Guest demanding refund - what is reasonable?

[Emilia466]

Hi all,

This is a first for us so I can use the help of the community. I currently have a guest who demanded a 50% refund. Immediately upon arriving she complains that the house is too cold (@68degrees), asks where the thermostat is and how to turn on both fireplaces and all space heaters. I direct her to the space heaters and the thermostat which is prominently on the wall in the entrance, she claims the ac doesn't work and asks for the fireplace again. The ac works. It takes some time to crank up the heat. I explain how to use the fireplace thermostat in addition to the ac. Turns out the previous guests used all the propane and we are out. I apologize and tell her we will get this fixed asap. She sends me a message complaining about the lack of face cloths and too few towels. I tell her where to find a whole cabinet full of all types and sizes of towels. She then messages me saying that she is not happy because the fireplace is not working, she booked the house because of the fireplace. At this point I offer her a full refund if she leaves. She refuses to leave because it's Friday afternoon. I offer her to stay the night and leave the next morning, and a full refund of her entire stay. She says no, I want to say but I want 50% off. 

At what point does this become extortion? Do I report this to Airbnb? I am sure she will leave a nasty review even though we had propane delivered the next morning. Will Airbnb block a review if I report her? 

I've been hosting for a year and have had wonderful guests for the most part.  Totally taken aback by this. 

What would you do? 

Thanks all! 

[Mike-And-Jane0]

@Emilia466 I fear that whatever you do you will get a bad review. I suggest you keep your money and say to the guest that she had the option to leave but chose to stay.

[Debra300]

@Emilia466,

Please ensure that your offer for a full refund and the guest's refusal is documented on the Airbnb message system.  This will protect you if she tries to get a refund after the stay is completed.

[Emilia466]

Thank you! Yes it’s all there including the demand for 50% refund instead of a free night and a full refund. I just don’t know if I should send this to Airbnb now before anything else comes from her. 

[Mark116]

@Emilia466  I wouldn't give her any refund.  I would tell her you are sorry that she's unhappy, but that ..the AC works, the fireplace works, there are plenty of towels, etc.  The propane will be replaced in XX hours.

I'm not sure why you offered her a free night, though.  

The only way to get her review removed is if it violates the Airbnb rules, blocking her won't help with that.

[Emilia466]

@Mark112 Thank you! I offered her a free night because she claimed it was Friday 5 pm and she couldn't find any other place to stay. Plenty of other Airbnb's and hotels around... But still I offered her to stay the night as a courtesy and a refund if she would only leave the next day. Nope. Demands to stay her term and a  refund instead.

Thanks for clarifying the reviews policy. I definitely plan on leaving one for this guest. 

[Debra300]

@Emilia466,

You tagged the wrong Mark.  It's @Mark116's message that you meant to respond.  I understand that you offered the full refund in exchange for her to leave because it's apparent that she's high maintenance and cannot be satisfied.  She still would have been able to leave a review.  Just chalk this interaction up as a learning experience.  If she leaves you a less than stellar review just respond professionally and succinctly with the facts.  That's a bit of keen advice that I learned here on the forum.

[Trude0]

I agree with previous comments, you’ll get a bad review no matter what you do. And you tried to make the guest happy, and she is being unreasonable. So no 50 % refund, it will not change anything. You can prove to Airbnb you tried to solve the situation, IF they contact you. But don’t actively involve CS, not likely it will help you. You could tell the guest you are sorry she chose not to accept the offered solution - which by the way you have informed CS about. (In a way this is true, as they can read the correspondence between host and guest, I think?)

You have lots of great reviews, you’ll survive one bad review. And if you just write a very short and well thought through response to the bad review, people who consider booking your place later, will see this for what it was: A hard-to-please guest, or someone who planned for a discount even before checking in. I’m sure there are plenty of hosts in here who can help you with the perfect wording for both your review and your response to hers.

[Emilia466]

@Trude0 Update: her stay is over and she left a review already. I have read on other forums I should not leave a "bad" review for a guest. Any examples on how to handle her review and my own review of her stay would be appreciated! 

[Mark116]

@Emilia466  "Bad" is a relative term.  We try to be pretty neutral even in our bad reviews to prevent guests, who are basically strangers, going nuts in real life and to protect us from Airbnb's randomness.

I would say something like 'XX stayed for 2 days,  she encountered several unusual difficulties with the space, which made her a stressful guest to host.  She was not a great fit for our property and might be better suited to a place that has 24 hour staff.'

If you really want to ding her you could add in that she was somewhat combative or that she was high maintenance.  I wouldn't get into the refund issue in her review.

Your response to her review, remember, is not about her, but about everyone reading it going forward.  You want to be factual, unemotional and professional so anyone who reads her review+your response will feel confident in staying at your property.

[Fred13]

She is nothing but a con artist; best to stop trying to make her happy since  she will not be unless she steals some money out of you. Only thing that matters now is to make sure 1- Airbnb doesn't play Santa Claus by giving her money from your pocket and B - you get an inevitable nasty review taken down by proving how irrelevant it is.

One thing: be already well prepared when the "X has filed for a refund' note comes from Airbnb; help the CS person make a fair decision from the outset not after a back & forth exercise.

[Richard531]

@Emilia466 First, you are EXTREMELY kind and generous.  Almost to the point of increasing the level of entitlement a person like this nasty guest may feel going forward (which doesn't make the world a better place).  So for future, I would not even say or offer the "R" word (refund).  

Now that you offered her the "R" word and she refused?  She now thinks she can dictate the terms of said "R" word while still staying in your house.  

WRONG.   She went way too far and it's time for you to seize control of YOUR property.  

Insist that she vacate immediately.  Refund her for unused nights.  Report her to Airbnb CS and have them assist in the eviction.  She is a very bad person at best and a downright scammer at worst. This is the kind or person that actually may damage your property.  You don't want a person like this in your house.  And you should NOT feel good about them staying in your property.  The right CS person will recognize this and you will come out on top (where you belong).  

[Sudsrung0]

@Richard531 

You are right dont mention that word it brings me out in a rash,

I had one last week wanted to cancel the day before arrival,  Please refer to airbnb T&C

I think also the least you get airbnb involved the better,

[Jenny]

Hi @Emilia466 

I just thought I'd check in and see how things are now - has the guest's booking ended or are they still there?

Jenny

[Emilia466]

She is still there, checking out today.