very unfortunately, Airbnb (too) often sides with the guest esp. if it's a he says/she says situation. Did you take pictures of everything as you found it? Not a guarantee, but it's more powerful as argument.

Think of adding to the house rules something to the extent of using more beds than allotted for will be be charged extra. 

Another option would be having a way of locking any extra bedrooms or cupboard bed. Or increasing the price for the first person. Makes me wonder why a single guest would want to rent an apartment with several beds.

There seems to be no standard procedure for preventing or solving such issues, only finding clever solutions seeing that each listing situation is personal and unique.

[Serafina0]

This is such a common problem for hosts. I rent a separate carriage house behind my place and offer self-check-in, so I keep expecting to face it at some point, but I've been lucky so far. With the host right there, people are less likely to try to fudge on the numbers. If they did, I'd have no qualms about addressing it and requiring the guests to amend the reservation over the Airbnb system, or have the extra unregistered guests leave if they were over my total occupancy. Most longtime hosts would do the same.

[Waundell0]

Set your pricing tool to charge for additional people. If more people show up than was paid for you are well within your right to stand right there at the front door and not let them in.

When someone is booking for a few people I require names and a little info of anyone that is not on the requesters profile. 

The power is in your hands, bad reviews or not, they can always be contested.  Do not allow un-booked people into your house. If they want to stay they can pay or go find a hotel.

[Nancy49]

My place holds one person but 2 max.  PPl try with...we have a baby that sleeps with us....our 5 mo is quiet and has a pak and play etc.  My rules say 2 MAX.  Sorry not childprood. Also sometimes I get one person but when emailing they say "we".  So I say you need to adjust as I am not insured from BNB for other person.  Also they will try with a "guest".  Well I cant have a dad bringing their child here for his Sat visitation day so I ask for more info on the "guest".  Some say my BF is 28 etc.  TMI but...I just need to know if an adult.  And this always works.  Have had 60 bookings and started in the spring of 2015 and no problems.  Only with reviews.  They LOVE LOVE everything then bad mouth the place b/c no A/C (stated 3 times in description, and a reminder when accepting).  The location is AMPLIFIED in miles to every tourist attraction and still they complain of location.  So I dont care anymore about reviews.

Living next door helps.  And I have a 3 night MAX.   NO EXCEPTIONS.  Then there is lighter washing, toilet paper etc.  I do offer continental breakfast (yogurt, bagels, coffee, tea, OJ, oatmeal, and water)  2 of everything so I don't have to bother for the rest of their stay, and 90% do not indulge. I get a lot of overnights and mostly 2 nights. It is much simpler.  PPl may say changing beds etc too much work for 1-2 nights but it really isn't.  You have to put restrictions b/c you may not like the guests and are stuck w/them for a week.

[Sara156]

This happened to me once. They said 3 people and brought 6. I would leave a public repsonse to theirs and explain your point of view. Also, if this keeps happening, maybe see if your prices are too low, it changes the clientale you might be getting. 

[John143]

Thank you Sara.  I wrote to him and it was his wife that came down for the weekend.  I can live with that.  We are on the expensive side already!  Have 2 properties listed and perfect reviews so I am concerned about any confrontations since I know guests would just leave terrible reviews!

Our first guest was terrible but we have learned much since then.  

Have a great day 

[Robert170]

Not big issues but revealing. I accept a booking for 2 adults and 2 children:

1. My checkin procedure is to accompany the guest to the house (hard to find) and hand over the keys before 7pm.
2. Guests message me that they will be late.
3. Exceptionally I accept to guide them to the house by phone and leave the keys so they can let themselves in.
4. For departure house rules are to see the guest out and collect the keys.
5. This is arranged for 10am but the guests leave early.
6. On inspection the house has been used by 5 people, one extra bed to launder.
7. When queried the guest replies that the 5th person was a child of 3 which they never declare when travelling.

Was the late arrival and early departure planned to disimulate the extra guest...?

Another issues:

1. On inspection the front door key is broken and stuck in the lock.
2. When queried about that the guest says it happened a few days previously and that they sent me an SMS
3. I never received the SMS and there is no record of it on AirBnB

Leaving a front door unlocked for days is not good guest behaviour and discovering the dammage only when they left puts me in a difficult position with the next guests.

What are your thoughts? What kind of review do they deserve?

Thanks.