How can I stop guests ignoring the check in time?

[Huma0]

I really don't want to have to put it in CAPITALS at the beginning of my listing, as that's not very welcoming, but I am starting to get frustrated that so many guests simply ignore my check in time (3pm). It is in my listing and house rules, which I ask them to read.

Check out (12 pm) doesn't seem to be a problem. Occasionally a guest asks if they can leave bags and pick them up later, which is fine, but most leave earlier than noon with no fuss.

Check in is another matter. I would say that the majority of my guests want to come earlier. Some politely ask if that is an option, or if they can drop their bags earlier. Unfortuntely, a lot just assume they can come straight from the airport/train station and wouldn't have bothered to even communicate this to me had I not asked.

I always message them to ask what time they will arrive (the majority don't offer this information without a prompt). Even when I stress in my message that check in is from 3 pm onwards, they still respond saying, "We'll be arriving at 11 am." So, it's not that they don't know check in is after 3, they just simply don't seem to think it matters.

Even at a five star hotel with 24 hour reception, this is usually not okay.

Any tips for how I can prevent this? What am I doing wrong?!

[Ange2]

@John498  Yes, true most people don't but I have read that some people do, and Airbnb have allegedly reimbursed them.  I do allow early check-in, if I am able, I am quite flexible, all I ask for is a heads up.  But getting frantic calls and texts at 6:00am or someone leaning on the buzzer is a no-no!  Hence I try to set limits, before I have to set limits in a fraught situation.

[Huma0]

@John498

Interesting idea. I am sure a sign with charges would do the trick for me too, but I don't have too much of a problem with late check outs. It's more the early check ins that are an issue.

I do often get guests asking to leave their luggage after check out though. Do you charge a fee for this by the way?

[Huma0]

After about eight messages chasing for an answer, my guests told me they would be coming after 7pm, but woudn't be more specific than that. At 4.30pm, they messaged me to say they were on their way and would be there shortly, i.e. more than two hours ahead of schedule.

At this point I was really fed up. I had planned my day around the fact that they would be coming at 7pm or later and now they were going to show up two hours earlier. So, I told them, sorry, but I planned my whole day the time you specified and will not be able to do a check in before then.

I think they finally go the message because they then apologised and said they would come around 7pm. Everything was fine after that. It's just a shame I had to waste so much time on this...

[David126]

You should never ever rely on ABB to back you up, and it is about Risk Management.

If somebody who has been reluctant to let me know their times eventual does so I always say something on the lines of see you at 7pm, so if they turn up early without lettiung me know, getting my OK well not my issue.

Obviously absolutley nothing is foolproof, too may variables, just need to use the system as best you can to protect your position.

[Amy38]

@Huma0@Ange2@David126

It would seem that the simlplist method would be simply to say that there is a guest checking out/checking in that day and the occupancy times had to be honored.  I was taught that promptness is the courtesy of kings and I live by that.

I am very flexible about both check-in and out.  I have people send me their exact flight info and that can be tracked online....just put BA1234 or whatever in the search bar and real time arrival info is available. Therefore, I know when they land, how long it take to get to a taxi and how long the drive is.  No waiting around at all.

If they are driving I ask that they let me know what time they plan to arrive and that they call me when they are passing some highway landmark near town.

 Early on I had a millennial couple who decided to sightsee and dine before arrival, so I wasted  hours waiting for them.  Never again.  I am able to be flexible but they need to arrive when they say they will. And ditto, leave.

I am happy to hold their bags as I live next door and am  home in the evenings, but this is rarely needed.

[Huma0]

@Amy38

Unfortunately, explaining that other guests are checking in/out doesn't always work as some guests still want to drop off their luggage. I find it easier to say that I can't guarantee to be home and send them some inexpensive left luggage options.

Even if I am working from home, that does not mean I'm not busy and can afford to have my whole day disrupted, waiting around for them twice, just so they can save a few pounds. My time is also worth something. Also, once they have dropped off their stuff, they often don't feel any obligation to come back to check in at an agreed time.

I don't mind guests leaving bags here for a few hours after check in, but only if I am going to be home anyway and don't need to go anywhere later, as they rarely show up on time to pick them up!

[Ange2]

@Amy38   I have always been flexible about dropping off bags before check-in and storing after check-out and most people have been very grateful, courteous and respectful. It saves them money and/or lugging their cases around for hours.  But, I am now reconsidering my approach due to a negative experience. I hate to penalize everyone, but this one left a sour taste.

[Huma0]

@Ange2

Sorry to hear you had a bad experience with this. What happened?

I was also really flexible about dropping off luggage at the beginning and while many times it was not problematic, at least as many times the guests really messed me around. I often still let guests leave luggage here after check out, but I do not promise it in advance. I wait to see if firstly it's feasible with my schedule, i.e. if I need to go somewhere, can I risk the guests being late to collect it? Secondly, I base the decision on what the guests are like, i.e. do they seem considerate and reliable?

Still, people take advantage. I very recently had day surgery and had to cancel the guests I had booked as I did not know what state I would be in afterwards, my mother was coming to stay to look after me, and the last thing I needed was guests to cope with.

The guests checking out asked if they could leave their bags for an extra hour after check out and I said yes. However, instead, they left their bags here all day, came back after I had just gotten home from hospital, still recovering from the anaesthetic, and then spent half an hour repacking while I had to hang around instead of being in bed like I should have been. Sadly people will often put their own convenience above anything else.

Re saving the guests some money, I no longer see it that way. There are very inexpensive left luggage facilities available in London but public transport is not cheap. The return journey to drop their luggage here would cost them at least as much, if not more, than storing their bags, as well as unnecessarily taking up their time (and mine), so it just doesn't make sense. Unfortunately, many guests can't seem to get their head around this. They don't want to pay to store luggage but don't understand that they ARE paying by making an extra journey here and back.

[Ange2]

@Huma0  

The sour taste comes from allowing a couple to drop off their bags 5 hours before check-in. They had asked to check in early but I explained to them it was not possible and reiterated the same in a message.  They thanked me and said no problem,  being able to drop-off their luggage and come back at check-in time was much appreciated, and would I send them directions to nearby café's and places they could visit between drop-off and check-in time, which I did. All very pleasant, responsive, responsible and respectful, clear and understood. Or so I thought.

But no, they arrive and to my shock they start with – I know you said we could not check-in early but..., but..., but..., shower, relax, unwind, unpack, change, as they planted themselves down in the kitchen and refused to move, and all delivered in the most nauseating whining, manipulative tone imaginable  (that's what grated on me the most).  It was 40 minutes before I finally managed to get them to  leave despite the cleaner bustling around them – it's  not that easy to kick someone out when they are determined to stay in.  I so wanted to cancel their reservation seeing this as a bad omen, but I was busy preparing for two imminent meetings and didn't have the time, nor could I stomach calling Airbnb and getting the run-around from them, and all at the start of the day.  Turns out I was right, it did portend worse to come.  Throughout their stay the exhausting whining, complaining, manipulating, break this rule, break that rule, and  "yes we have read all my rules"  but that I should make an exception because "we are good guests" and my rules weren't convenient for them, but they would never take advantage  – I guess they missed the irony.   It was an unpleasant experience, manipulative  – present themselves as reasonable and responsible and then challenge me when my options had diminished by them being here in person – they had no boundaries whatsoever and were determined to cajole me into allowing them to do as they pleased. Had I not been so busy with meetings and deadlines I would have gone through the pain and fallout of calling Airbnb to cancel them, the only up side was  I was so busy that I managed to avoid them in person for the rest of their stay, although they made good use of texting!

I am now super wary of drop-off before check-in and have decided: drop-off bags at door, no entry whereas in the past I have readily offered a cold glass of water on a hot day and quick use of the bathroom.  But, I am also thinking a more drastic measure, no more drop-off at all.  It's a dilemma.  95% of guests have been respectful and courteous about the drop-off favor, I even had one guest who offered me $50 and yet others who have asked for information on luggage storage places, never dreaming of asking for the favor of storage. I am loathe to over react because of one super obnoxious set of guests – but drop-off is a risk I am weighing– especially as it has the potential of  impacting my schedule and deadlines to the negative when not respected.

[Huma0]

@Ange2

I feel your pain. The experience you describe is very similar to one I mentioned earlier in this thread where the guests had clearly agreed to just drop off their bags and come back later to check in, but once they were here, they wouldn't budge until they had the keys, access to the room, bathroom etc. etc. and  refused to come back later for check in even though I was still had most of the cleaning still to do.

I was shocked given that they had very clearly agreed in our correspondence beforehand and had seemed grateful to drop bags off early, but must have planned to do this. I gave in, but wish I hadn't. These guests gave me 4 stars, including complaining about cleanliness, amongst other things. I felt pretty uncomfortable the whole time they were here. They just weren't nice people.

That wasn't the first time I had been messed around by guests, but it's the one that made me really decide to put my foot down. The other guests arriving that day tried to pull exactly the same thing but this time I told them they would need to come back at the check in time AS AGREED. After that, I stopped letting guests drop off luggage. I do sometimes agree to an earlier check in, but only if that fits my schedule.

However, if this is the only time you've had this kind of problem, perhaps you shouldn't let one set of guests ruin things for the rest. I had it happen too many times and also was finding it was taking up far too much of my time. I already put a lot of time into hosting for not a huge return and if I look at my time as worth money, then the bag drops are not worth it. It's often said that the guests you bend over backwards for are the least appreciate.

Personally, I think it's better to be strict about these things and then make exceptions for the super nice guests. For example, I state on my listing that only long term guests can use the washer/dryer, but that I can do laundry for short term guests for a fee. The latter often completely ignore this, arrive with a pile of dirty clothes and expect to wash it for free.

Today I have some lovely guests who asked really nicely if I could do a load for them and have thanked me profusely even though they left money for it (without me having to ask). Those guests will be given their money back. I'm happy to do their laundry for free because of their attitude (i.e. not entitled like many others).

[R22]

I've only been hosting  for a few months. First, I tried Instant booking, but found that people don't provide enough info like  ETA and what mode of transportation.  It was too difficult to refuse a guest once I had all the info re: check-in because AirBnB penalized me by retaining the block. I had to call them and explain to have the blocked removed with Instart Booking.

I stopped Instant booking, but the number of inquiries I get never states their ETA. I have to write and ask. Presently, I have check-in set "4-8 pm." (I had it up to 9pm, but that lead to 10:30 and up). Now with 8 pm, I'm willing to push to 9-9:30, but I'm getting people who want to come at 11 pm and even midnight! OR I write inquiring about their ETA and AirBnB is pushing me to either Decline or Approve. If someone is reseving way in advance, they don't always know their ETA yet. However, AirBnB writes me while i'm in communication with the guest telling me to either Approve or Not and if I don't they will block dates and put me down in listing. Yet, I'm trying to communicate via AirBnb with the guest. It's really a no win. What do others of you with more experience do?

[David126]

I shortened my check in times because of this, generally I am more concerned about them turning up early and I am not here, later I can more easily live with.

Expect most to tell you, most of those to turn up sometime around the time they said, some to blank you and some to turn up at a very different time.

[Huma0]

@R22

This continues to be a challenge for me and some guests are really very difficult when it comes to check in time.

I make the check in time clear in my listing and re-state it in my house rules. I do use Instant Book now and in the message the guests get when they book, you can include a few questions. One of the questions I ask is their ETA, bearing in mind check in is from 3-9pm. Still, at least half the IB guests do not answer this, so I have to ask it again (again I reiterate that check is is from 3-9pm - I mention this every time the subject is brought up). 

Some will then want to check in outside of these hours. I don't get many requests for late check ins. Usually they want to come early. I simply state that it's not possible and that I won't be able to do check in until 3pm. I also supply them with details of inexpensive left luggage facilities. These are so reasonable that it would actually cost them more to travel by public transport to my place and back to drop off their bags.

Many guests accpet this. None the less, quite a lot simply cannot understand why they should have to check in within my 3-9pm window. If they are landing early morning, they want to come straight here and it never occurs to them that I have other guests who still need to check out and then I have to clean the place etc. Others simply refuse to specify an arrival time.

I have actually had to call Airbnb twice recently about guests that wouldn't play ball about this and in both cases, the guests were also not responding to my questions about reading the listing/agreeing to the house rules (something I ask all guests). The first one kept asking over and over again to come at 9am even though I explained clearly why this was not possible and the second one simply ignored the question.

My tactic now in these cases is to call Airbnb, explain the situation and, so far, they have agreed that I would be entitled to cancel the booking penalty free (this probably only works with IB reservations). I then go back to the guests asking them to kindly respond to my questions and confirm their arrival time, or their booking will be cancelled.

It seems a bit hard ball, but to be honest, I put a lot into hosting and I don't need guests messing me around before they have even got here. I need the income, but not enough to bend over backwards for inconsiderate guests. Experience has taught me simply not to put up with it. 

[Huma0]

@R-0

Sorry, I only saw your response now. This is very frustrating for sure.  The only thing I can suggest is that you include a request for arrival time in every method possible, e.g. in your listing description, house rules, welcome message, following messages. It's a pain, but at least with Instant Book you CAN call up Airbnb and say you're uncomfortable with the reservation and ask them to cancel for you penalty free. If you're not using IB, you don't have that option.

Also, the Acceptance Rate is very annoyng, but I think the whole being delisted for dropping beow  88% thing is s a bit of a myth. I have dropped below that for several months for one of my listings and wasn't threatened with being delsted and another host reported on the CC that she had dropped to something like 11% and not been delisted! So, it is better to keep your response rate up and either accept or decline the request rather than let the time lapse and I have actually been told that by an Airbnb rep...

[Mathieu-And-Kunj0]

This is one of the constant requests we have had since past one year. The only soluton to this that we have found is a two step process :

1) we write a welcome note as soon as someone books and after the very first line of greetings we re-inform the guest of the check in and check out timings. At the same time we also mention that we are not staying at the premises so arrival and departure outside of these hours will need to be pre- informed at least 2 days in advance and may also incur additional fee. This mention of "Additional Fee"  fee gets the attenttion right away and most of the time we get a reply. 

2) on the day of arrival we call all our arrivals of the day to know if they are still to be expected to arrive on the earlier mentioned time or not? This also gives us a bridge to communicate again if they are getting delayed.

But if they do have an unchangable early arrival then in such case if we can we accomadate them, then we do so withut question or charges otherwise we offer to keep their luggage and hand over a discount coupon of one of our neighbourhood restaurants to passtime or have lunch while the house gets ready.