Guest wants to check in an hour after my check in window.

[Joshua642]

hi folks - I hope this post doesn't make me seem to ornery:) I know this type of question has been batted around this forum already but I am wondering if I am being too "type A" about the following situation and if I decide to push back on the issue delineated below.

I have a listing in rural Vermont (middle of nowhere and beautiful if any of you want to come:)) - I require that I meet and check-in guests  - my AirBnB is a barn apartment (not attached to my house).

A guest makes a booking (3 weeks ago); I accept it; they immediately reply to my acceptance that they wants to check in an hour after my check-in window. My listing denotes a 2pm-8pm window. They are coming in a couple of days.

Last week a personal matter came up that required me to ask the guests if they could check in before 7pm; no response whatsoever (I messaged them twice). 

I was able to deal with my personal matter by calling in a huge favor to a friend. I then updated my guest and told them that they could ignore my previous messages and were welcome to check in anytime between 2 and 8 (my check-in window).

Finally today (a couple of days before they arrive), they are telling me that due to work issues at their end, they are unable to get here before 9pm.

I feel like telling them that they shouldn't have booked my place without asking me first if I would make an exception  to my check-in window.

My fear is that they may be later than 9pm and quite frankly, I don't want to wait up all night for them.

If I push back and tell them no; they have to be here before 8 and they cancel (now) --they will not get a refund. I would even be willing to make an exception and give them a refund.

There is nothing remotely as inexpensive or as close to where they want to be (nearby town for an event).

Do I need to go back on medicine?:)

[Sarah977]

@Joshua642  The part you seem to have left out of this narrative is what did you tell them at the time, when right after they booked, they told you they wouldn''t arrive until after check-in time? That was the point to tell them you can't accommodate late check-ins, when they can still cancel penalty-free. 

At this point, I'd just tell them that you will agree to a 9 pm check-in, but not one minute later, and that if that doesn't suit them, they should cancel, because they won't be able to gain entry after 9.

Tell them you require a response to this message, and if they don't respond, try calling or texting them. Some guests fail to turn on notifications and aren't even aware that they have unanswered Airbnb messages. 

[Joshua642]

thanks for the quick response - really appreciated.  You are correct of course - I should have at least tried to message them immediately after they told me that they would be arriving "around 8 or 9" (they are now telling me "around 9").

For future reservations, I think a late check-in  fee is the way to go; as for this one, I think some sort of drop-dead time (similar to what you suggest) is the appropriate response here. thanks again for your input.

[Sarah977]

@Joshua642  You mentioned that these guests didn't answer a few messages at all. That's either a red flag- guests who only message about their own needs and ignore yours, or like I said, they don't have their notifications turned on.

As soon as a guest doesn't answer a message that requires an answer ( if you want one, pointedly tell them you need a response) and you resend and they still don't answer, nor respond to a phone call or text message, contact Airbnb to tell them the guest isn't responding at all and ask them to make contact with the guest.

One way to make non-communicative guests respond is to make it all about their convenience, because they dom't care if you have to stay up 2 hours past your  bedtime and be groggy at work all the next day. Instead, "Please respond to this message ASAP. I would hate for you to be standing outside unable to get in".

[Branka-and-Silvia0]

@Joshua642at least you live nearby, we live on the other side of town and planes are landing on the airport until midnight 😞

The solution is to put in your house rules something like: Our check-in time is between x:00 and y:00 and we may not be able to check you in later. Late check-ins, if possible and agreed in advance are charged 10 € per each hour past y:00.

So the next time someone books and tell you they will arrive at midnight you can send them a payment request on 40€ 🙂 Most guests are not willing to pay anything to keep us awake, get us out of our bed, and make us driving in the middle of the night so they cancel. And OK, problem solved 🙂