Cockroaches and refunds

[Brian311]

We have a guests staying for about 2 weeks, half way through their stay they are complaining that there are cockroaches in the house. Our properties are on an island (tropical weather), therefore a cockroach entering the house is not unheard of, although we haven't had any complaints whatsoever this year.

They called this evening, after a series of  'coincidental series of events' that I wouldn't like to go through here...

In any case I explained that we have no control over cockroaches entering the house and that I can spray the house tomorrow morning. I feel there is nothing more to do. However the guests are indicating that they will probably leave tomorrow to go to a hotel and I'm assuming that they will request a refund.

I don't feel they are entitled to any sort of refund in this case, however I wanted to get some feedback.

What are your views?

Thanks!

[Sarah977]

@Yulianna0  Cockroaches and ants crawl and can get through the tiniest space. I agree that cockroaches ar disgusting, ants not so much.  I think of ants as nature's cleaners, they are attracted to crumbs of food, dead bugs, and eat them or carry them away. And they don't carry disease, so I'm not so fussed about them.

Of course, window screens will keep out flying insects, as for the crawling one, you have to seal the bottoms of the outside doors. You can purchase door sweeps that are rubber and attach to the bottom of the door, that make a tight seal between the floor and the door so nothing can crawl through. 

But here in the tropics, my doors are open almost all the time, so that's a moot point. 

Ants dislike crossing a line of powdered cinnamon, so you can sprinkle some on window sills and doorways. Smells good, is non-toxic, and can be easily vacuumed up. There are also ant baits you can buy and gels you smear on a jar cap and leave in the bottom of cupborads, etc. which the critters are attracted to, they eat it or carry it back to the nest and it kills them.

[Yulianna0]

Thank you, @Sarah977. I’ll try cinnamon powder, sounds like good natural thing and I like the smell. Here from spring till deep autumn we also have windows opened. I have nothing against spyders, but this huge flyin cockroaches are scaring me. And ants can bite, not pleasant at all to have them. I have special boxes agains ants, but prefer to have extra protection. The most difficult thing is to forse guests not to eat anything in the room! 

[Sarah977]

@Yulianna0   Yes, those flying cockroaches (in English they're called saw palmetto bugs) are horrid.

I find just alerting guests that if they leave food around in their rooms, cups with an inch of sweetened coffee or other drinks or even food wrappers, that they might find ants or cockroaches crawling all over their room within a very short time, freaks them out enough that they don't do it. Most people don't look forward to an insect invasion.

I do offer use of my kitchen, so it's not a problem for them to eat there or if they want to consume something in their room, to bring the dirty dishes or food leftovers down to the kitchen when they're done.

[Yulianna0]

@Sarah977, I also put it in house rules. But I think that I will copy some pictures of their possible “roommates” and will show it in the beginning of their stay:) As I’m on the ground floor, I’m aware of possibility of invasion and cleaning the floors every day. But not in the guests room. Let’s see if terrifying pictures will work.

[Sarah977]

@Yulianna0  I don't mention it in my listing at all, I think it would turn away potential guests. I just mention it casually when I'm showing them their room, etc. "So as this is the tropics, there's lots of insects- they're endemic to the area, whether you're staying here or at a fancy beachfront house. It's really important that you don't leave food or dirty dishes around in your room or you might have an ant invasion. Here's your clean towels and the light switch for the bathroom is here, etc." I find if I just mention it casually, rather than make a big deal of it, they seem to take it in stride.

[Yulianna0]

@Sarah977, I have it in the listing even with posible fine for breaking the rule. But seems that people don’t take it seriously until they see this big ugly creatures. 

[Benjemin0]

Hello,

My company provides cockroach pest control service you should need after contact this company & get the details. I share my company site http://www.wollongongsafepestcontrol.com.au/cockroach-pest-control/ you should try this.

an 

[#9]

Hello,

My company provides cockroach pest control service you should need after contact this company & get the details. I share my company site http://www.wollongongsafepestcontrol.com.au/cockroach-pest-control/ you should try this.

[Lizz157]

Roaches are different from other kinds of bugs though. They carry tons of bacteria and taking them home and having them infest their own home and having to hire an exterminator at their own cost isn’t cheap. 

[Jason1364 · Accepted solution]

I live in central Florida, 40 year resident.  

Have killed 1000 roaches in my lifetime. Have de-infested rental homes myself. A properly sealed, dry, and treated home should not show more than one roach in a weeks time.  

If a guest encounters more than one rogue cockroach in a week, then the host has a problem with sealed, dry, or treated. Period.  

Occasionally one large one may be able to sneak in for the night, but more than that and you have a disgusting problem that requires sealing, drying, and treating.  Refund $ then go seal, dry, and treat the property before renting it again. 

[Lori2918]

I stayed in a place that had so many roaches Florida Scorpions had come in also. That was least of my issues. air bnb doesn’t seem to care about it or their reputation 

[Ashlie26]

I have a home in rural Texas, its not uncommon to see bugs, especially during spring and summer. My home is brick and the free from debris, the lawn is very well kept. I had a guest catch the adult roach in my home and sent a picture. Then the wife messaged me and asked for a refund after they had left (3 day stay) what kind of compensation is fair for 1 roach?

I asked the guest what compensation she thought was fair.

[Will4495]

I just killed 25 roaches at a stay and the host did not want to issue (and I left early). Crazy.

[Wade32]

I just had this happen, and I am inclined to give a refund for the entire stay.  I could prorate it or keep the cleaning fee.  The guests stayed 2 of their 5 nights. Does the guest initiate the cancellation? 

[Will4495]

Literally dealing with this right now and Airbnb is not helping resolve my issue. I told the host (who lives out of state) that an inspection and sealing is needed before treating for the roaches. Wish more hosts knew what you did. 

[Bianca467]

WHY DIDNT YOU SAY SOMETHING?! **

**[Inappropriate comment edited in line with the Community Center Guidelines]