Guest brought her sister to spend the night without my authorization and AirBnB support is not taking my side.

[Angel9267]

Hello, guys. I am a new host, and I have a room available in my house that's available to book on the platform. I have a guest that booked for 2 months which explains she has a service dog with up-to-date documents. I normally don't rent to guests who are planning on bringing a dog, but I guess per AirBnB guidelines, I can't charge or discriminate against it. I decided to accept her request. The day she checked in she texted me that her sister was coming over to help her move her stuff inside the room but her sister was not staying. I really didn't mind and i was like yes ofc do your thing. Fast forward to 2 weeks, she is showering her "service" dog in the bath that sometimes she leaves for HOURS locked in the room when she not in the house, leaving dirty dishes overnight, leaving my washing and drying machine full overnight as well, walking with shoes inside the house and her room with brand new carpet, but where it crossed the line is that she invited her sister in over for dinner(which I won't mind) but then stated overnight without my authorization. Her disregard for my property and the house rules has left me feeling frustrated and disrespected.
The next day, coming home from work, I texted her to please see the rules on Airbnb and said that I had made a complaint to Airbnb support. I also sent her a message explaining to her not to use my laundry and dryer seven days a week since I charge a fee(which I HAVE NOT CHARGED A GUEST DURING MY HOSTING CAREER FOR LAUNDRY USE), but I had to make an exception with her since it was abusive.
 
Her reaction was unexpected. She became upset and lodged a complaint against me with AirBnB support, falsely claiming that my dog had attacked her and was not trained. She also argued that my listing could accommodate up to two guests, which I was fine with as long as they didn't stay overnight and were included in the booking. I was at a loss for words.

I told Airbnb support to please end her reservation immediately, but Airbnb said she would call in an hour with an update. It's been three hours. I don't know if I should just kick her out. I need an experienced host's perspective.

[Alicia753]

Hi Angel,

You're dealing with a challenging situation that requires careful handling to protect your property and ensure a fair resolution. It's essential to maintain communication with Airbnb support and emphasize the breaches of house rules, such as the unauthorized overnight guest, and the behavior regarding the service dog.

Document everything thoroughly, including any communications with the guest, photographs of any damage or rule violations, and detailed notes on the timeline of events. This evidence will strengthen your case with Airbnb and help them understand the severity of the situation.

While it's frustrating that Airbnb hasn't responded promptly, avoid taking direct action to evict the guest unless Airbnb explicitly advises it. Let Airbnb's support team manage the process, as they have the resources to mediate and re-house the guest if necessary.

For future stays, ensure your house rules are clear and comprehensive, addressing issues like service animals, laundry use, and guest behavior. Clear communication and enforcement of these rules from the start will help prevent similar issues.

If Airbnb continues to delay, remain persistent in contacting their support team. Try to ask for another case manager to take over the case if this is still an ongoing reservation as they usually take active reservation as urgent inquiry. If Case Manager/support is still not helpful, ask for a Supervisor or ask to be escalated to tier 2 who is in charge for service animal concerns.

Your patience and detailed documentation will be key to resolving this effectively.

I hope this helps.

All the best,

Upfish Management