Guests full of complaints—what to do?

[David-and-Annie0]

Guest who checked in last night has several complaints right off the bat: fridge is noisy, Netflix is in Spanish—I asked previous guest to change it when they left but I guess they didn’t. 😞

(Still, it should be easy to change back), and finally, she says the place smells like cigarette smoke. I immediately am horrified and contact cleaning crew who said they smelled no smoke at all only hours ago. I messaged her saying I was upset and sorry to hear this, and would try to figure out why. The people we bought the house from last spring used to smoke but we have cleaned the carpets and sufficiently cleaned it out since then. No other guests have complained of smoke and we haven’t smelled it since last spring. And of course we have a very strict no smoking policy.

This guest did qualify it a little by saying that she is a breastfeeding mom so may be sensitive, but she is messaging us constantly—right now she still having trouble changing the tv back to English.

So far her experience has not be great. Should we comp her a night? Offer that they can stay another night free? Or not do anything like this? Is she just a complainer?

I’d like to avoid a bad review if possible. Would giving her something do that? Or will she still write a bad one? Or am I worrying too much?

[Emilia42]

But that's my point. Personally, I would never consider limited shampoo or some left over trash 'a problem.'

[Juan63]

I moved past your point, just because you don't think it's an issue other's do. So it's good that hosts know so they can address the issue.

[David-and-Annie0]

Thank you—yes, I did think she was really particular. It was one little complaint after another (the fridge was “buzzing,” etc.) It was stressful to host her and I won’t host her again—if she ever wants to come back. Friends I told about it said her complaints were ridiculous; she was really being high-maintenance!

[Emilia42]

@David-and-Annie0 Did she have any previous reviews on her profile?

[Ute42]

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Hi @Emilia42    

a couple of years ago I had guests, they were a couple and they were totally in love. The guy had a pick up truck. It was the beginning of october, and I hadn't turned the central heating on yet. But I have a wood oven in the place (not the oven is made out of wood, it's made to burn firewood inside the oven)

One day I saw that they had come back and the entire truck was full of firewood. I asked the guy and he said that his lovely girl was a litte cold last night. So he drove around in the area and found a farmhouse were they had firewood lying around on the lot. He bought it and brought it here.

I asked him why he didn't ask me for firewood as I have enough of it. He said he didn't want to bother me.

A couple of weeks later I got an email that they are now married and they'd like to come back next year.

[Emilia42]

@Ute42 

That's a nice story! 🙂

I have a similar experience although not as romantic. I hosted a couple for only one night, never met them. When I went in to clean, I realized there was a pack of toilet paper in the bathroom that wasn't mine. I immediately remembered that the day before I had gone to get another roll of toilet paper and completely lost my train of thought! I messaged the guest apologizing, saying how embarrassed I was, and that I would refund the amount of the toilet paper plus their time it took to go out and buy some. They said please don't and that buying the toilet paper was the least they could do to thank me for a wonderful night. Hours later they left me a nice 5 star review. 

Just like your wood couple and my toilet paper couple, I know I would also be that type of guest. So at least there are 3 of us out there 🙂

[Juan63]

If you complain about Netflix being in Spanish, you are a complainer. I would try to assist the guest in any way possible, except giving them any kind of refund for the type of complaints you received. Some people know how to get a discount.

[David-and-Annie0]

I hear you, but—among other considerations—I weighed it out in my mind: would I pay that much $ to avoid a negative review or erase a negative review? My answer was yes, so I went ahead and did it. Maybe after we’ve been doing this longer and have loads of reviews, I will take a different position, but as of now, we only have a total of 8 reviews. I’m trying to be extra careful. So far the only review less than 5 stars we got was a 4 and I’m pretty sure the guy who gave that to us did so because I called him out on bringing his dog—we have a no pets policy. (And I made him pay $100 or leave the house.) 

In a lot of ways this review process really stinks, b/c now I question whether I should’ve even said anything to him. I know it’s not like he gave us a 2, but a 4 stuck in there is dragging down our average. 

[Juan63]

We do what we think is best. But even with your choice she can still leave a bad review. She wasn't asking for a discount so I don't know if that changed anything. But trust me, I understand the struggle, but if your other reviews are good, this review wouldn't matter much. As guests, we usually look at a few reviews. If one seems a bit negative, I look at the host's response and the rest of the reviews. It becomes a problem when it is a pattern.

[Maia29]

I wouldn’t  comp her a night; that’s too much. Some people are just more sensitive than others and will always have something to say. 

[Pete69]

Frig too loud. Tell them to unplug it.

Smells like smoke? I run two fans after every guest checks out. One draws air in from a window. The other draws air out of another window in the room. Sometimes there's perfume smell to clear out.

I also have multiple no smoking signs and I'm very redundant in my listing description about no smoking.

[Charmaine24]

She's a breast feeding mother who is tired and highly strung 😉 You did what you felt was right.

You where also available throughout her communications with you and you had addressed the house a few days before.

How was the review?

Did the refund make a difference?

PPL can be particular and unrealistic

[David-and-Annie0]

@Charmaine24 She didn’t leave a review at all, which I consider a win. I think that if I hadn’t done what I did, she would’ve left a bad review. Dodged a bullet, maybe. 

[JonandAngie0]

I have had several such guests too. They often ask for money, creating a list of unreal complaints.

I am highly organized, keep documentation, pictures, and witnesses for each check in, through my cleaning company and administrative walk throughs. So I always know the reality and have a way to prove it if I need to. I don't plainly tell them that they are lying, but just try to help more, I even make the cleaning lady/help go again to make the guest feel better.

Pictures, witness and documentation turns out to be helpful if they post a bad review.

All this costs money, but I think it is worth it.

[Avery46]

I'm adding a $500 deposit and $100 per guest per night rule for undisclosed pets/guests.  

I'm also drafting my first bad review.  It's starting like this:

1. This guest may be better suited to a hotel.
2. Observance of House Rules: One Star
   Guest needs to improve disclosure of cat, adhere to house rules and read listings for presence of unfinished basement and firewood for working fireplace which may trigger her sensitivities. Reading check out list and timely check out need improvement.
3. Communication: Two Stars
   Guest did a great job at communicating her concerns of enhanced pandemic protocol and of non-existent plug in scents, however guest reached out to neighbor with car trouble instead of allowing host to assist with AAA /jumper cables. Guest claims of toxic air quality were inconsistent with deciding to stay, and refusing a refund. Suggesting a free stay in exchange for a good review could read as manipulative extortion.
4. Cleanliness: One Star
   Assuming cat is disclosed in future bookings, making certain it uses a litter pan is a necessary improvement, but leaving dirty dishes and taking trash out need improvement as well.

I understand I will likely get a bad review.  I understand I'll probably not get financial restitution for the cleaning fee I erroneously left out of the special offer I sent nor her $150 deposit for undeclared cat.  I'm viewing as the cost of business and the education in airBnb/ guest dynamics. But in my mind, future guests will see my review and see through it.  Bad guests will stay and good guests will see how well flanked by glowing reviews my listing is.  

Any tips on enforcing the additional fees from deposit rules would be welcome.  It's complicated but I'm willing to learn to protect my home and my efforts.