Refund ? Mouse + Crawling Baby = Left Early

Katie1131
Level 2
Helena, MT

Refund ? Mouse + Crawling Baby = Left Early

We have some wonderful guests staying with us this summer. When they booked the stay we offered them a discounted rate for an 80 day stay - which they took. The last two weeks we have been dealing with trying to trap a mouse they saw in the house. After catching the mouse they saw some babies, so they took a night away from the rental and we came in - cleaned the main areas of the house and set out more traps. They have a crawling baby and after they found more evidence in other parts of the house they chose to get another rental and leave early - which I completely understand. What I'm struggling with is how much to refund them. I would definitely like to offset the night they spent away & now they have an additional rental during the time they thought they'd be with us, but with discounted rate offered initially - refunding all of the remaining nights is really going to cut into what we're making on the stay. How much would you refund? We're also trying to combat one long/bad review out of several good ones & we're really counting on this couple to leave us a positive review. 

10 Replies 10
Brian2036
Level 10
Arkansas, United States

@Katie1131 :

 

A MOUSE? In a 130-year old house??? SHOCKING!!!

 

Maybe you should provide a couple of cats.

 

Or maybe these people ought to get a life.

 

You don’t say how long they were there, but I’m suspicious about their real motivation for leaving.

 

 I just had a similar situation and I’m kicking myself for giving them a refund.

 

A young couple rented my vintage log cabin for a month, got the 49% discount, and left after two weeks.

 

 The reason: There was a wasp in the house. When I noted that this is common and unavoidable she said that she has an allergy.


Then they said that they also found a flea in the bed.

 

They also had a cat which sleeps with them, but THEIR cat would never have fleas.

 

So I felt bad and gave them a $400 cash refund so I wouldn’t have to deal with customer service.

 

If they had booked for two weeks they would have paid $1120. By booking for a month and bailing out two weeks early they paid $900 after the refund and I lost the opportunity to rent to someone who is not stupid for two weeks.

 

So they saved $200 and I lost $1100 in potential revenue. I also have to have the place fumigated.

 

Good deal.

 

 I think you should probably ask them to cancel their remaining days without making rude remarks, and if they do you will refund them something based on what Airbnb kicks back to them and what they would have paid had they booked for a shorter period of time.

 

Hopefully the remaining days will be freed up. In the meantime I would put out some good bar-bait and reduce the population.

 

 You know, however, that they’ll be baaaack. . .

 

 

@Brian2036 @Laura_R @Katie1131 and others who are based in the USA, notably Yellville where @Brian2036 lives, you may enjoy this article from 1869...I can see where Brian gets his quick wit from.

By chance, were you born and breed in Yellville Brian?

 

Yankee Oratory

https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/GRA18690515.2.15

 

 

Brian2036
Level 10
Arkansas, United States

@Helen427 
No, I’ve only been here for 40 years, but I grew up in similar places.

 

Thanks for the article.

Kia272
Level 10
Takoma Park, MD

@Katie1131  You indicated that they are wonderful guests, and I imagine that they'll be decent about the whole situation. They're probably just concerned about the baby encountering mouse poop, which is likely going to be on the floor, down at baby level.  

 

Sometimes the cost of doing business is taking a big hit or a loss. It seems like they've been flexible throughout. I'd be fairly generous with the refund without regard to the hit you are taking. 

 

You said "refunding all of the remaining nights is really going to cut into what we're making on the stay."

Of course it is. You make all that money when the stay is ideal for the guests and there aren't any issues. You "take a hit" when you need to make things right. 

You want them to feel positive about the whole experience, and also to understand that you take hosting seriously and that you are trying to make it right. Sometimes it hurts, but you gotta do it. Those are my thoughts. Good luck! Kia 


Brian2036
Level 10
Arkansas, United States

@Kia272 :

 

Are you aware that the grain products we all consume are legally allowed to contain a measurable quantity of rat poop?

 

Not to mention pulverized bugs.

 

https://www.huffpost.com/entry/mouse-poop-fda-food_n_7572232

 

People who try to make a huge issue out crap like this (pun intended) need a healthy dose of reality. Possibly a night in a Mexican prison would be good for them.

 

Or even a night in a typical Panamanian house. The kind with a dirt floor, thatched roof, and natural air conditioning. The kids that grow up that way are remarkably healthy.

 

That kid probably gets sterilized, pasteurized and fumigated on an hourly basis and is likely to be allergic to everything by the time it’s five years old.

 

 

 

Brian2036
Level 10
Arkansas, United States

@Katie1131 :

 

You have just identified an excellent reason to refuse to accept infants and small children.

Laura2592
Level 10
Frederick, MD

@Katie1131 I would respond to your "James" review before getting involved in this other potential review. That is scathing. If there is any truth to any of the stuff he says, I would correct that ASAP.

 

If this mouse poo guest mentions it and scores you poorly, there is a good chance you might be delisted or definitely in danger of it. Can you do some things to upgrade your space if its needed? A cat isn't the worst idea. Your listing looks cute and clean in the photos, so I am wondering why there are mice and a guest who literally could not find anything nice to say (but for whom you seemed to leave a good review, indicating that he was not the issue.)

 

Normally I take guest complaints about vermin with a grain of salt. Some people act as though they have never had an insect or mouse in any house they have ever been in and use this to get discounts. But your "James" review really concerns me that there may be more to this story. 

Thanks for the feedback @Laura2592 , unfortunately the window to respond to James has passed. I am curious since you brought up his review - what concerns you about it?  Especially with the other positive reviews we’ve received?    I honestly didn’t know how to respond to him. With the exception of maybe one or two items his review was absolutely ridiculous. Even reviewing it again I’m completely exhausted reading it.  If I had responded I’m not sure it would have been helpful because it probably would have gone something  like… We were sorry to read about your stay and we wish you would have given us the opportunity to have addressed what issues we could have during your stay. Regarding your list of complaints, “It’s hot” - You rented a house without a/c and we’re having a unprecedented heat wave. “The fan is too loud” - had you mentioned how hot you were or that the fan was too loud during your stay we would have gladly provided other fans.  “The toilet is too small to have a comfortable bowel movement” - ok….Not sure what to say here but we'll take it under advisement, what size toilet would allow for a comfortable bowel movement?   “The neighbors have loud trucks…there are motorcycles” - it’s Montana - pretty much enough said, but I also cannot control how loud the neighbor’s vehicles are. “Everything is cheap” - well we spent good money on it and ‘cheap’ is incredibly subjective. “The bathroom floor is slick and no rugs, rugs cost money” - there is a rug in the bathroom, not sure what to tell you. And we know rugs cost money because we spent a lot of money on the rugs we have throughout the house.  “The fridge makes noise” yes fridges have motors and make noise occasionally when they turn on. “The desk is too tall” we provide an adjustable office chair in the designated work space. It would be impossible to provide the perfect ergonomic set up for each guest.  “The electronic lock sucks” -  it is possible to set a code but you also have to be able to remember the code, or take your phone it’s up to you. “The stained couch” I examined the couch prior to your arrival and again after your departure and couldn’t find the stain. “The smell” the house is 130 years old, it needs to breath and when it isn’t opened up  it can smell like what it is - an old house. Febreze is a fragrance and we are fragrant free so that isn’t something we’ll be doing. We will look into a ozone machine.                                                   - Even if I had finessed it, it just didn’t seem worth it or like it would have been helpful. How would you have handled it?

Laura2592
Level 10
Frederick, MD

@Katie1131 responses to poor reviews aren't for that guest but for the guests who come after.  If I were reading this it would scare me off.  It doesn't seem vengeful...its detailed and points out a lot of issues that could easily be corrected but for whatever reason,  have not been addressed. If your response was just "thanks James. We didn't realize that your stay was so uncomfortable.  We will do our best to address these issues." it would inspire more confidence than just letting it hang out there. 

 

The fact is that hosts and guests tend not to leave detailed reviews or even totally honest ones. Most people don't like to complain publicly if there's something wrong.  Definitely there are exceptions (and they stand out) but there are a lot of 5 star ratings for guests and hosts that are the path of least resistance.  

 

If you have mice and even half of what this James guest said was true I'd take a hard look at your listing and figure out where some improvements can be made. Exterminator,  air freshener,  new appliances,  better desk chair,  whatever made sense. Best of luck. 

Thanks!