Help! Guest showed up 5 days before the reservation and they let him in...

[Luana130]

I have a friend who rents a house at a remote beach location, she lives there. Little cell and internet coverage over there, very difficult to talk to them. That is why I help them with the bookings and contact with guests.

A couple of hours ago I got a really strage message from her on whatsapp. She had a couple who booked for 5 days, check-in shoud be on the 20th. They showed up today saying that they decided to go earlier. She said she did not want to leave the out because it is so remote, and she let them in. 

I cannot get in contact with her or the guests. I sent messages saying she should not have let them in, and made a change to the reservation to see if they will accept, but I don't know what to do... She is new to renting, this is her second guest. I'm worried... What should I do?

[Anonymous]

@Luana130  I'm not sure how viable it is to host on a web-based platform when one doesn't have reliable phone or internet coverage. But I guess the best thing for you to do really depends on how much responsibility you've been given for the listing. At the highest degree of responsibility, you should probably travel to the property yourself to make sure everything is OK, and also ensure that the guests have accepted the alteration and paid in full for the additional days in order to be permitted to stay on.

I don't know what's going on in the heads of people who show up 5 days early without notice, expecting to be accommodated. But if your friend thought that was perfectly normal and fine...well, you might have to accept that she's made her own bed.

[Helen3]

Have you have already reached out to Airbnb to advise them of what has happened.  @Luana130  so there is a record.

You haven't made it clear whether this is a change of date or the guests want to stay for longer?

I too would be minded to go down there if there really is no way to contact the host or the guests depending on how far away it is. If they don't accept the change after a reasonable time (and there is no reason for them not to) either you or the host will need to ask them to leave - obviously after liaising with Airbnb to do a cancellation.

I agree with @Anonymous I am not sure how practical it is to host with virtually no internet or mobile phone signals.

[Luana130]

@Helen3 Hi, what I wrote was what I knew at the time.

I did get in contact with airbnb by phone, the person I spoke to tried transfering me to the relevant department but they were all busy, he said he put a request for them to contact me as soon as they were free. Never got a call back. I did receive a message on the website saying a case was open, and they would be contacting me, several hours later I sent replies because I got no call, but again no answer.

I could not go there as it is about 4 hours away, it is a perfect beach retreat, secluded. I do most of the online jobs, that is how they have been managing. They are trying to get better signals.

My friend finally managed to get in contact with me again, at about 8pm (they arrived at 2pm) aparently they just wanted a change of dates (I still don't understand how some one can just show up 5 days before, with no notice). She had spoken to them about accepting the date change request  I had sent them. 

It was midnight before they actually did it. I was really worried, but aparently everything is ok now. No help from airbnb.

If it had happened in one of my units, I would not even let them cross the threshold. Even if there was vacancy. Who drives 3 to 4 hours to a location 5 days before the reservation without calling the host first? I do not need guests like that.