Bad guests

[Mandy301]

I have a guest who booked my spare bedroom for three people. First thing they did was call me and ask if they can use my room too? And i was confused. So i just said no that’s my room. I live there. So now I’m worried oh they are going into my space.  they also booked for three and there are 4 staying. Then on top of all of this they took my sunglasses off the counter without asking. We will see if they get returned.  What do i do? Should i put this in the review? They just don’t have common etiquette 

[Helen350]

Sounds like they didn't read the listing description @Mandy301 ! Or maybe they are new to Airbnb, or have only stayed in whole place listings before, so don't understand the concept of home sharing? I read your listing, & assume that third (& fourth) guests have to use the sofa bed in the common spaces? Looks like your guests either did not read that bit (their bad), & nosed around looking for the second bedroom for guest 3 & stowaway, or are just trying their luck with your room? Probably they didn't know the house was shared, cos they did not READ!

I would message them straight away thru the Airbnb messaging page. Assuming you're not at home, so can't speak face to face.

- I'd ask if they read ALL the listing info prior to booking, & understood that

1) Guest 3 needs to use the sofa bed in the common space?

2) They only booked & paid for 3, not 4.

You have a choice: Either:

1) Tell them Guest 4 is not allowed to stay, or

2) Ask them to pay the extra fee for Guest 4. I've found that the system will not allow you to amend the booking once check in time has passed - not from either side - but you could use the Resolution Centre to request extra payment.

In addition you could phone them; their tone might tell you what sort of people they are, whether you trust them in your house, whether it was all an honest mistake, (thinking they had 2x double bedrooms), or whether they are taking liberties? If possible I'd want to go over & meet them in person, but perhaps you are at work, & can't. A face to face meeting would tell me whether I trusted them to stay, once we'd sorted the confusion, & had & chat about boundaries..... (You ARE allowed to cancel the booking if you feel unsafe/ uncomfortable with the group.)

Good Luck!

[Helen350]

.... whether I'd mention it in the review would depend on how things develop..... If an honest mistake, & they appologize & turn into good guests, I probably wouldn't mention it. But if they argue about paying for Guest 4, or stay & are otherwise disrespectful, then I would briefly explain why they were disrespectful.

[Helen350]

How's it going @Mandy301 ?  How did it work out?

[Mandy301]

I haven’t kicked them out. I told them i wouldn’t charge them for the 4th guest. But gave just a heads up that other host may not be that nice. I got my glasses back. Last night they came home at 4 am in the morning.... which wouldn’t be a big deal. Expect they decided to stay up and make food. So we didn’t get to be until 5. And my bf had to wake up at 7. I also just came home to a candle burning... and no one home. Wth! What do i do!? Should i kick them out??? They just have no common sense and that’s what makes me uneasy. 

[Mark116]

@Mandy301   How long is their reservation for?  If its only a day or two you could try to be at home as much as possible to keep an eye on them, tell them as politely as possible that when you are renting rooms INSIDE a home instead of an entire home that you have to pay more attention, be quieter, etc.  A burning candle is a fire hazard so you would have to tell them if that happens again, they're out.  If the res is for another week or two or more, you might consider having a talk with them and telling them they should strongly consider booking an entire apt. and that you think they would be happier if the res. is cancelled.  

4 people in that space is 2 too many.  If I were you I would limit your guests to only 2 adults for the space.

[Mandy301]

It was at 2! I changed it for one guest and forgot to changed back n this group just took full advantage of my kindness. I will change it back though  because i agree. 

[Helen350]

@Mandy301 Now I've heard how things are developing, I wouldn't describe them as 'no common sense', but 'disrespectful,  with no concept of the need to be good considerate housemates.' ..  I see a 'better suited to an entire place listing, not a homeshare' review looming! - Tho' leaving an unattended candle burning would be even worse  in an entire place, without the host to put it out!

I know many US hosts take the view that a guest has payed for a space, so the host should not make rules about curfews etc... But my view is that coming in at 4am, & cooking till 5am is NOT acceptable when it disturbs others; the hosts! No guest should have the right to keep the host up all night.... 

I introduced a 'be in by midnight' rule, after a few people coming in later, causing me too many late nights. I guess some hosts can sleep through it all, but personally, I can't relax & get to sleep till I know my guests are  quiet in their rooms & there won't be any commotion.... Some hosts have quiet hours after... in their house rules, & some have rules re latest kitchen use....

It DOES sound as if your guests are first time home sharers, who need to have the norms & expectations of home sharing explained to them... And tell them Airbnb private rooms are not hotels!

I'd mention the 4am return & 5am cooking in the review, so future homeshare hosts are forewarned & forearmed - and can tell them that's not acceptable, if so! 

[Mandy301]

See and I’m a very chill host. I had one guy who worked nights. But he told me a head of time. He would come in at 5 am take a shower and go to bed though. So that was not bad at all. But yes i agree maybe that needs to be put into place. I’m still not sure how i want to leave a review. I want to forewarn other host but i don’t want to be mean. We’ll see i do need to do something. They leave in 20 minutes so we will see. 

[Helen350]

I've hosted a lot of night workers too... but night workers come in exhausted, shower, & sleep = no trouble at all! - And tend to run the different-from-normal check in/out  times by me first!

[Amanda660]

@Mandy301  how many more nights are they booked in for?  I wouldn’t have been as gracious as you re the 4th unregistered guest.   They sound like hard work 😓 

[Mandy301]

Oh they are. They were drinking yesterday and one of them was throwing up last night so we will see how things look when they leave. 🙄 it seems like maybe they are just having a bad trip themselves. Idk. 

[Mandy301]

They leave today in 20 minutes. 

[Mark116]

@Mandy301  Ah okay, so its over, you can use it as a learning experience for how you might want to change your house rules, change your max back to 2 adults, and what if anything you would add in your upfront communiations w/guests. 

[Helen350]

@Mandy301 I have in my house rules: "Whilst I welcome social drinking, I would prefer you not to get drunk, nor come back from the pub too much the worse for wear." - That's a polite way of saying that drunkenness, & the noise, vomiting, & other antisocial behaviour that goes with it, is NOT acceptable in the host's private HOME! (It's  a reason for my midnight curfew too!)

I also have a "Please be quiet late at night, & be respectful of other guests, so as not to disturb their sleep" rule.