How to cope with guests that are draining the hot water tank and then complaining about no hot water?

[Carlo4890]

Our listing is a suite in our home and the entire house including the suite are running off of a single hot water tank.  On check-in day, during the first night, I got a call about no hot water in the suite.  I checked in our side of the house and sure enough, there was no hot water.  I immediately apologized for the inconvenience and let them know that we were suffering the same problem and that I would call a plumber first thing in the morning.  I spent some time checking the tank itself, breakers, fuses and everything appeared physically fine.  A little less than an hour later, there was hot water again. 

The following day, there were literally no issues with the hot water.  The next night though I got another call that there was no hot water.  Again, I panicked that there was a problem with the hot water tank, but sure enough, less than an hour later there was hot water again.  

While we are new to Airbnb, we have been renting our suite for years.  Before Airbnb it was long term tenants - families of 3 and 4 and we never had issues with hot water supply.  I can only assume that these current guests are using an unreasonable amount of hot water and draining the tank whenever they shower and do laundry. When I speak with my plumber about how to proceed, they tell me that there isn't really anything to do if the tank is working.  I don't really think I should be replacing a working tank just for this.

I understand the tenant's frustration with the hot water running out, but it is equally frustrating for me since my family is left without hot water also.  Plus, dealing with calls late in the evening is getting tiresome.  All of this is compounded by the fact that we are on the verge of achieving our superhost status.  I fear that if this continues, we are going to end up with a negative review and we will lose our superhost chances.  Does anyone have advice of how to deal with this?  We're not a hotel.  We don't have unlimited hot water.  

[Sarah977]

@Debra300  WTF does one person do in a shower for half an hour? I have had long hair for most of my life. I can shampoo my hair, wash the shampoo out, apply conditioner, wash my body, shave my legs, rinse the conditioner out, and be done in 10 minutes. 

[Debra300]

@Sarah977,

A thirty minute showerer uses up all of the hot water that is meant to support a household of four.  They also waste a lot of a precious life sustaining resource, drinkable water.  This behavior is indicative of other character flaws and an elevated sense of self importance.  These guests left the bathroom in a very untidy condition.  My cleaner had to spend an additional hour cleaning it (toilet, mirrors, vanity, sinks, floors, shower and tub all required extra effort to clean).

[Gillian166]

@Debra300  and this is why I do say "we dont' have the resources of a hotel" to guests. We have a house, with a family sized hot water system, just like they do.... some people are astoundingly ignorant/naive and selfish. I have a note about hot water in my guest manual and i also remind a group of 6 adults to be water wise, in drought-prone Australia most people are used to hearing this. 

[Branka-and-Silvia0]

@Carlo4890  if it happens again with another group I would just buy and install a 50 or 80 L electric boiler in the guest's bathroom and problem solved.  When they spend all 50 L they have to wait until it heats up again. You would have your own water tank and hot water and wouldn't depend on their usage 🙂

Electric boilers are cheap and easy to install.

[Gillian166]

@Branka-and-Silvia0 

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Electric boilers are cheap and easy to install.

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uh, in Croatia maybe. I just had a pool heater installed today, the labour cost alone was $600, for 2 hours work (you don't want to know the cost of the actual heater). Our cottage hot water system broke in December, it cost $2500 to have it replaced, is that "cheap"? 

The price of electricity is also insane where we live, and we have solar but it's only "free" during the day. 

[Gillian166]

I'm going to disagree with some others. The reason so many people book with us is because we are not a hotel. We offer a more personal experience, a unique experience, with more space than a hotel would grant, but sadly, not with unlimited hot water. I think it's fine to remind guests they are staying in a home, just like their own, and the hot water is not unlimited, just like at home. You could put a notice in your guest manual, the listing, or a physical sign with a 'save the planet' vibe, urging guests to be water wise. In Australia this is pretty standard, we are a drought-prone country, everyone understands.  

[Debra300]

@Gillian166,

For some people hot water is unlimited, because they live in a place that has boilers or tankless water heaters.  Also, in the US it's common for the property owner to be responsible for paying the water service, and the renter has no real awareness of how much they are consuming or the true cost.  The reason why this set up is prevalent is because water service is often associated with an address and not to an individual's account.  

[Laurelle3]

@Carlo4890 yes running out of hot water can be an issue for your family and your guests. My suggestions are similar to others.

1. I would disconnect the hot water to washing machine and put a note to say that it is cold wash only.

2.Put a sign up in bathroom for 3 minute showers.

3. Tell your guest on arrival that hot water is limited and you are trying to be environmental and saving our planet.

4. If off- peak water system  put an over-ride switch on when guests are staying. 

5. Maybe install an instant hot water for the accommodation area as mentioned.

6. Put a low flow filter in shower head as mentioned. 

I hope all goes well for you in the future.

[Daniel9183]

Here's what I'd suggest you do to address this issue. Buy an inline tankless electric water like this one in this picture, which is 240W - 18KW (that is plenty of heating) for about $400.

Then, have your plumber install it downstream from your regular tank water heater, and set the temperature control to 100F or so.

It will stay dormant while receiving hot water from your main tank, but whenever it can't keep up and the water temperature falls below what you set (100F?), then this new heater will come on and give the colder water a boost in temperature.  

You may need to run wires to it from your breaker box and add a breaker, so hire an electrician if your plumber requests one. All together you're looking at $1-2k, I'm guessing.

Another option that may be simpler but cost about the same is to install a gas tankless heater instead of this electric one if your main water heater is already burning gas. Just have your plumber run a short gas line from it to this new unit installed beside it. If installing a gas unit you may need a permit.

[Michael8384]

Hello Carlo, 

I just had the same trouble except that I am a host living in Europe and I just had some guests (mother and daughter) **. I am replacing my husband who is the usual host and forgot to mention that showers shouldn't exceed 10 minutes per person because the watertank was big nevertheless limited and should provide to everyone in the house. It is normally sufficient for 4 to 6 people as long as they have reasonable water use. 

When I went back to my guest and asked if everything was all right with the bedroom and kitchen (oh and i forgot to mention that we offer a beautiful place in an old renovated house for the cheapest price of the town basically, especially with the great commodities we offer) she complained that there was no hot water when she wanted to TAKE A BATH !! Yes indeed, most bathrooms in Europe are still equipped with a bath tub AND a shower ! Especially when you haven't redone your bathroom and discarded the bath tub !! But it does not mean that guests are supposed to have a bath ! I was flabbergasted by such an admission of self centeredness !! 

And when she said there was not hot water, I first thought of a problem with the water tank which like you Carlo I went to check if the water pressure and temperature was allright. It all seemed fine. Then I proceded to ask them if her mom who had had a shower before her had had some home water in order to understand the problem.

She said that her mom had had a little bit of hot water and then cold water ! 

The next day they are gone, and the water tank works perfectly ! Which means that the mother managed to empty a 150 or 200 L water tank and they called it "a little bit of hot water, then no more".

I managed to tell them this was due to excessive showering (with nicer and more polite terms) and they just said like thank you for addressing the problem (not sorry for using all the water). 

My husband has a way to put it very nicely and put people at ease but let them understand that there is limited hot water. He says something that goes along : blah blah blah (nice and polite and friendly) "and we would like to know if you intend to shower tonight ? because in this case we will shower tomorrow morning, it does not bother us AT ALL but there is limited hot water since the water tank is for EVERYONE in the house". I thought it was better to ask very nicely not to exceed 10 minutes per person and not to use the bath tub (water is extremely expensive right now in Europe as well !!!!!! like it is every where in the world I believe ?) and to explain briefly why.

I also added it in the House Rules and put it nicely.

At first I thought we should add a second water tank but if we do that, I think it would encourage guests to take long long showers and I don't think it would be great for the environment (and our water bill !!) Of course, we are proud of our house, want to provide the best comfort, accomodate our guests and help them with their needs, but eventhough I would never say that to a guest, we are indeed not a hotel, clearly not at hotel rates and therefore ressources are limited as it is in anybody's house.

I think it is better to keep it that way and to ask in a friendly way that each guest be responsible than to entice them to take long showers. And I mean, there is plenty more ways of relaxing in our area as there is in yours than emptying the hosts water tank 😄

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