Extremely picky... About cleanliness

[Deb3312]

Hi All. 

I just had a guest who complained the the cabin was "disgusting".  She told me the bathroom wasn't clean. The bedsheets were dirty. There were crumbs on the table... On and on. Then said she had to go buy sleeping bags because she didn't want to sleep in the beds that were dirty. Omg!!! 

I know this isn't true because I did the cleaning myself. So I know I cleaned the bathroom, changed all the bedsheets etc. Just as I always do. 

I apologized the first time she complained and I told her I'd review cleaning protocols with my cleaner 🙂 ok. 

Then when she checked out and sent me all this other list of things she said weren't clean. Id had it! I told her I cleaned it myself and I know for a fact the sheets were clean, cabin was cleaned as it always is. ( Keep in mind this is a rustic cabin in the rainy woods of Seattle) . I apologized that it wasn't up to her standards. This guest has no prior reviews. I know she's gonna blast me in the reviews. And I'm scared of what it'll do to my ranking. I do believe she is overly critical and has unrealistic expectations. I can concede that maybe she found a hair in the shower... Or something but everything is was as clean as it gets!!! 

Any help with how to respond to her unrealistic idea of how clean a cabin should be. ??? I've never ever in three years had a guest say the things she said about it. And I try to keep an open mind and give guests the benefit of any doubt. But after she went in about the not clean sheets. I knew she was the crazy type. 

[Sarah977 · Accepted solution]

@Deb3312  Either just plain crazy, or crazy like a fox, and is going to try to get a full refund, making all these false claims.

What I don't understand is why you apologized and said you'd review cleaning protocols with your cleaner, if you cleaned it yourself? That was a really bad response, as it makes it sound like you have a cleaner who could have done a poor job. 

I would have just said that you did the cleaning yourself, so you can verify that the bedding is clean, and the entire house was cleaned to your normal high standards, which previous guests have always rated highly. But that if she would like you to come over so she can point out what she thinks isn't clean, you'd be happy to reclean it.

I might try to pre-empt such a possibilty by contacting Airbnb (in writing, so there is a record), to report this guest's unreasonable criticism, pointing out your high ratings, and written reviews stating how clean guests find it, saying you just want this on record, in case she tries to convince a CS rep of these lies.

In the future, if you get a guest who right away starts off with complaints, it's best to cut your losses, and get rid of them ASAP. 

"I'm sorry you're displeased, I've never had such complaints before, but if you aren't happy with the accommodation, I suggest you cancel immediately and you will receive a refund for unstayed nights".

[Branka-and-Silvia0]

@Deb3312  I am pretty sure @Sarah977  is right, your guest will try to get a refund

[Deb3312]

Yeah. Good idea. 

I normally only rent to guests who have prior good reviews. But I made an exception. This was mid week and she made it sound like it was just her and her kids.   But my neighbor told me there was a van with people, they had a dog. Cars coming in and out late at night. So I'm pretty sure she bought sleeping bags because she had extra guests!!!! Not because it was dirty. Pisses me off that she brought a dog too. 

[Deb3312]

Thank you for the suggested reply. I'll use that in the future. 

I don't know why I said that either. I always try to be very aplogetic and put myself in their shoes. I thought perhaps there was a hair or something in the shower? So I just apologized.

I live two hours from there so I can't just run over to clean it if they find it unacceptable. But I've never had that happen before. . (My cleaning lady called in sick last minute. 😞 It's an issue I have.... Finding good cleaners.- very small town. ) So I drove two hours to clean the cabin, so she could check in early too. Then drive two hours back home!  I never heard from her until check out when she says all this other stuff was dirty. So dirty she had to buy sleeping bags!!!! Come to find out from the neighbors she had a ton of people over there. And a dog!!!!!! So yeah. Nightmare. Makes me not want to host. 

[Sarah977]

@Deb3312  Even more reason to report her to Airbnb, saying you got calls from the neighbors of a van full of people staying, when she had said it was only her and her kids staying, multiple cars coming and going all night, and a dog at your no pets listing.

You need outdoor surveillance cameras. And ask you neighbors to please call you immediately if they see questionable activity.

[Shannon692]

I clean everything myself and know that it well done. However my lowest score is in the cleanliness area. Including the regular obvious cleaning I make sure I wipe the baseboards, corners of the floors, windowsills etc. I want to havec  higher score. Are there any hints anyone can give me to boost my score?

[Tom934]

I have had a few guests do the same.

Either they are very picky and expect everything to be brand new or they seem to be picky whilst at the same time breaking the house rules by having extra guests, partying and leaving the place a tip.

Everyone has different standards and some people use it as a tactic to try and get money back or a discount.

If anyone complains I always apologise for the issue and offer to either come round myself to sort or arrange for another cleaner to attend. Usually it is over something very petty. Like a crumb in a drawer under the oven, or dust on a blind.

I have written a logical and efficient cleaning schedule for a cleaner or myself to follow step by step that will try and limit any issues, but when you get someone complaining about finding a dead fly down the back of a sofa against the wall that could have died between the guest stays after cleaning you have to step back and accept that some people are just looking for issues and will look until they find them.

No property, no matter how new or well looked after will be perfectly clean everywhere. The best you can do is make it look as clean as possible and limit any obvious signs to cause concern to the OCD brigade.

[Davin62]

But do we have protection from Airbnb against these kinds of guests? I just had a guest cancel their reservation 5 hours after arriving (and not immediately) for false cleanliness reasons. Airbnb didn't seem to care about my 50 odd brilliant reviews and them only having one, and issued them a full refund. I'm gutted - partly for having been accused of having a dirty flat and partly because I expected much more from Airbnb.

[Davin62]

I can only assume the guest had a reason to go home and just wanted to get out of paying. 

[Sarah977]

@Davin62  Yep, that would be a pretty reasonable assumption. 

It's shameful that Airbnb refunds in these cases. All the more reason for hosts to vet guests carefully so they never make it through the door in the first place.

But I imagine an ill-intentioned guest could occasionally slide through the cracks with any host. I've never had a bad or scamming guest, but I wouldn't tempt fate by claiming my vetting is so good I could never get one. 

[Charles224]

@Sarah977 Crazy like a Fox - I love that image. They are considered virmin over here and have a bounty !

Good luck @Deb3312 , like everyone else, I think you are in for some cunning claims so get onto AirBNB asap.