Bad guests?

[Margaret1088]

I received an instant booking & when I saw the single review on that couple, it was extremely negative. However, apparently they had only used AirB&B that once and it was 11 years ago!! Should I cancel their reservation or give them the benefit of doubt and host them?

[Debbie210]

I would ask them about their negative review. While you are asking them questions, ask many more to find out anything you would like to know about them.

[Margaret1088]

Thanks Debbie!

[Claire2223]

I just accepted a guest who had one bad review out of 3. I asked them about it & gave them the benefit of the doubt. He proved to be a liar. He broke house rules & when Airbnb asked him to leave he refused. He is still there & still causing problems. 

At this moment, in my opinion, leopards do not change their spots easily so please be careful. 

You can change your instant book settings so that only people with prior positive reviews can book instantly. I have had a run of bad luck with guests breaking house rules & also causing damage and while Airbnb are usually helpful in this instance there has been nothing they can do about removing the guest. 

All the best,

Claire

[Margaret1088]

Thanks for the advice Claire - I will change my listing for only positive reviews, but even though the 1 written review these folks received was was truly awful, the writers still gave them 2 1/2 stars - is that a good review?? Hmmm … I’ll do a bit more research!

[Claire2223]

2.5 stars is not a good review at all. Hosts tend to be generous as they appreciate good reviews & reciprocate in kind. I imagine the host was just being honest. Eg if the guests communication was good & the host scored them 5 for this the fact that they scored the guest 1 for breaking house rules would balance out at 2.5. For me any score below 4 is a red flag. The guest I referred to previously had a score of 4. My advice is also to be careful when accepting reservations from guests with no reviews at all. Ask plenty of questions and trust your gut. 

[Margaret1088]

Claire- first I’d like to extend my sympathies   Dealing with such a rotten guest sounds horrible! I hope it gets resolved soon. 
Second, thanks for your excellent advice. I did not trust my gut, once, gave someone the benefit of the doubt, and still regret it. Not going to make that mistake again!

[Jennifer1897]

@Margaret1088 That is a bit tricky given that it was over a decade ago. The question is, is the behavior their norm or was it a one off?  As others suggested, I would initiate a conversation with them regarding the review. You can be polite in your approach. Something like. " Hello XYZ, thank you for your booking. I noticed you are still fairly new to the platform given your one review. In order to ensure a good fit, would you mind sharing a little about yourself and what brings you to the area." This highlights the review and opens conversation so you can get to know them a little better and feel them out. 

At the end of the day though, if you feel uncomfortable you have the right to cancel their reservation. If something seems off, trust your gut and avoid potential problems. 

[Margaret1088]

Thanks Jennifer - I wrote to them as soon as we got their reservation & explained that (as it clearly says in our listing) check-in is 3 to 5PM, not the 11:30 they said they’d arrive. 
No response! Which is another negative. 

 I’ll give them another day or two & then probably cancel. 

[Bhumika]

Hi @Margaret1088 ! You've received some valuable advice from other members. Did you hear back from this guest since you asked them about the check-in time?

Did you eventually cancel this request?

[Margaret1088]

Thanks for responding. No, I haven’t heard back from those guests & yes, I will cancel them. 
But —- they had only one review and it was terrible but it was from 12 years ago. Question: how/where can I find out if they’ve been hosted at other places that, rather than writing negative comments, chose not to review these folks at all?

[Joan2709]

Hi @Margaret1088 

Lots of good suggestions from other Hosts. One thing we have found causes confusion is the way Airbnb words the Pre Booking Message Header:

Guests think the wording means they can choose their own check-in time. ..."let the Host know when you'll check in." Many Hosts have asked Airbnb to change this wording as it causes alot of uneccessary confusion. Despite numerous Hosts complaining, they have not changed the wording. 

We had to add a disclaimer of sorts to our Pre-booking message that explains our check in time window is XXXXpm - XXXXpm. Then add "If you know the approximate time of your arrival between XXXXpm and XXXXpm, please let us know. " 

You may wish to add this to your pre-booking message so guests don't think they can check in whenever they wish.

[Margaret1088]

Thanks  -  Our listing does provide check-in time and we always include it in our welcoming “thank you” message. But still … I had to explain to a guest that even though check-out is 11AM, the casita cannot be made ready for her 11:30 arrival. Sometimes I wonder if the listing info is just ignored, and/or if it’s simply human nature to push a bit.

[Stephen1004]

Yes you should!