Guests not leaving by check out time

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Ale19826
Level 2
St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands

Guests not leaving by check out time

Hello! So I'm fairly new to hosting and I need some help. Most of my guests are not respecting my check out time at 11am. They leave at 1130, 12pm . They are not asking for late check out and it states it on my listing and house rules. I also have a guest book when they arrive that states it there also. I've been blessed to have back to back bookings which is great but the problem with people checking out late they leave me rushing to get the cleaning done. I let them know check out is 11am and still it does not make a difference. What can I do? Any suggestions? I've read a few post saying Airbnb doesn't get involved if I were to put a late fee. It's starting to get very frustrating since it's affecting my next reservation. 

1 Best Answer

Hi @Ale19826 

@Andrea-and-Glenn0  advised are greatly appreciated.

In addition, a friendly reminder by WhatsApp or SMS may be helpful.

 

In inevitable fact, it would help if you had the guest checkout by 11 am. You may consider clearly announced in the listing, check out times no later than 10 am.

 

In my perspective, as Airbnb an home environment accommodation, STR.

By posting a laminated sign of check out times on the inside of entry door is unpleasant.

Beside, the plastic sign is 1980, 1990 outdated an ancient type of reminde.

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27 Replies 27
Lorna170
Level 10
Swannanoa, NC

@Ale19826   It may not help the guest move any faster, but change your check out time to 10:00 AM.   When I had a more flexible checkout time,  my guests would not leave much before Noon, leaving me or my housekeeper waiting in the driveway.  If you are the housekeeper, bring your bucket of cleaning supplies, broom, mop vacuum, etc. and put it outside the door a half hour before the guest should check out.  Text them at the same time with a "Housekeeping has arrived, Have a safe trip home, thank you for visiting" message which should get them packing and on their way.  For the guest who is simply not getting the idea that they have to leave on time, knock on the door 15 minutes after leaving time and tell them that you are there to take out the trash and collect the laundry, "may you come in while they take their luggage to the car?"   Polite, but forceful.  Good luck!

Ale19826
Level 2
St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands

@Lorna170 Thank you for your response! I'm definitely going to try sending messages earlier and putting up a sign to see if this helps! I'm definitely trying you suggestion too and placing all the cleaning supplies so they see the cleaning needs to get done asap! I appreciate all of your help and thanks again!! 😁

Andrea-and-Glenn0
Level 10
Mill Bay, Canada

On the advice of others here, and local AirBnb hosts in our area, 24 hours before checkout we send a quick message thanking the guests for staying at the Mill Bay Cottage and reminding them that “checkout time is 11am or earlier” and that our cleaning team will be there promptly at shortly after 11am to prepare the Cottage for the next guests. 

 

We are also also fairly new hosts, and have not yet had anyone not respect the checkout time. 

 

Just be consistent and regular with your communication, best of luck.

 

Andrea and Glenn

#millbaycottagerental 

Ale19826
Level 2
St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands

@Andrea-and-Glenn0 Thank you for your quick response! I have done it via airbnb messenger and some say they didn't see it and apologize. Not sure how true that might be since they have wifi in the apt but I'm definitely going to be more consistent and make sure it's done 24hrs prior! Thanks again for your support and ideas! 😁

I can give you a heads up that Airbnb message system,  lags severely. Once they open the app on their phone, if they do  not refresh the page, you will not see the message. So if you feel you aren't getting proper response times, send them a text to their phone or call. It also depends on their notifications on their phone. I have played around with it a lot. it does not update as it should!

Ale19826
Level 2
St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands

@Andrea4676 That's what they have told me and I can definitely see how that happens. So I think putting something in the apt will hopefully work! Thank you! 

That is a fantastic answer. We have only hosted 20 families at this point but every morning of checkout I send a message thanking them for their stay and there responsibilities for checkout, like removing the trash and stripping the beds. To date we have never had a late checkout. I never really put it together but maybe the messages help.

Sarah977
Level 10
Sayulita, Mexico

@Ale19826  You say you let them know check-out is at 11, but when do you convey that? As Andrea and Glenn, suggested, you should send a reminder message the day or afternoon before.

 

And as this seems to be an ongoing problem for you, post a laminated sign on the inside of the entry door, like hotels do, stating check-out time.

Ale19826
Level 2
St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands

@Sarah977 Thank you for your idea as well! I'm actually also going to do the sign idea. This way they don't have any excuses including that they didn't see their messenger or what not. Thank you so much! This was very helpful 😁

Hi @Ale19826 

@Andrea-and-Glenn0  advised are greatly appreciated.

In addition, a friendly reminder by WhatsApp or SMS may be helpful.

 

In inevitable fact, it would help if you had the guest checkout by 11 am. You may consider clearly announced in the listing, check out times no later than 10 am.

 

In my perspective, as Airbnb an home environment accommodation, STR.

By posting a laminated sign of check out times on the inside of entry door is unpleasant.

Beside, the plastic sign is 1980, 1990 outdated an ancient type of reminde.

@Dale711   I appreciate your support of the OP and your response to her request for help.  However, not everyone who travels and uses AirBnB or other OTAs has a smart phone or knows what "WhatsApp" is, let alone how to use it.  My husband and I travel extensively (prior to Covid) but we are dinosaurs when it comes to smart phones and Apps.  A reminder via SMS  or an App would go absolutely nowhere.

 

An alternative to a sign (if you find them unpleasant) would be a "What to do" page in the instruction/guest book that the host has left in the accommodation.  

Ale19826
Level 2
St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands

@Dale711 Thank you for the suggestion! I just hate that because of a few people others might feel a certain way by seeing a sign on the door but I'm running out of options. But it's happening way to much so I'll definitely trying the 24 hrs prior and texting and last the sign placing and I'm really hoping something works!! 😁😁

this is unfair to conscientious people who know 11a.m. means 11 a.m.

Alexandra316
Level 10
Lincoln, Canada

@Ale19826 If you're having a really big issue with it, maybe let people know that there will be a penalty for late check out if prior arrangements aren't made. You don't even have to use it, nescessarily: just put it there as a deterrant. Airbnb does allow you to levy penalties for overstay. I have successfully collected in the past (although it doesn't come up often in my case). 

 

You could try and word it nicely: something like: 

Due to our schedule for cleaning and the enhanced Covid cleaning protocol, late checkouts will be charged a fee of $100 (choose your own amount) per hour for overstay past 11 am. If you require a late checkout, please contact us at least X days in advance and we will do our best to accomodate (if that's something you're interested in offering). 

 

I wouldn't jump right to that option, but if the other tactics don't work, it may be your best bet. Putting a monetary penalty on their actions can be effective.