Guests coming early

[David-and-Annie0]

I have to complain a bit here...and wonder if I should do anything or say something. Guests always ask if they can have an early check in. (Our check-in time is 4pm) If we don’t have someone checking out that day, I always say yes, usually telling them they can access the house at 2pm. 
Today the guests who checked in got there before 1pm. So, they ran into my housekeeper (who I asked to look over the property before they arrived/do quality control.) 

Not the end of the world, but it really annoys me that these people are seeming to ignore what I said. I am already doing them a favor by letting them check in early. Maybe I need to word it more strictly in the future? I feel taken advantage of...am I over-reacting? I want to be a good host and I know people are excited to get there, but it just makes me nervous and makes me feel taken advantage of. I had their code (for August door keypad) set for 2pm, so if they hadn’t run into my housekeeper, they would’ve needed to contact me. 
They are not the first guests to arrive earlier than they should. Kinda feels like if you give them an inch, they take a mile...any thoughts?

[Sarah977]

@David-and-Annie0  Yes, I would find a way to word the check-in info in a firmer way, if this is somewhat of an ongoing problem. We tend to want to be ever so polite, saying please, and wording things mildly, but it seems that guests may take such wording as a suggestion, rather than something they need to respect. 

Maybe make it clear that if they arrive before the arranged check-in time, they won't be admitted to the property, so it's best if they find somewhere to hang out if they arrive in the area earlier, and perhaps suggest a cafe or restaurant or nice park where they could relax while waiting for check-in time.

And I'm sure you've read on these forums that guests who ask for you to make exceptions for them, like an early check-in, or bringing a pet, or anything else that bends your normal rules and procedures, are often red flag guests who, as you say, take a mile when you offer them an inch.

[David-and-Annie0]

Yeah, you’re right. I’m going to have to be more firm and make it very clear that they won’t be able to get into the house if they come early—that their code will not work. Or should I charge them for early check-in? I worry people then will think we’re nickel and dim-ing them.
Every single guest we’ve had has asked for early check-in. Maybe 4 is too late. We have a 12pm check-out and 4pm check-in. But maybe we should change to 11am/3pm?

Also, I feel like mentioning in their review that they came early. Should I? Or just let it go?

[Linda108]

You are relatively new as a host it appears and as @Sarah977  has metioned, you are trying to be polite.  Clarity is your best stance.  People know when they will arrive and can arrange their travel plans to adjust to the check in window.  This forum is full of postings where the cleanliness of the listing has been at issue when the guest arrived early prior to the completion of the cleaning crew.  

[David-and-Annie0]

Yes, I think from now on I will state that their code WILL NOT work before such and such time, making it very clear. Almost EVERY SINGLE guest we have had so far (with actually no exceptions I can think of right now) asks for early check-in.

I know 4pm is a bit late for check-in, but we offer a relatively late check out of 12pm, so I think it’s fair. But maybe we should switch it to 11am/3pm check-in/check-out.

[Juan63]

Simple, turn them away. I would also charge for an early/late checkin. The stress is unnecessary. 

[David-and-Annie0]

Yeah, then I worry about a bad review...and we’re new so can’t really afford it. I’ve been bending over backwards...maybe I don’t have to? Maybe I should just be okay getting a bad review. I wonder if they really affect bookings as much as I worry they will...?

[Sarah977]

@David-and-Annie0  I have observed, in life in general, that people who ask for special treatment or act entitled usually have more respect for those who don't allow themselves to be walked over than those who try to bend over backwards to accommodate them. I think a host is more likely to get a bad review from a guest who they allowed to take advantage of them than if they were polite, but businesslike about the rules and what they can and cannot accomodate.

No,you shouldn't be bending over backwards for guests- the ones who seem to require that often don't even appreciate it and will leave reviews full of complaints. Personally, I have no problem trying to accomodate guest's needs as long as the guest has been respectful rather than demanding or entitled.For instance, I have a very flexible check-in time, 11AM-11PM, as I'm a home-share host, work from home, and don't do same-day turnovers.  I had a guest who, when asked for ETA, said her bus was arriving at 9AM, but she realized that was too early to check-in, so she'd just find a cafe to hang out in until 11. Because I had already turned the room over and she was so respectful and I had no reason why I couldn't check her in at 9, I offered to and she expressed a lot of gratitude.

I'm happy to do special favors for nice guests, but that is my prerogative to offer, not as a response to demands and expectations.

[David-and-Annie0]

Yeah, I see your point. And there have been several guests who’ve asked or inquired very nicely. For example, one said something like, “I know check in isn’t until 4, but we’ll be arriving around 2 and if at all possible, would love to check-in early. If that’s not possible, can you recommend a good place in town to hang out until then?” Guests like that I feel better about offering early check-in. But when they phrase it like this, “can we get access to the house early?” it really annoys me. Comes across very entitled-sounding. 

[Emilia42]

@David-and-Annie0 

I don't ever guarantee an early check-in. If a guest asks or tells me that they will be arriving early I always say "I cannot guarantee the space to you until the 3pm check-in time. I will work to have everything ready to welcome you as early as possible and will send you a message when everything is ready." I always send a message on arrival day, sometimes as early as 12:30 or 1pm. So I assume people are pleasantly surprised. I haven't had any issues with people showing up and still expecting to get in.

[David-and-Annie0]

Sounds like a good way to go. I’ll try it. Thanks!

[Ute42]

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@David-and-Annie0    

I don't allow earlier check-ins at all. Check-in is from 4pm onwards and that's it. „Can we check-in 15 minutes earlier?“ - „No“.

When I started renting 17 years ago I did allow earlier check-ins the first 2 years or so. It never happened that a guest sayed: „Thank You for letting us in 2 hours earlier“. It did not happen once.

What You may believe is that You are doing Your guests a favour with an earlier check-in and they will be thankful for that, but the opposite is the case.

We all have a list of rules in our listings, and the very first rule the guest comes in contact with is check-in time. If You make check-in time a negotiable stipulation, as a result of it Your guests will consider all of Your other houserules also to be negotiable, and that's where the trouble really starts.

Allowing an earlier check-in is the biggest mistake You can make in short term retal.

[David-and-Annie0]

You make a good point...and based on your experience you should know. Whenever I send people their check-in info, invariably the only question they have EVERY TIME, EVERY GUEST, is “can we check in early?” 
It really annoys me, but we usually don’t have someone checking out the same day, so it is do-able, and I feel pressured to let them do it. I always hope it contributes to a good review, but maybe by the time people go to write it, they’ve forgotten. We have gotten good reviews, but there are many people (who I’ve let check in early) who don’t leave any review at all. 
I’m really getting irritated being asked EVERY G-D TIME! I’ve got to come up with a good, firm way of saying, “no.”

[Ute42]

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@David-and-Annie0 

Here's how to say "no"

https://community.withairbnb.com/t5/Hosting/Need-advice-dealing-with-Airbnb-and-Destructive-Guest/m-...

cc: @Maia29 

[Maia29]

@David-and-Annie0 I’ve been in this game two years now (before that i was a Section 8 landlord that was forced to evict a tenant by legal means). 

Some of these guests will literally eat you alive. 

You try try to bend over backwards to accommodate “said” guests. I’ve done this. 

I believed in this motto myself. I was raised to respect people. It doesn’t matter anymore in this vulture culture. 

No matter how much you go out of your way to accommodate these guests, they will eventually “slay” you in their resulting review. 

Unfortunately, you have to put your foot down and set boundaries and have to be strict.

I hate this. I want to accommodate guests and make them feel special.