Exceeding guest limit

[Fareeha1]

Hi Fellow Hosts! 

I’m new to hosting and wanted to gain your knowledge regarding exceeding house occupancy. We have guests inquiring for events like weddings where they want to have guests over beyond the house occupancy (including the visitor allowance). My solution to this was imposing a $35/person charge per extra person beyond the quiet hours but I haven’t gotten a great reaction from that. Is that too harsh? Should I be allowing it in the first place?

My main goal is to try to be flexible by allowing it and the charge would help me with any additional wear and tear from the overcrowding. 

Please let me know how you would handle it!

[Dave-and-Deb0 · Accepted solution]

Hi @Fareeha1,

In my experience, I’ve found that limiting the number of guests and maintaining the set occupancy is the best approach for a stress-free hosting experience. Overcrowding can lead to extra wear and tear, which, as you mentioned, is what you’re trying to mitigate with the extra guest fee. However, charging for additional guests often leads to challenges like guests underreporting the actual count, resulting in awkward conversations and, in some cases, negative reviews.

For me, maintaining a strict occupancy limit helps ensure a positive experience for both myself and the guests. It sets clear boundaries upfront, which can prevent misunderstandings and conflicts later on. 

Ultimately, it’s about finding a balance that works for you while keeping your hosting experience stress-free. If enforcing a fee is causing more problems than it solves, it might be worth reconsidering whether allowing the extra guests aligns with your overall hosting goals.

I hope this helps, and good luck with your hosting journey @Fareeha1!

[Fareeha1]

@Dave-and-Deb0 This helps a ton, Dave! Thank you for the advice. Have there been any instances at all that you’ve made exceptions or have you found that being very strict has been more beneficial regardless of the guests circumstances/plans?

Curious how you approach/excercise your rules if they’ve been broken and or asked to be stretched while maintaining a good experience for the guest. Having a hard time being warm/flexible while also sticking to our house rules.